[00:00:02]
IT IS NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.[ CALL TO ORDER]
[ Wednesday, April 30, 2025 - 9:00 A.M. Assessor Elections Recorder School Superintendent Treasurer Public Fiduciary Community Health Services Flood Control District Library District Daily Wrap-Up The Board will recess and reconvene at 9:00 A.M. on Thursday, May 1, 2025.]
GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE TO ADD UP MORE NUMBERS.[LAUGHTER] WELL, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY 18 SECONDS LATE.
ANYWAY, I AGAIN, WELCOME EVERYBODY, AND WE'RE ON TO OUR SECOND DAY OF BUDGET HEARINGS.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, WE WILL RECONVENE WITH OUR MEETING.
I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE, IF YOU WOULD STAND SO WE CAN DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE. I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER OR CONTINUE THIS MEETING.
I WOULD ASK ROLL CALL FROM THE CLERK. THANK YOU.
YESTERDAY, SO THAT WE COULD GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE LIKE EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND POSTPONE ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE ARE GOING TO PICK UP WITH THAT THIS MORNING, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE MEETING OVER TO ZACH AND TYLER.
I'M SORRY, MAURY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU'RE FINE. I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A PIECE OF HOUSEKEEPING BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
AS PROMISED YESTERDAY, WE KEPT TRACK OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED, AND WE'VE GOT RESPONSES FOR THOSE.
I'LL DISTRIBUTE THAT AS ZACH GETS STARTED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR ALLOWING US TO MOVE CAPITAL FROM YESTERDAY TO TODAY.
WE KNEW THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE TRYING HAVING THAT THE VERY END OF THE ORDER YESTERDAY.
WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.
TYLER IS ALSO GOING TO BE JOINING IN THE DISCUSSION, AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENTS TODAY, BECAUSE AS YOU WOULD REMEMBER, WE HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT PRIORITY AREAS THAT THE BOARD LOOKED AT, AND ONE OF THEM WAS THE STRATEGIC FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.
THE CAPITAL PIECE IS SOMEWHAT OF AN OUTGROWTH OF THAT.
ONE PORTION WOULD BE THE SPACE PLANNING, BUT ALSO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS A PROCESS BY WHICH WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO AND DO SOME OF THE PLANNING WORK FOR IT.
I GOT A CLICKER HERE, WHICH WORKS JUST AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO SPEND A QUICK MOMENT REVIEWING THIS SLIDE ON THE BENEFITS OF A CIP.
WHY ARE WE LOOKING NOT JUST AT OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT THEN WHY IS THE CIP PART OF ONE OF OUR GOALS THIS YEAR? THE BENEFIT OF CIP OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS IS NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE SNAPSHOT IN TIME OF THE PROJECT ITSELF, BUT LOOKING AT IT OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.
IT ALLOWS US THE BENEFIT OF UNDERSTANDING THE PROJECTS WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, THE COST, THE TIMELINE IT'S GOING TO BE ASSOCIATED, BUT AS WELL AS THE FUTURE PLAN.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PROJECTS TODAY THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COUNTY, BUT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, WHAT ARE THE COSTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
IN SOME CASES, IN THE FUTURE, WE MIGHT BE LOOKING LONGER INTO 10 YEARS OR INTO A LONGER PLAN AS WE BUILD OUR CIP OUT.
BY DOING THAT, ONE, IT PROVIDES VISIBILITY TO THE ORGANIZATION TO KNOWING, WHAT ARE THOSE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED, WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO HAVE THIS CAPITAL BUILDING BUILT WITHIN IT? THEN SECONDARILY, THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS ALSO UNPACKING, NOT JUST THE BUILDING, BUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER COSTS? MANY TIMES OPERATING COSTS ARE MISSED WHEN DOING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
THERE MIGHT BE AN EXPECTATION FROM A DEPARTMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS NEW APPROACH. BUT WHAT ABOUT STAFFING? IS IT GOING TO CHANGE STAFFING COSTS? IS IT GOING TO CHANGE OTHER MAINTENANCE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDINGS? BECAUSE BUILDINGS OVER TIME ARE LARGE CAPITAL ASSETS DO HAVE MAINTENANCE COSTS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP IN MIND AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE PROCESS.
SECONDARILY, THE OTHER PIECE OF THE PERSON WITH THE, I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT THOSE ARE CALLED ANYMORE, MAYBE THE MEGAPHONE.
IN THERE IS COMMUNICATION AND SO IN THE CAPITAL PLANNING AREA, SO IT'S NOT JUST HELD WITH SAY FACILITIES OR WITH A CIP MANAGER.
BUT THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION UNDERSTANDS WHAT ARE THE COSTS,
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TIMELINES, AND EXPECTED BENEFITS FOR THE PUBLIC, AS WELL.IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AS WE GROW OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING PROCESS IS TO HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC AS WELL SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING BUILT, WHAT THE TIMELINE IS, AND WHAT ARE THE COSTS AND THE TRADE OFFS.
IT GETS BACK TO THIS QUESTION AGAIN OF I'LL SAY THAT ALL TAXES ARE NOT BAD.
TAXES ARE ACTUALLY A WAY IN WHICH WE AS A COMMUNITY PULL TOGETHER OUR RESOURCES TO BUILD THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT TO SEE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FUTURE, BECAUSE CAPITAL IS REALLY FORWARD LOOKING AND BIG INITIATIVES.
I WANT TO SAY BEFORE STARTING THE CAP, WE ARE AT THE BEDROCK PROCESS OF STARTING TO EXTEND OUR TIME HORIZON BY WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT PROJECTS.
WHEN WE TALK WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS TODAY, I HAVE TO SAY, PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN DOING AN AMAZING JOB OF DOING THAT ON THE ROADSIDE, AND WE'VE BEEN LEARNING FROM THEM OF HOW TO EXTEND THAT TIMELINE, ALSO LOOKING AT FACILITIES, ALSO LOOKING AT FLOOD ITS AND FACILITIES ARE REALLY EXTENDING THAT PORTION OF IT.
THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE ALSO GOING TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION TODAY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A FULL BODY DISCUSSION ACROSS THOSE AREAS.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WE CAN JUMP INTO THE FIRST.
THANK YOU. THE FIRST MOUSE JUMPED.
THE FIRST ONE'S GOING TO BE THE HURF OR THE HIGHWAYS USER REVENUE.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN GO FORWARD.
ROGER, WOULD YOU BE AVAILABLE TO COME IN? THANK YOU.
>> YOU CAN ZOOM IN JUST A SECTION.
>> PUT THAT LARGE PRINT LIKE WE DO ON OUR PHONES.
>> WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO END THE SHOW FOR A MINUTE AND THEN DO THE ZOOMING.
>> YEAH. I APOLOGIZE ON THAT, ROGER, BECAUSE I'VE USED DEPTH OF INFORMATION RATHER THAN GETTING THE TOTALS FOR THE HURF SIDE.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF DATA. THANK YOU FOR THE DETAIL.
I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THE ROLL UP PIECE.
>> NO PROBLEM. JUST TO GET STARTED ON THE ROADWAY PIECE OF THINGS.
FIRST, LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF AGAIN.
ROGER MCCORMICK, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR MALLORY, AND THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR COMPTON AND BOARDS FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT A PLAN THAT PUBLIC WORKS, ZACH MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
OUR CAPITAL PLAN GOES BACK SEVERAL YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THESE PROJECTS SINCE THE '90S.
WE REALLY HAVE HAD A CIP THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE WHERE WE LOOK ON A FIVE-YEAR OUTLOOK AS TO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO DO IN RELATION TO OUR ROADWAYS.
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE HURF PORTION OF THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED.
NOW, HURF, THE HIGHWAY USER REVENUE FUND IS A FUND THAT WE USE FOR GENERAL MAINTENANCE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF ALL ROADWAYS.
WE FOCUS OUR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CIP PORTION OF THE HURF WITH MORE OF OUR LOCAL AND MINOR COLLECTOR TYPE OF ROADWAYS.
THE NEXT PIECE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THE HALF CENT OR THE REGIONAL ROAD CIP.
THAT FOCUSES ON THE LARGER COLLECTOR TYPE ROADWAYS.
THE GRANT MATCHES THAT WE TYPICALLY GO AFTER MONEY FOR, A LOT OF THOSE GRANT MATCHES ARE WITHIN THE REGIONAL ROADS BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THE GRAND TOTAL DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM FOR THIS IS THE REGIONAL ROADS BUDGET.
NEXT FY, WE'RE LOOKING TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY 25 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE REGIONAL ROAD BUDGET.
I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, BUT JUST TO REINFORCE.
WE HAD HAD SOME CHALLENGES WITH BEING ABLE TO GET DONE WHAT WE NEEDED TO WITHIN THE CIP BUDGET BECAUSE OF OUR EXPENDITURE LIMIT CAP THAT WE HAD.
BECAUSE OF THAT, LAST YEAR, WE DEFERRED 6.5 MILLION.
BUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WE HAD DEFERRED SOME MONEY AS WELL.
THAT'S BUILT UP A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME, AND WE ARE PLANNING TO TRY TO CATCH UP NEXT YEAR,
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NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT CAPACITY, THAT CAP BEING REMOVED.I'M VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE TO THE VOTERS FOR DOING THAT FOR THE COUNTY AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE FROM HAVING THIS COME FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. AS YOU SEE THE YEARS, AS YOU GET OUT INTO YEAR 5, IT TAPERS DOWN TO 14 MILLION.
THE 14 MILLION NUMBER THAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE REALLY EQUATES TO WHAT IS COMING IN WITH THE HALF CENT FUNDING FOR US TO EXPEND WITH THE 45% GOING TO ROADWAYS.
THAT'S ABOUT WHAT IT IS, OF ENTIRETY, THAT'S 45%, RIGHT AROUND 14 MILLION.
BY THE TIME YOU GET OUT TO YEAR 5, WE'RE HITTING RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THE REVENUE IS PREDICTED TO COME IN AT.
LIKE I SAID, THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE WITHIN THE REGIONAL ROAD BUDGET, THERE ARE LARGER SCALE TYPE OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.
PROJECTS LIKE RUBBERIZED CHIP SEAL, CONVENTIONAL CHIP SEAL, AND OVERLAYS.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION TYPE OF PROJECTS THAT WE DO TOO.
NEW INSTALLATION OF LIKE A ROUNDABOUT, FOR INSTANCE, THE ONE THAT WAS RECENTLY PUT IN ON COMMERCE DRIVE AND PER PARKWAY, THAT WAS FUNDED OUT OF REGIONAL ROADS.
>> ROGER, I JUST THOUGHT I'D PUT THIS OUT THERE.
A LOT OF THE ROADS TODAY, YOU'RE HAVING TO ALMOST MAKE THEM MORE, I GUESS, WAIT WORTHY BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE TRAFFIC NOWADAYS THAN WHAT WE DID.
I KNOW ON PRESCOS HIGHWAY, THAT HAD TO HAVE A DIFFERENCE TO IT.
WHEN YOU ACTUALLY ALMOST RECONSTRUCTED THAT WHOLE ROAD.
IT WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD, DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TRAFFIC.
I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TYPE OF PAVEMENT STRUCTURAL SECTION THAT WE WOULD BE USING ON A PARTICULAR ROADWAY, ONE OF THE POINTS IN WHICH WE CONSIDER IS THE ADT OR THE AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC THAT IS TRAVERSING THAT ROAD, AND WE ADJUST THE PAVEMENT SECTION ACCORDINGLY BASED UPON THAT.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WANTED TO HIT ON WITH OUR CAPITAL PLANNING HERE FOR THE FIVE YEAR PLAN IS THAT WE HAVE A PAVEMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT HAS THE ENTIRE COUNTY RANKED AS FAR AS PAVED ROADWAYS.
WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX.
THAT IS ON A SCALE OF 0-100, WHERE DOES THIS ROAD LIE? ONE HUNDRED BEING THE BEST, ZERO BEING ITS TURNED BACK TO DIRT.
BASED UPON THOSE RANKINGS, WE HAVE STRATEGIC CUTOFFS WITHIN THE PCI RANGE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE.
IT MAKES SENSE TO DO A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE TREATMENT OR TO PUT A CHIP SEAL ONTO THIS ROAD AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, NEXT YEAR, THIS IS GOING TO SLIDE INTO AN AREA WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE SUBSTANTIAL, LIKE A THIN OVERLAY VERSUS A THICK OVERLAY, IF IT REALLY GOES FAR.
YOU'LL SEE WITHIN THESE PLANS, BOTH THE HURF PLAN AND THE HALF CENT PLAN IS THAT SOME OF THESE ROADS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED HAVE WORK DONE TO THEM ARE NOT THE WORST ROADS WITHIN THE COUNTY, AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T TAKE A WORST FIRST TYPE OF APPROACH.
WE TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH OF WANTING TO PRESERVE AND GET THE MOST OUT OF OUR ROADS WE CAN OVER THE LIFE OF WHAT THEY'RE DESIGNED FOR.
THAT'S HOW THESE ROADS HAVE BEEN TABULATED AND ADDED TO THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN.
I WILL SAY THAT SOMETIMES THE THINGS COME UP, AND THERE'S SOMETHING WITHIN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT A UTILITY COMPANY IS COMING IN AND WANTING TO DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ROADWAY, AND WE NEED TO PULL THAT ROAD OUT FOR A YEAR OR TWO AND GET IT IN, A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, BASED UPON, WE DON'T WANT TO PUT DOWN NEW ASPHALT WHEN IT'S GOING TO GET TORN UP.
THERE ARE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE DO MAKE TO THIS, BUT THIS IS OUR BEST ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW AS TO WHAT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT ROGER WAS SAYING ABOUT THE PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEXING, AN AMAZING TOOL THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DICTATE WHERE THE DOLLARS GO AND HOW THOSE DOLLARS PRODUCE DIFFERENT RESULTS.
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FOR EXAMPLE, BETWEEN THE HALF CENT FUNDING AND THE HURF FUNDING, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND OVER $27 MILLION PROJECTED IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.BUT IN FUTURE YEARS, AS THE BOARD FINDS MAYBE MORE INTEREST IN ADDING MORE DOLLARS TO ROADS FROM THE HALF CENT, THAT COULD BE ADJUSTED.
THE MORE PERCENTAGE OF THE HALF CENT IS GOING TOWARDS ROADS.
YOU CAN USE THE DATA FROM THE PCI TO DICTATE.
IF WE'RE AT A 75, NOW WE WANT TO BECOME AN 80 OVERALL, HOW MANY DOLLAR WOULD IT TAKE? WE CAN DO THAT MATH AND FIGURE THAT OUT.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S FLEXIBILITY GOING FORWARD, BUT OVERALL, WE'RE SHOWING YOU THE MACRO BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON DATA.
IT'S BASED ON THE INFORMATION.
IT'S BASED ON AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC COUNTS, A LOT OF VARIABLES THAT DICTATE WHEN ROADS RECEIVE TREATMENT AND WHAT TREATMENT.
>> CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO GET TAX DOLLARS RETURNED IN VALUE TO CONSTITUENTS.
DEFINITELY SUPPORT MORE OF THE HALF CENT SALES TAX GOING TOWARDS ROAD PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.
I WANT TO THANK ROGER FOR ADDING A LAYER OF DATA TO HOW WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS, MAKING IT MORE OBJECTIVE AND LESS SUBJECTIVE. I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
>> THANKS, CHAIR. ROGER, YOU GOT THE FREEDOM TO NOT TAKE THE LOWEST BID.
ARE YOU ABLE TO FIGURE IN QUALITY OF PAST WORKMANSHIP, AS WELL? BECAUSE I THINK I HAVE HEARD OUT AND ABOUT THAT SOMETIMES THERE IS DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY FROM WHERE MATERIAL COMES FROM THE PITS AND FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CREWS PUTTING IT DOWN.
SUPERVISOR KUKNYO, IN RELATION TO MATERIAL QUALITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WE DO TEST ALL OF THE MATERIALS THAT ARE USED ON THE PROJECT.
WE HAVE QUALITY CONTROL AND QUALITY ASSURANCE, AND FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE MATERIALS, AND AND EVERYTHING THAT IS USED ON OUR PROJECTS DOES MEET THE CRITERIA OR THE THRESHOLD THAT IS REQUIRED BY THOSE.
THE OTHER PIECE OF YOUR QUESTION THERE IN RELATION TO DO WE HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO NOT GO WITH LOW BID, WE DO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY WHEN THERE'S REASONABLE CAUSE FOR PAST PERFORMANCE AND IF WE'RE GETTING A PRODUCT THAT WE FEEL THAT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED AND TO BE SHOWN TO NOT PROVIDE A GOOD VALUE TO THE COUNTY AND THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY, THEN WE DO HAVE THAT OPTION.
AS LONG AS IT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED AND LOOKED AT.
>> CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RE EMPHASIZE THE POINTS YOU MADE ABOUT OUR EXPENDITURE LIMIT.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN TALKING POINTS WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE NEED TO RAISE OUR EXPENDITURE LIMITATION.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS MAYBE THE NUMBER 1 ISSUE, THE FACT THAT WE WERE NOW DEFERRING MAINTENANCE TO OUR INVESTMENT HERE IN THE ROAD SYSTEM.
I APPRECIATE THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
THIS IS VERY EXCITING NEWS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO INVEST AND DO SOME CATCH UP NOW AS A RESULT OF THE VOTERS DECISION THERE.
REALLY SEE THIS AS FOLLOWING THROUGH ON A COMMITMENT WE MADE TO THE VOTERS WHEN THEY RAISED THAT EXPENDITURE LIMIT, SO THIS IS GREAT FOR US.
>> THANK YOU, MAURY. OF COURSE, WHEN YOUR STATEMENT ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE, YOU DON'T JUST DO THE WORST ROAD, YOU JUST KEEP A SCHEDULE GOING.
THAT PHILOSOPHY OR THAT WAY OF BUSINESS REFLECTS UPON EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THIS COUNTY, KEEPING EVERYTHING MOVING FORWARD AND NOT ROLLING BACK AND GETTING CAUGHT UP IN IN A PROBLEM.
WE HAVE A LOT OF COUNTY TO TAKE CARE OF A LOT OF CITIZENS, AND I KNOW AS MUCH AS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT NO GROWTH HOWEVER THEY LOOK AT THAT.
PEOPLE WILL MOVE HERE, THEY ARE STILL GOING TO COME HERE, SO WE CAN EXPECT THAT, PLUS THE EVERYDAY TRAFFIC JUST FROM THE PHOENIX AREA OR EVEN OFF OF THE I-40 AREA.
AGAIN, THERE'S YOUR ROADS, AND SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM THAT WE KEEP THIS COUNTY VERY STABLE AND VERY SOLID.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I THINK EVERYTHING TIES IN TO EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING FROM THE ZONING STUDY ON, BECAUSE IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO DO MORE PADS WHERE WE HAVE CONTROL.
YOU LOOK AT SPRINGFIELD RANCH GOING IN, THAT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PAVEMENT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ON OUR BACK TO EITHER BUILD NOR MAINTAIN.
BUT WHEN YOU GET TO WILDCAT SUBDIVISIONS, THEY JUST PUT IN THE DIRT ROADS, AND THEN WE'RE STUCK WITH THAT AND THEN PEOPLE START SCREAMING.
I HAD A CLIENT THAT ACTUALLY SAID, A REALTOR ACTUALLY TOLD HER, DON'T WORRY, IF YOU BUY HERE AND ENOUGH PEOPLE BUY HERE, THE COUNTY WILL COME BUILD THE ROAD FOR YOU.
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THAT KIND OF STUFF IS OUT THERE.BUT IF IT'S A PAD GOING FORWARD, THEN AT LEAST WE CAN INFLUENCE WHAT GOES IN THERE, AND THEN IT'S NOT ON OUR SHOULDERS FOREVER.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT.
I DO THINK THAT I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE BIGGER PIECE OF THE CIP AND HOW WE CAN PUT IT ALL TOGETHER NOW WITH THE ROADWAYS ALSO BEING PART OF LOOKING AT BUILDINGS AND DIFFERENT IT PROJECTS AND FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS AND HAVING IT ALL IN ONE PLACE.
I THINK THERE'S BENEFIT FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT ZACH AND MAURY AND TYLER AND ARTIE HAVE MENTIONED.
>> THANK YOU, MAURY. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS WITH THE ROADS, WE CAN CONTINUE OVER TO THE FLOOD SECTION OF IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ROGER.
>> DO WE HAVE THAT CHART SPECIFICALLY?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT? I WILL GIVE YOU THE UPDATED CHARTS BECAUSE I ASKED FOR A CONSOLIDATED PIECE AND WHAT I'LL MAKE SURE IN THE END OF THE DAY TWO PACKET.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE UPDATED CHARTS, AS WELL AS IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS TOO ABOUT THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GOING OVER TODAY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE PROVIDED HERE.
I'LL MAKE SURE WE GIVE THOSE TO YOU IN A READABLE FORMAT.
I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU IN MORE OF A WORD SETUP AND WORK AT AT THE CONSOLIDATED VIEW, AS WELL AS THE COLLAPSED VIEW SO YOU CAN SEE THE INDIVIDUALIZED PROJECTS AS WE PRESENTED HERE IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT AS WELL AS THE COLLAPSED ONE, SO YOU CAN SEE BOTH PERSPECTIVES.
>> I GET OVER TO FLOOD CONTROL. LET ME SEE.
IS THIS BIG ENOUGH TO SEE OR SHOULD I ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT TO GIVE?
>> LYNN'S GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO THE FLOOD CONTROL.
SIMILARLY, AS ROGER MENTIONED, LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS, LYNN'S BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB IN THE NUMBER OF FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS THAT HER DEPARTMENT MANAGES LOOKING AT THAT AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HEARING ABOUT THEIR PERSPECTIVE, AS WELL AS TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY IDA PORTION OF IT, WHICH IS A LARGE PROPORTION OF HOW FLOOD CONTROL FUNDS PROJECTS WITHIN THE COUNTY. SURE.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M LYNN WHITMAN, DIRECTOR OF THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
WE ARE IN A FORTUNATE POSITION OF GETTING A LOT OF GRANTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THEM CAME ALL AT ONCE, SO THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY ARE LIMITED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO A 25% MATCH FOR MOST OF OUR GRANTS.
THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO WORK ON THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR ARE BASICALLY WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET TO SPEND ON THAT 25% MATCH.
IT'S NOT AS STRATEGIC AS I WOULD LIKE, BUT WE WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE GRANT DOLLARS WHILE WE STILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
MOST OF THESE PROJECTS HERE, YOU SEE THEM LISTED TWICE, THAT'S BECAUSE 25% OF THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, 75% IS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE HAD BEEN ASKED BY THE STATE BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM IF WE HAD ANY PROJECTS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND WE SUBMITTED FIVE DRAINAGE STUDIES, THINKING WE'D GET ONE OR TWO, AND WE GOT ALL FIVE.
WE'RE KIND OF STUDY HEAVY RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON, GETTING DONE THIS YEAR, AND THEN A COUPLE OF BIG ONES THAT WE HOPE TO GET DONE NEXT YEAR. THEY'RE ALL OVER.
>> I DON'T SEE ANY IN DIAMOND VALLEY, WHICH IS UNUSUAL.
I THINK SINCE THE DAY I GOT APPOINTED, IT'S BEEN DIAMOND VALLEY AND WE'RE FLOODING, RIGHT?
>> YES. ONE OF THE APPLICATIONS WE HAVE IN NOW THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO GET CUT WITH
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THE FEDERAL GRANT CUTS IS ACTUALLY FOR THE WALKER AREA, A BIG DRAINAGE PROJECT IN WALKER, BUT THE STATE IS WORKING TO FIND ALTERNATE FUNDING FOR US.I THINK IT'LL WORK OUT. IT WILL BE GOOD.
>> CHAIR, COULD I ASK A QUESTION OF LYNN IF THAT'S OKAY.
WOULD YOU MIND EXPLAINING TO THE BOARD A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHAT WE'RE FACING, WE'RE POTENTIALLY FACING WITH GRANT CUTS, FEMA, THE BRIC PROGRAM?
>> A LOT OF THESE GRANTS ARE FROM THE BRIC PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE PROGRAM THAT WAS CUT THIS YEAR FROM FEMA.
I UNDERSTAND THERE MIGHT BE A REPLACEMENT PROGRAM COMING, BUT GIVEN THAT IT PAYS FOR QUITE A FEW OF OUR PROJECTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD? NOT ONLY THAT, YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE INCREASED COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION.
WE'VE THROWN AROUND A FEW DIFFERENT IDEAS, BUT WE THINK THE ONE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE IS EXAMINING OUR IGA PROGRAM, WHERE WE GIVE ALL THE MONEY TO THE COMMUNITIES.
NOT ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES ARE REALLY GOOD ABOUT SPENDING THAT MONEY.
SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES REALLY NEED IT.
SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES, THIS IS THE MONEY THAT THEY USE TO DO THEIR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE ON THEIR ROADS.
BUT WE THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD DO A COMBINED PROGRAM WITH THE COMMUNITIES, WHERE WE COULD MAYBE EVEN THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND BRING SOME MONEY BACK IN FOR OUR OWN PROJECTS.
RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE GIVE 40% OF OUR LEVY TO THE COMMUNITIES FOR THEIR PROJECTS, AND WE HAVE ABOUT 10% OF OUR LEVY FOR OUR PROJECTS.
WITH THE GRANTS, IT'S BEEN DOABLE, BUT WITHOUT THE GRANTS, IT WON'T BE DOABLE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME, BUT IF IT'S NOT, BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW.
IF IT'S COMING LATER, THEN I WILL CUT IT.
>> I CAN'T HELP, BUT WHEN I HEAR YOU SAY THAT, IT ALMOST REMINDS ME OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH WITH LIBRARIES BECAUSE I KNOW, AND OF COURSE, I'LL USE PRESCOTT VALLEY AS AN EXAMPLE.
THEY LITERALLY DEPEND ON THAT FOR DOING A LOT OF THEIR PROJECTS.
ME AND THE VICE CHAIR, WE SHARE PRESCOTT.
AGAIN, THEY ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR THAT FUNDING.
I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU IN MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE LEVY OR THE TAX.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT MAY BE KEEPING THAT FLAT IN THAT FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WOULD HELP.
THERE'S NO DECISIONS BEING MADE HERE.
THIS IS JUST A CONVERSATION FOR ALL OF US TO HEAR THAT THIS COULD BE A SITUATION FOR ALL OF US WITH OUR CITIES AND TOWNS.
WE ALREADY KNOW HOW THE LIBRARIES WENT.
JUST GETTING THAT OUT THERE ON DECISIONS THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AND CONSIDER ON HOW WE MAKE THIS WORK.
WITH INFLATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE MUNICIPALITIES WILL BE LOOKING TOWARD THAT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, THAT COUNTY PARTNERSHIP THAT THEY'VE BEEN GETTING.
I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE SO THAT WE ALL HAVE THAT IN OUR FOREFRONT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS BUDGET.
>> WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHANGE THE PROGRAM FOR THIS BUDGET.
I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT EXACTLY AS IT IS AND CONTINUE THAT.
BUT THEN I'D LIKE TO INCLUDE THE COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVEN'T RUN ANY REAL NUMBERS YET.
I'M PUTTING TOGETHER SOME INFORMATION THAT MAYBE ONCE THIS PROCESS IS OVER, WE CAN START SITTING DOWN AND LOOKING AT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
I WOULD LOVE TO INCLUDE THE COMMUNITIES IN THAT, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
ALSO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, AS WE MOVE THROUGH ALL OF THESE PROCESSES, HOWEVER THEY ARE, IT'S ALWAYS VERY GOOD THAT WE DO INCLUDE THE MANAGEMENT STAFF IN OUR MEETINGS, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE THAT WAY, THE CONVERSATION IS RIGHT THERE IN THE ROOM, AND WE DON'T HAVE A ONE PERSON NOT THERE, WHETHER IT WOULD BE TYLER OR MARTY, BUT THAT THE PERSON IS THERE AND THE WORDS THAT ARE BEING SAID, EVERYBODY'S HEARING THE SAME THING, AND THEN WE DON'T GET A SIDEBAR.
THIS IS NOT FOR NOW, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO BE KNOWLEDGE OF, AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AS A BOARD AND AS A MANAGEMENT TEAM AND DEPARTMENTS.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE?
>> IF THERE'S NOT ANYTHING ELSE THEN.
>> OF COURSE, I GOT TO WEIGH IN.
>> WEIGH IN ON EVERYTHING. [LAUGHTER] MADAM CHAIR, YOU BEEN LUCKY BECAUSE WATER HASN'T MOVED IN A LONG TIME,
[00:30:03]
BUT I'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO SEE WHEN IT DOES, IT REALLY GOES.I'M GLAD WE'RE STAYING ON THINGS.
A LOT OF THIS STUFF WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITIES, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES, BUT I SEE, DO WE HUMBOLDT UP THERE? ARE WE COST SHARING OR PARTNERING WITH THE INCORPORATED TOWNS TO DO THESE PROJECTS?
>> THAT ONE, THAT'S GRANT FUNDED AND WE'RE DOING THAT ONE.
WE'RE PAYING THE 25% JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT, AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS.
BUT FOR MOST OF THE COMMUNITIES, WHEN WE GIVE THEM IGA MONEY, THEY RUN THOSE PROJECTS.
AS LONG AS THEIR DRAINAGE PROJECTS, THEY QUALIFY, AND IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT, SO THEY SEND US THEIR INVOICES, AND WE REIMBURSE THEM.
>> IT SEEMS LIKE PART OF THEIR ISSUE IS THE SUPERFUND SITE THAT'S WASHING DOWN RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO REMEDIATE THE SUPERFUND ISSUE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAVE SOME ISSUES THERE.
>> YEAH. THAT'S NOT A FLOOD CONTROL THING, THAT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL THING, BUT I'VE SEEN SOME OF IT, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SAYING IS REQUIRED TO BE DONE.
THEY'RE DOING THE VERY MINIMUM, WHERE REALLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS QUITE A BIT MORE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE DIFFERENCE IN FUNDING COMES IN TO MAKE THAT REALLY HAPPEN.
>> IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THAT ISSUE AND FLOOD CONTROL WOULD GO HAND IN HAND BECAUSE IT'S THE WATER MOVING THE TOXINS.
>> WE'RE HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD FUND OR CONTROL.
THAT'S REALLY BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE EPA.
>> YOU GUYS TALK WITH THE DIFFERENT CITIES AND TOWNS.
I KNOW THAT ON THE CLIFF ROSE COMMUNITY, THEY HAD A LOT OF ISSUES IN THE PAST.
WELL, THAT SHOVES IT RIGHT DOWN IN OUR AREA, TOO.
>> THAT'S OKAY. I'M USED TO BEING REMINDED TO TURN THE MIC ON.
SALT MINE ROAD, IS THAT WITHIN CAMP VERDE? IS THAT BEFORE THE ROAD SWITCHES OVER TO COUNTY, SO AT THE START OF SALT MINE ROAD, DO YOU RECALL THEN?
>> IT'S AT RAYSON. IT'S IN THE COUNTY.
THERE'S A LITTLE SIX SUBDIVISION, BUT WE GOT MORE MONEY THAN WE WERE EXPECTING.
WE'VE TALKED TO JEFF LO AND WE ARE EXPANDING IT TO INCLUDE SOME THINGS THAT ARE IN THE COUNTY, BUT THAT WILL IMPACT THE TOWN.
>> THAT ROADS COMING OFF THE MOUNTAIN, IT FLOODS ALL THE TIME.
WE ACTUALLY SHUT THE ROAD DOWN SOMETIMES TO GET THE DEBRIS OUT OF IT THERE.
I WAS WONDERING WHICH END IT WAS BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S FLOODING ALL ALONG SALT MINE ROAD IN BOTH DISTRICTS.
>> RIGHT. YEAH, TOWARDS THE NORTH. YEAH.
>> THANK YOU, LYNN, FOR THAT SECTION ON THE FLOOD CONTROL.
NEXT, WE'D HAVE A NEW DEPARTMENT THAT, AS I MENTIONED, HISTORICALLY, WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, BUT IT'S REALLY, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THE CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DOING CAPITAL PLANNING FOR A LONG TIME, IT'S STARTING TO INCREASE EXORBITANTLY, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT YESTERDAY A LOT IS TECHNOLOGY.
TECHNOLOGY FROM TRADITIONALLY CIPS WE'RE ON BIG PROJECTS, AND ALSO WE HAVE TO CAPITALIZE THEM.
WE NOW HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO, IN ACCOUNTING, WE START CAPITALIZING SOFTWARE SYSTEMS AS WELL.
WITH THE COUNTY'S LEASE PROGRAM OF LOOKING AT DEVICES OF SERVICE, IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS WE WANTED TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
THEIR FORAY INTO IT. LET ME SEE IF THIS IS GOING NOW.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR ITS BEING BROUGHT INTO THE FORAY OF LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS.
SIMILARLY, WE'RE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THE FIVE-YEAR COST.
THINK ABOUT VEHICLES, FOR EXAMPLE.
WHEN WE PURCHASE A VEHICLE, IT HAS A REPLACEMENT CYCLE.
IF WE PURCHASE 10 VEHICLES NEXT YEAR, ARE WE GOING TO REPLACE THEM IN FOUR YEARS OR IN SEVEN YEARS? BECAUSE THAT'S A DIFFERENTIAL OF WHATEVER THAT INITIAL COST IS, IT'S GOING TO COME BACK AGAIN.
WE REALLY NEED TO GET AHEAD OF THE PLANNING.
TECHNOLOGY IS OF THE SAME SORT, BUT MULTIPLIED.
WHEN WE'RE GETTING A COMPUTER, WE'RE NOT JUST GETTING 10, WE'RE GETTING HUNDREDS OF COMPUTERS AT A TIME.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE START LOOKING AT THIS AT A LONGER-TERM BASIS.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF PROJECTS UP HERE THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO TALK ABOUT.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ONCE AGAIN TALK ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE HERE AT THE COUNTY.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR MALLORY, VICE CHAIR COMPTON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M JARED FALAN, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ITS, AND CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE INTERIM DIRECTOR.
WHEN ZACH APPROACHED US ABOUT THIS, IT REALLY FALLS QUITE IN LINE WITH LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING THIS PRETTY CONSISTENTLY FROM ITS.
REALLY, JUST IN A NUTSHELL, LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT IS THE MANAGING OF TECHNOLOGY FROM THE PURCHASE,
[00:35:05]
THE ACQUISITION, ALL THE WAY TO ITS REMOVAL FROM SERVICE.UNFORTUNATELY, YOU HAD A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHEN WE DON'T DO THAT WELL THIS MORNING WHEN THE MICROPHONES CUT OUT.
UNLIKE, ROGER, I HEARD HIS COMMENT THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET EVERY BIT OF VALUE OUT OF THAT ROAD.
WELL, IN TECHNOLOGY, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRY TO GET EVERY BIT OUT OF THAT.
YOU SQUEEZE EVERY BIT OUT OF IT.
IT FAILS ON YOU. WHEN YOU NEED IT, IT DOESN'T WORK, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ANYWAY, SO AS WE LOOK FOR CAPITAL PLANNING, WE THINK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT, AND THAT HAS A COST TO IT, WHERE WE HAVE TO PLAN NOT JUST TODAY, NOT JUST NEXT FISCAL, BUT FISCAL YEARS GOING FORWARD.
TECHNOLOGY COSTS TODAY ARE NOT ONE-TIME; THERE IS NO ONE-TIME TECHNOLOGY COSTS.
IT'S SUBSCRIPTIONS, IT'S LICENSING, IT'S MAINTENANCE, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE FIRST ONE THAT WE HAVE UP THERE IS DEVICE AS A SERVICE.
ESSENTIALLY, IT'S MORE OF A TECHNOLOGY TERM, BUT THE IDEA IS, WE'RE USING THIS AS A LEASING MODEL.
WHAT THAT LEASING MODEL DOES IS CUTS OUR FLEET OF COMPUTERS AND LAPTOPS, AND DESKTOPS INTO FOUR YEARS.
EACH YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE UP TO AND HOPEFULLY AROUND A QUARTER OF OUR FLEET.
WHICH MEANS WE CUT THE COST OF PREDICTABLE COSTS IN EACH YEAR.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A QUARTER OF THE PAYMENT.
BUT THEN ONCE YOU HIT YEAR FOUR, NOW WE'RE MAKING FOUR PAYMENTS, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE COST OF THE DEVICE EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD.
IN ROUGH NUMBERS, WE DID ABOUT $250,000 A YEAR, WHICH MEANS AT YEAR 4 AND BEYOND, IT BECOMES ABOUT $1 MILLION A YEAR FOR DEVICE REPLACEMENT.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE IN THE SECOND FISCAL YEAR OF THIS.
NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE THIRD FISCAL YEAR, AND THAT'S THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR REPLACEMENT.
>> MADAM CHAIR. I DO HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE WE DID GO OVER SOME OF THE, OR MAYBE WE HAVEN'T.
WE DID. WE SHOULD HAVE GONE OVER THESE YESTERDAY.
BUT WE HAVE NEARLY $1 MILLION IN REQUESTS FROM ITS.
TELL ME HOW DOES THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET MESH WITH THOSE NUMBERS FROM YESTERDAY? I SEE FIREWALL MODERNIZATION.
THOSE NUMBERS DO SEEM TO BE REPRESENTED IN ONE OF THE REQUESTS, BUT CAN YOU JUST BREAK THAT OUT FOR ME A LITTLE BIT MORE AND EXPLAIN THAT?
>> GREAT QUESTION, SUPERVISOR CHAIR.
WITH THESE PIECES, BEING THIS IS OUR FIRST GO AROUND AND PULLING THEM OUT.
WHAT I ASKED THEM TO DO IS WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE CAPITAL SIDE OF IT, I SAID, ANYTHING THAT IS OVER $100,000 PULLED OUT FROM A CAPITAL VIEW.
OUR CAPITAL BUDGET DOCUMENTS, THE LATER ITERATIONS OF THIS, WE'D HAVE OUR FULL BUDGET DOCUMENT, AND THEN WE'D HAVE A CAPITAL DOCUMENT.
THE CAPITAL DOCUMENT WE'LL TALK SOMEWHAT SEPARATELY OF THOSE COSTS OVER MULTIPLE YEARS AND MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT.
AT TIMES, THE TWO MIGHT NOT RECONCILE TO THE TOTAL DOLLARS.
BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS IN SOME OF THESE ASPECTS, THESE ARE GETTING PULLED OUT OF THEIR OPERATIONAL BUDGET AS WELL.
IT'S AN OPERATING COST VERSUS AN ADDITIONAL COST IN HERE.
THE RECONCILIATION OF THE TOTAL DOLLARS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR SOME OF THESE ASPECTS.
THEN ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS I JUST WANTED TO MENTION HERE IS WHEN THEY WERE INITIALLY PLANNING FOR IT, ON THE PLANNING ASPECT OF THIS, THE COMMERCE TRAINING ROOM AB RENOVATION, ON A CAPITAL PLAN, YOU'LL PUT IN PROJECTS TOO, AT TIMES THAT YOU MAY NOT REQUEST THIS YEAR.
THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE.
THESE ARE ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT THEY ASK FOR THAT IS NOT IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET.
THIS WOULD BE LOOKED AT POTENTIALLY NEXT YEAR.
OR AT A CERTAIN POINT, IT MAY FALL OFF IF IT FINDS OUT THE DETERMINATION BETWEEN THE MANAGEMENT, THE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE BOARD, TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PRIORITIZATION FOR THOSE PROJECTS ARE.
YES, SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN GONE OVER YESTERDAY BECAUSE THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS THE BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS.
IF THEY MET THE BUDGET ENHANCEMENT THRESHOLD, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TIE THE PROJECT TO IT.
BUT IF NOT, THESE WERE PULLING THESE OUT FROM THE OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT WOULDN'T BE CALLED OUT DIRECTLY IN THE PACKETS.
>> BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE $992,000 THAT WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY WERE NESTED WITHIN THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
>> DEVICE AS A SERVICE WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE ON THE INCREMENTAL COSTS FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, AS WELL AS FIREWALL MODERNIZATION, AS WELL AS THE IS MY FAVORITE NAME, INTERNET IN THERE.
THE ERP WILL ACTUALLY BE UNDER THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY REQUESTED IT, HOWEVER, THE DOLLARS ARE ACTUALLY SITTING WITH THE ITS DEPARTMENT.
>> CONSIDERING THAT WE MAY EXPERIENCE SOME CRUNCHES, WHAT WOULD OCCUR IF SOME OF THESE WERE SPREAD OUT OVER TIME A LITTLE BIT MORE?
[00:40:07]
IF YOU WERE TO SPEAK TO THE PRIORITY OF SOME OF THESE?>> UNFORTUNATELY, DEVICE AS A SERVICE BECAUSE IT'S UNDERWAY, THAT WOULD BE A VERY DIFFICULT ONE TO RECOVER FROM.
HOWEVER, ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD DO TO EXTEND LIFE OF DEVICES? WE COULD, BUT THEN WE START BUILDING IN OTHER COSTS AND HIGHER SUPPORT COSTS, BUSINESS DOWNTIME COSTS, AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
I WOULD SAY, FROM MY STANDPOINT, DEVICE AS A SERVICE IS A NECESSITY TO SEE THROUGH ITS FOUR-YEAR CYCLE.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN MODIFY THAT APPROACH TODAY.
I THINK THAT SHOULD CONTINUE ON.
THEN IF I CONTINUE DOWN THAT LIST, FIREWALL MODERNIZATION, AND JUST A QUICK TOUCH ON FIREWALLS.
FIREWALLS ARE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER KIND OF FILTER, WATER FILTER OR OIL FILTER.
KEEPS OUT THE BAD, LETS IN THE GOOD.
THAT'S OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE WHEN IT COMES TO THE INTERNET OR ANYTHING ELSE.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY, WELL, LET'S DELAY THAT ANOTHER YEAR BECAUSE NOW WE'RE JUST PUTTING THE COUNTY AT RISK IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES.
NOW, YOU COULD COME TO THE HIGH AVAILABILITY INTERNET CONNECTION, AND THAT ONE IS MORE TO PROVIDE A SECONDARY PATH JUST IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS TO OUR CONNECTION HERE AT FAIR STREET, WE HAVE ANOTHER CONNECTION OVER IN CAMP VERDE, AND ALLOW FOR BUSINESS TO CONTINUE.
THAT ONE, IT'S NOT SO MUCH A NECESSITY, BUT THE MORE WE RELY ON CLOUD BASED THINGS, LIKE OFFICE PRODUCTS AND VARIOUS APPLICATIONS, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE A SYSTEM GO DOWN AND HAVE IT GO UP SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE COME DOWN FOR A BIT.
TO SAY IT'S NOT NEEDED, NOT NECESSARY, I CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT.
BUT I WOULD SAY THIS IS ALMOST IN A PRIORITY ORDER.
I WOULD REALLY RECOMMEND IT IN A PRIORITY ORDER AS DEVICE AS A SERVICE FIREWALL MODERNIZATION, AND THEN HIGH AVAILABILITY, AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
I HAVE TO CHIME IN WITH SUPERVISOR CHECK HERE.
I KNOW YESTERDAY WE HAD THESE REQUESTS.
THEN THERE WAS ALSO A AREA OF WHAT YOU WEREN'T APPROVED.
BUT TODAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS.
WHAT ARE YOU NOT APPROVING? WHAT IS IT? ZACH, PLEASE TRY TO HELP ME HERE AT LEAST.
HOW DOES THIS WORK? ARE WE LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF MONEY FOR SOME REASON? I FEEL LIKE I'M LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT HERE, AND THEN WE HAD YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY, YOU APPROVED CERTAIN ITEMS. OTHER THINGS WERE NOT RECOMMENDED TO BE DONE.
HERE, YOU'RE APPROVING THINGS.
>> THIS WOULD CALL OUT SOME OF THE ASPECTS THAT WERE APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
FOR EXAMPLE, DEVICE AS A SERVICE WE HAVE AS AN JUST GO INDIVIDUALLY.
DEVICE AS A SERVICE IS AN ONGOING COST THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET EACH AND EVERY YEAR, BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF HOW WE CURRENTLY DO OUR COMPUTER LEASES.
WHAT WAS SHOWN YESTERDAY WOULD BE THE INCREMENTAL COST TO THAT BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
THE BUDGET ENHANCEMENT AMOUNT, AND I COULD REFER TO THAT, IF NEED BE, WOULD BE THAT PLUS AMOUNT; THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT ITS WAS ASKING FOR.
SIMILARLY, WITH THE OTHER ASPECTS, THESE ARE ALREADY BUILT INTO THE BUDGET, BUT EACH YEAR WHEN WE ASKED, THERE'S AN INCREASE, WE WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF AN INCREASE AND WHY.
THE ONLY PORTION OF THIS, WHICH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BUDGET, IS THE ITS TRAINING ROOM AND AV RENOVATION.
I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF I MENTIONED MY 2-3% OF HUMAN ERROR RATE OF IF I WERE TO REDO THIS, I WOULD HAVE STRICKEN THAT FROM NOT HAVING THAT IN THE CAPITAL PLANNING FOR THIS PORTION OF IT, MEANING SOMETHING THEY ASKED FOR, AND WE WANT TO KEEP IT ON OUR RADAR AS IT'S A PERCEIVED NEED FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT IN THE BUDGET, AND THAT'S WHY THAT IS NOT APPROVED.
BUT IT'S INCLUDED HERE JUST TO SHOW THAT AT SOME POINT, IF WE WERE TO RENOVATE THAT ROOM, HERE'S THE ESTIMATED COST, IT WOULD BE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
BUT NO, THAT PORTION OF IT IS NOT BEING INCLUDED.
BUT THE OTHER ONES ARE PART OF THE BUDGET.
THE INCREMENTAL AMOUNTS ARE WHAT ARE NOTED IN THE ITS BUDGET.
I DIDN'T PRESENT IT IN SUCH A WAY TO SHOW THE TWO OF THOSE, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT FOR NOT SHOWING, FOR EXAMPLE, YESTERDAY'S INCREMENTAL, AND THIS GETS TO THE TOTAL DOLLARS, WHICH SOME OF IT IS ALREADY EMBEDDED IN THEIR FY25 OPERATING BUDGET.
[00:45:05]
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE BUDGET.THE INCREMENT IS ALL THAT'S BEING ASKED FOR.
TRULY, IT'S NOT AN APOLOGY IN THIS SENSE NECESSARY.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GRAB A HOLD OF IT.
THAT'S ALL I'M DOING. IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING.
I WILL, LATER ON TODAY, GO BACK AND LOOK AT YESTERDAY'S TO TRY TO COMPARE THIS ONE LAST QUESTION.
DID YOU ASK FOR ANY NEW POSITIONS? I'M JUST ASKING.
I JUST DIDN'T HAVE IT YESTERDAY.
>> YES. THERE WERE A FEW NEW POSITIONS THAT WERE ASKED FOR.
>> OKAY, THEN. YOU ASKED FOR THEM, BUT WERE THEY APPROVED?
>> THEY WERE NOT ON THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
>> MADAM CHAIR, DO WE EVER SEND YOU GUYS UP TO VEGAS FOR THOSE TRADE SHOWS UP THERE?
WE ARE ENGAGING IN MORE OF THOSE FREE CONFERENCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT USUALLY ARE OFFERED IN PHOENIX, SOMETIMES UP IN FLAGSTAFF.
BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T, LIKE A LARGE CISCO MEETING OR LARGE VENDOR MEETINGS, WE HAVEN'T REALLY ATTENDED THOSE.
WE USE OUR TRAINING DOLLARS MORE FOR THE STAFF TO GET SPECIFIC TRAINING IN THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT AS FAR AS AWARENESS OF, MODERN TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION, WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD THAT HAPPEN IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
>> I THINK WHEN WE SEE THIS STUFF, THE CONFUSION IS, WE'LL SEE IT ON CONSENT AGENDAS, MAINTENANCE, AND SUPPORT.
THESE NUMBERS ARE ABSOLUTELY HUGE.
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, SO WE VOTE YES.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A GARBAGE TRUCK OR A STOP SIGN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I KNOW WHEN I WOULD GO UP TO TRADE SHOWS IN MY INDUSTRY, A LOT OF DEALS, A LOT OF NEGOTIATION HAPPEN ON THAT TRADE FLOOR.
YOU COULD GET SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE CEO OF THE COMPANY IS AT THAT BOOTH FOR WHATEVER SYSTEM WE'RE USING, AND SAY, HEY, CAN WE GET A DISCOUNT ON THAT? THE SAVINGS CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL.
DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE, OR WOULD IT NOT BE WORTHWHILE?
>> ABSOLUTELY, WOULD BE WORTHWHILE.
AS WE INTERACT WITH VARIOUS VENDORS AND THEIR LEADERSHIP, IT DOES NOTHING BUT BENEFIT US WHEN IT COMES TO PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HOWEVER, WE ARE BOUND TO VARIOUS RULES, AND WE NEED COOPERATIVE CONTRACTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY CAN DO BETTER THAN THE COOPERATIVE CONTRACT, BUT WE'RE LOCKED INTO THAT WITH MOST VENDORS.
WE HAVE HAD THAT HAPPEN ACTUALLY WITH OUR DEVICE AS A SERVICE, WE HAD OUR NUMBERS IN MIND, WHAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
WE WORKED WITH OUR VENDOR AND SAID, IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ENOUGH DEVICES FOR THAT AMOUNT.
THEN THEY DROPPED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT OFF, AND IT WAS BELOW STATE CONTRACT PRICING.
THAT IS THERE. WE DO HAVE THAT ABILITY, BUT HAVING THAT OUTREACH AND CAPABILITY, IT'S GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL. I DO AGREE.
>> WHAT POSITIONS DID YOU ASK FOR, AND HOW MANY POSITIONS DID YOU ASK FOR?
>> I BELIEVE IT WAS THREE POSITIONS.
IT WAS A CYBERSECURITY ANALYST, A PROGRAM COORDINATOR ONE, AND A SYSTEMS ENGINEER 2.
>> I'D LIKE TO ASK IN REGARDS TO THIS.
NOW, WE'VE MERGED THIS, I UNDERSTAND.
THE GIS NOW WILL BE UNDER THIS DEPARTMENT OR SIDE-BY-SIDE OR HOW? AGAIN, I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT YESTERDAY.
BUT IF WE DIDN'T GIVE ANY POSITIONS ON THERE, WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE RIGHT NOW, WE STILL ARE HIRING OR TAKING APPLICATIONS OR HOW THIS IS FOR THE DIRECTOR.
BUT IS IT TO DENY THE POSITIONS? JUST A QUESTION.
BUT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW RIGHT NOW EXACTLY HOW THIS IS ALL GOING TO WORK.
ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS MAYBE IN A WRONG WAY? WE DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW THIS WHOLE DEPARTMENT'S GOING TO BE.
WE'RE DENYING POSITIONS, THEY'RE SAYING THEY NEED THEM.
THIS IS SOMETHING NEW THE COUNTY HAS DONE.
I UNDERSTAND MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO THESE TWO DEPARTMENTS WERE TOGETHER, AND THEN THEY WERE TAKEN APART AND PUT THE WAY IT IS, AND NOW WE'RE GOING BACK TO THIS.
BUT I'M JUST A LITTLE WONDERING HOW WE CAN LOOK AT DENYING POSITIONS OR DOING ANYTHING REALLY WHEN WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT THIS DEPARTMENT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW.
[00:50:01]
WE KNOW US IT DEPARTMENT.THAT'S HOW WE KNEW LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET AND THE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
I'M JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING THIS NEW PROCESS AND HOW DOES THIS MANAGEMENT TEAM LOOK, MAURY.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. GREAT QUESTION.
THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS WAS AS I THINK WE MENTIONED YESTERDAY, $39 MILLION SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OF NEW ASK FROM THE ORGANIZATION.
OF COURSE, VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS HAD TO BE MADE, EVEN TO BRING WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING HERE TO YOU TODAY.
MANY, MANY REQUESTS HAD TO BE DENIED.
PART OF MY THOUGHT PROCESS WAS EXACTLY AS YOU SAID.
WE'RE CONSOLIDATING THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS INTO A NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS ONE PLACE THAT WE COULD HOLD BACK FOR NOW TO ALLOW THE NEW CIO TO COME IN AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE CURRENT RESOURCES BETWEEN ITS, GIS, AND HELP DEVELOP THAT PLAN.
WE'VE GOT A PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH KEVIN AND JARED AND TYLER TO DEVELOP.
BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO LEAVE SOME THAT DECISION MAKING RESPONSIBILITY TO THE NEW CIO TO LOOK AT ALL THE RESOURCES AND DETERMINE IF THERE ARE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES, HOW THEY NEED TO BE REDEPLOYED, HOW WE CAN MEET THE MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT?
>> I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT FOR THE BOARD AS YOU FOLKS MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS, I THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT HOW THE REST OF THE BOARD FEELS, BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT WE'RE IN THIS BUDGET, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO KEEP US VERY INFORMED.
WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? I HAVE THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN HERE THE LONGEST, BUT I STILL AM UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION WITH THESE DEPARTMENTS AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAYED VERY INFORMED TO KNOW HOW THIS WORKS.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED WHOEVER THE PERSON IS THAT COMES IN TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD HAVE INPUT ON WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE.
I DON'T KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
I REALLY WANT TO SEE THE BOARD ENGAGED IN A LOT OF THIS.
THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR OF DOING BUDGETS AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD ENGAGE AND BEING VERY COMMUNICATIVE WITH THE MANAGEMENT TEAM SO THAT WE MOVE FORWARD IN A UNITED AND BETTER WAY AND UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE ALL DOING. JUST MY THOUGHT.
>> MADAM CHAIR, AND JUST WHAT WAS THE THINKING BEHIND CREATING A NEW CIO RATHER THAN JUST ELEVATING SOMEONE FROM WITHIN AND MERGING THE TWO DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER?
>> I REMIND THE BOARD WE HAD A VACANCY.
THE DIRECTOR RESIGNED SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CREATING A NEW POSITION HERE.
THIS IS THE EXISTING POSITION.
THE CIO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT.
>> BECAUSE GIS IS WICKED AWESOME.
I MEAN, I USE IT ALMOST EVERY DAY.
>> I'D HATE TO SEE ANY SHAKEUP IN THIS MESS SET UP.
>> AGREE COMPLETELY. YES. ABSOLUTELY.
>> DID YOU HAVE A TIMELINE ON THE CYBERSECURITY ANALYST? DID YOU WANT TO DO THAT NEXT YEAR OR DID YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR THAT?
>> NO, THIS YEAR AGAIN, IT IS NOT BEING RECOMMENDED BECAUSE OF FUNDING RESTRICTIONS.
>> YES. AS I STARTED PROCESS YESTERDAY, [OVERLAPPING] AND TALKED ABOUT IT.
THERE WAS NOT FRIVOLOUS ASK MADE.
BUT AGAIN, THERE WAS JUST TOO MANY ASKS TO GET IT ALL INCLUDED IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
YEAH, DO I AGREE THAT ALL OF THOSE ARE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION? ABSOLUTELY. I WOULD PERSONALLY PUT CYBERSECURITY MAYBE HIGHEST ON THAT LIST MYSELF.
BUT AGAIN, TRYING TO MAKE THE NEEDS FIT WITHIN THE REVENUE BOX WAS A VERY TOUGH JOB AND TOUGH DECISIONS HAD TO BE MADE.
>> IS CYBERSECURITY SOMETHING THAT COULD BE FARMED OUT OR IS THERE ANOTHER STATE AGENCY THAT'S DOING THAT WE COULD ROLL INTO THAT WAY OR MAYBE COOPERATE WITH OUR OTHER CITY AND TOWN PARTNERS TO HAVE A BIG PROTECTIVE DOME OVER THE COUNTY?
>> MULTIPLE ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION WOULD BE, WE ACTUALLY DO WORK WITH THE STATE.
THEY DON'T OFFER THOSE TYPE OF SERVICES, BUT WE GET A BENEFIT FROM IT FROM VARIOUS APPLICATIONS THAT WE GET FOR FREE, VARIOUS SERVICES WE GET FOR FREE.
WE DO HAVE AN ESCALATION POINT WITH THEM AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL GUARD AND SOME OTHER PLAYERS.
I HAVE REACHED OUT TO OTHER COUNTIES TO SEE WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN TERMS OF CYBERSECURITY? SOME OF THEM DO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH VARIOUS COMPANIES TO DO ONE ASPECT OF CYBERSECURITY, SO THAT COULD HAPPEN.
[00:55:01]
THE COSTS ARE A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN MAYBE AN FTE FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING.BUT OVERALL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT CONTROL AND CAPABILITY WITHIN YOUR OWN ORGANIZATION, IT ADDS TO DELAY AND DELAY IN CYBERSECURITY IS PROBABLY NOT THE MOST RECOMMENDED ROUTE.
BUT CAN WE TEAM UP AND UTILIZE RESOURCES? I PROMISE YOU WE ARE DOING THAT WITH LOCAL, WITH STATE, AND WITH OTHER COUNTIES.
>> THE BAD GUYS ARE GETTING REALLY GOOD.
>> TALK TO THE MANAGER OF A BANK AND SHE IS SPENDING 60% OF HER TIME ON FRAUD NOW, SO THEY'RE GETTING REALLY GOOD AT IT.
>> JARED, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING AND YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH AS THIS BOARD APPROVES THE FUNDING FOR WHATEVER.
WE ARE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHO HAS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS AND DO THOSE THINGS AND REALLY LOOK AT THIS FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION AND EVERYTHING.
AS WE DRILL YOU AND ASK YOU ALL THESE QUESTIONS, BELIEVE YOU ME, IT'S NOT ANYTHING ON YOU, IT'S HOW DO WE, AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, HANDLE THE COUNTY'S NEEDS? HOW DO WE DO THAT? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHEN SUPERVISOR OBERG WAS ON THE BOARD IN THE LAST TERM, I THINK YOU WERE THE COUNTY MANAGER.
I THINK YOU WERE HERE. WE PARTNERED WITH SOMEONE FOR SOME CYBERSECURITY.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW WE WORKED THAT.
>> YES, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND I'M SURE JARED REMEMBERS AS WELL.
I KNOW AT ONE POINT, HOMELAND SECURITY CAME IN AND DID AN ASSESSMENT OF OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY ANY POTENTIAL AREAS WHERE WE COULD IMPROVE AND BECOME MORE SECURE AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT, JARED.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WHEN I SAY STATE PARTNERSHIPS, IT'S REALLY DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
DHS STARTS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THEN THEY GIVE FUNDING DOWN TO THE STATE LEVEL AND THEN THERE'S A STATE OFFICE THAT OVERSEES THAT AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET A LOT OF OUR VARIOUS PRODUCTS THAT THEY OFFER FOR FREE.
IT'S ALSO WHERE WE HAVE ASSESSMENTS DONE FOR FREE.
WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EVERY SERVICE THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING ON A YEARLY BASIS, AS WELL AS I MENTIONED THE NATIONAL GUARD, THAT'S ANOTHER AVENUE FOR ASSESSMENTS AND WE'VE DONE PHYSICAL ASSESSMENTS WITH BUILDINGS, WORKING ALONGSIDE FACILITIES, AS WELL AS THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE OF THINGS.
WE DO PARTNER WITH WHOEVER WE CAN.
WE TRY TO USE ANY AVAILABLE RESOURCES WITHOUT HAVING TO USE COSTS.
BUT ULTIMATELY, TECHNOLOGY IS A VERY EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR AND IF YOU WANT IT TO BE FUNCTIONAL, SAFE, SECURE, RELIABLE, IT'S NOT CHEAP.
>> MARTY, YOU SAY HOMELAND SECURITY HAD COME IN AND WHAT WAS THERE IF YOU CAN REMEMBER OR JARED WHAT BASICALLY DID THEY SAY? DID WE NEED TO IMPROVE? HOW ARE WE DOING? WHAT I DO REMEMBER IS A CONTRACT, IF YOU WOULD.
NOT THAT ONE, BUT SOMEONE I THINK FROM EMBRY-RIDDLE, IF I REMEMBER, MAYBE IT WAS HIM.
>> CHAIR, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT.
YES AND IN FACT, THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT WERE LARGELY CONFIDENTIAL, THE FINDINGS WERE LARGELY CONFIDENTIAL, AND THAT INFORMATION IS PROTECTED BY STATUTE.
I CAN CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP WITH ANY BOARD MEMBERS OFFLINE AND OUTSIDE THIS MEETING IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT WHAT I GUESS I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER IS WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING WITH THIS PERSON WHO GAVE US A PRESENTATION, WAS THAT GENTLEMAN OUT OF EMBRY-RIDDLE, OR IT WAS SUPERVISOR OBERG THAT BROUGHT IT TO US.
>> I RECALL SPECIFICALLY WITH HOMELAND SECURITY, AND THEY DID COME IN AND PRESENT GENERAL INFORMATION AS WELL.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON EMBRY-RIDDLE?
>> I THINK THERE WAS SOMEBODY LOCAL THAT WAS TRYING TO BUILD THE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE OR CENTER FOR [OVERLAPPING].
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
THAT IS, WHEN SUPERVISOR KUKNYO BROUGHT UP PRIVATE, THAT'S WHO I'M THINKING OF.
I KNOW YOU BROUGHT IN THAT, AND I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT.
BUT I'M STILL TALKING ABOUT THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHO CAME IN AND WE DID DO SOME WORK WITH THEM.
I REMEMBER THAT, SO I'M GOOD TO KNOW I'M NOT LOSING MY MIND.
>> I'M SURE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT AND I'M SORRY,
[01:00:01]
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO.WE DID ACTUALLY MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.
THE COUNTY MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO THAT ORGANIZATION AS WELL.
THEY OFFER CYBER SECURITY SERVICES.
THEY DEFINITELY HAVE SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE.
THEY HAD OFFERED TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY, AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
>> JARED, JUST ADD TO THIS AND PUT A FINER POINT ON IT.
I WOULD REMIND THE BOARD THAT THIS IS BECOMING AN INCREASING PART OF OUR ANNUAL AUDIT AS WELL, LOOKING AT OUR IT SYSTEMS AND OUR SECURITY AS WELL.
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY VIGILANT ABOUT.
>> THE POSITION THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED, THE DIRECTOR POSITION, WHEN YOU ANTICIPATE THAT BEING FILLED.
>> THE POSTING, I BELIEVE, HAS NOW CLOSED ON THAT, WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING APPLICATIONS, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY SCHEDULED THE FIRST ROUND OF INTERVIEWS WITH THE FIRST TIER OF CANDIDATES, SO AS SOON AS WE CAN.
>> WHERE I'M LEADING IS THIS BUDGET IS BASED ON SOME TRANSITIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND YOUR REACTION TO THAT IS WHAT IF I'M SUMMARIZING THAT CORRECTLY.
WHEN THE NEW DIRECTOR COMES ON BOARD AND GETS A CHANCE TO GET EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE COUNTY'S OPERATIONS, SHOULD HE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE AND HE OR SHE FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT THAT, HOW WILL YOU REACT TO THAT IF IT'S EARLY IN THE BUDGET YEAR?
>> THAT WOULD BE A DECISION ULTIMATELY FOR THE BOARD.
I MEAN, IF THE NEW DIRECTOR MAKES THAT ASSESSMENT, AND WE BELIEVE IT'S WELL FOUNDED AND SUPPORTABLE, WE WOULD BRING THAT DECISION TO THE BOARD.
>> ONE OTHER ASPECT I WANTED TO MENTION, I'VE REALLY BEEN APPRECIATIVE OF ITS, AS WELL AS GIS, OF JUMPING INTO THE CIP POOL.
BECAUSE THESE ARE THE TYPE OF CONVERSATIONS THAT START COMING UP, IT'S RATHER THAN LOOKING JUST AT THE ANNUAL ASKS OF THE DEPARTMENT TO EXTENDING THE TIME HORIZON TO SAYING, WHEN WE'RE BUILDING BUILDINGS, ACTUALLY, IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS, WHERE DO WE PLUG IN OUR COMPUTERS.
HOW DO WE SET THEM UP FOR TOMORROW? THESE INFRASTRUCTURE CONVERSATIONS, WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT MOVING INTO IS EACH YEAR AS A ITERATION, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WHERE WE'RE AT, AND WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO BECAUSE CHANGING THE TRAJECTORY TAKES TIME.
IF WE WERE TO MOVE FROM A DEVICE TO SERVICE BACK TO, LET'S PURCHASE COMPUTERS THEMSELVES, THAT WOULD REQUIRE MULTIPLE YEARS TO MAKE THAT SHIFT.
THIS ONCE AGAIN, IS THE FIRST ITERATION OF THESE DISCUSSIONS SO THAT THE BOARD IS BETTER INFORMED ABOUT HOW WE'RE INVESTING IN TECHNOLOGY, IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, SECURITY PORTION OF IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RESOURCED APPROPRIATELY ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS AND ONCE AGAIN, THE ENTIRE ITS AND GIS TEAM AND THE WORK THEY'VE DONE INTO PREPARING ANOTHER LAYERING OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO.
>> I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK AND THE CONVERSATIONS FANTASTIC BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO HAVE IT.
I CAN LOOK OUT IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW AND EVERY DEPARTMENT WE HAVE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THEY ALL NEED TO HAVE SECURITY IN THEIR TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE ELECTIONS HERE WITH TREASURER, ASSESSOR, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, YOU NAME IT.
ALL OF THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, NONE MORE THAN THE OTHER.
THAT'S THE THING IS THE SECURITY OF OUR SYSTEM, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND YOU ARE GROCERY SHOPPING, LET'S JUST SAY IN YOUR CASE, IT WOULD BE ELECTRONIC GARBAGE TRUCKS MAYBE.
BUT WE LOSE THE INTERNET, WE LOSE WHATEVER HAPPENS, YOU CAN'T BUY FOOD.
WE DON'T KNOW THE PRICES OF NOTHING.
I'M JUST SAYING, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SECURE AND THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED AND THAT WE HAVE A BACKUP PLAN, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE FALL SHORT OUT THERE IN THE WORLD.
IS I DON'T SEE A BACKUP PLAN FOR THEM SO I DON'T WANT TO BE THEM.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT YOU, JARED, YOUR DEPARTMENT.
WE ALL ARE. WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT.
>> JARED, AND IF I MAY ADD A COMMENTS, BACK TO THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AGAIN, THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR REALLY GETTING INTO DEVELOPING A TRUE FIVE YEAR CIP.
I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE VALUE IN THAT, AND I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO ALLOW GREATER FLEXIBILITY FOR THE BOARD, BETTER INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD IN MAKING DECISIONS.
RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU DO IT YEAR BY YEAR, SOMETHING POPS UP, AND WE GO, WHERE DID COME FROM.
WITH THIS FIVE YEAR LONG RANGE PLAN, YOU START TO SEE WHAT'S COMING? MAYBE YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT THIS YEAR,
[01:05:01]
SO THE BOARD MAKES THE DECISION.YEAH, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE, BUT WE CAN'T FIT IT IN THIS YEAR, SO LET'S MOVE THAT IN THE PLAN TO NEXT YEAR.
AGAIN, GIVES YOU MORE INSIGHT INTO WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND HELPS YOU MAKE THE DECISIONS TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
>> YEAH, YOU GUYS ARE SO GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO.
I'M AFRAID TO OPEN MY OWN EMAIL.
I'M TIRED OF RANKING AT THE BOTTOM OF US AS A SECURITY RISK [LAUGHTER].
WELL, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TRAINING THOUGH.
THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE [LAUGHTER].
>> IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN TO THE WORK OF ITS AND GIS, ALL THOSE PIECES BEHIND THE SCENES.
THE THIRD PIECE, I SEE THE CHAIR IS LOOKING.
[OVERLAPPING] WE'RE GETTING CLOSER.
WE REALLY HAVE ONE SECTION LESS.
WE HAVE IT UNDER HERE IN BUILDING AND GROUNDS, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING UP HERE, BRANDED TO SPEAK TO THE NEXT SECTION.
THIS IS A SECTION WOULD BE MORE CONSIDERED WHAT WE WOULD HISTORICALLY LOOKED ROADS AND BUILDINGS, AND SO THIS GETS INTO MORE OF THE MEAT OF THAT SECTION.
JUST AS GIVEN INTRODUCTION, SOME OF THESE AREAS WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IN A SECONDARY SLIDE.
THERE'S FOUR MAJOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT DURING THE STRATEGIC FACILITY MASTER PLAN THAT AS BRANDON GOES OVER THE PROJECTS, WE'LL SKIP OVER THOSE TO THE NEXT SLIDE SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE AS A CORE GROUP.
BUT WITH THAT, THANK YOU, BRANDON FOR COMING UP HERE AND SPEAKING TO THE PROJECT.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR MALLORY, VICE CHAIR COMPTON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
I'M BRANDON SCHULTZ, DIRECTOR OF YOUR FACILITIES DEPARTMENT.
I'M ACTUALLY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY FOR US TO FORECAST AND LOOK AT THIS.
WE AS FACILITIES HAVE DONE IT ON A BIT OF A MICRO LEVEL.
EVERY TIME WE'VE ADDRESSED A PROJECT, WE'VE TRIED TO FORECAST THAT OUT FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS BIGGER PROGRAM AND PROVIDE BETTER FORECASTING AND BETTER OVERSIGHT AS WE'RE PREPARING FOR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
I'LL JUST TAKE A QUICK RUN DOWN THIS LIST.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE NEW SHERIFF'S ADMINISTRATION BUILDING WE'RE PROPOSING.
NEXT ONE ON HERE IS A LANDFILL WELL REPLACEMENT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY AT THE REQUEST OF PUBLIC WORKS.
WE HAVE SOME MONITORING RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE LANDFILL IN PRESCOTT VALLEY.
WE USED TO OWN IT BUT NOW WE HAVE THE ONGOING MONITORING, AND WE NEED TO REPLACE ONE OF THE WELLS.
THAT'S WHAT THAT ONE'S FOR. CONGRESS MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING.
WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT ONE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, AS ZACH MENTIONED.
SAME THING FOR THE NEXT ONE, THE COMMERCE ANNEX BUILDING.
THIS IS AN ARPA-FUNDED PROJECT.
TOTAL CONTRACT, AS YOU SEE THERE IS ALMOST $5.8 MILLION.
QUITE A BIT OF WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE THIS YEAR, ABOUT $1 MILLION WORTH OF WORK THIS YEAR, AND THEN THE BALANCE WILL BE DONE NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET STARTED HERE, I THINK WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH TO DO SOME OF OUR EARLY STRUCTURAL WORK.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE WORK OVER THE WEEKEND TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTIONS, BUT AT SOME POINT, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN EVERYBODY'S SPACES WRECKING YOUR WORLD AND WRECKING YOUR OFFICES BUT ULTIMATELY, IT'LL BE GOOD WHEN WE'RE DONE.
NEXT ITEM ON HERE IS FUEL ISLAND CANOPIES.
THIS WAS ANOTHER REQUEST FOR THE HURF.
THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY CANOPIES OVER THEIR LARGE DIESEL FUELING STATIONS, AND THIS IS FOR PROTECTION OF THE EQUIPMENT AND COVERAGE IN THE RAIN AND WHATNOT.
THIS HAS BEEN A HOLDOVER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY FINALLY GETTING CLOSE TO PULLING THE TRIGGER ON THAT.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS WORKED WITH A DESIGNER TO HAVE SOME DESIGN WORK DONE, AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO FINISH UP A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THAT, GET THE PERMITTING IN PLACE, AND WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH CONSTRUCTION.
>> THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE WHAT I INITIALLY PUT IT THERE AND I APOLOGIZE THAT PORTION OF IT.
THIS IS THE UPDATED LIST BASED UPON WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
WHEN I PRINTED IT OUT, IT WAS A PREVIOUS VERSION, SO WHAT I'LL DO IS, I'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATED SLIDE DECK FOR THESE PROJECTS BASED UPON WHAT WAS COVERED HERE SO THAT YOU HAVE MATCHES HERE, PLUS WHAT WAS ASKED FOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION BY A SUPERVISOR CHECK OF BEING ABLE TO SEE IT AT THE TOTALS, AS WELL AS THE CONSOLIDATED. YES.
>> QUITE ALL RIGHT. SLOW ME DOWN IF I NEED TO SLOW DOWN.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU GUYS DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THE BOOK.
I'M READING OFF A CHEAT SHEET JUST LIKE THIS, BUT FEEL FREE TO STOP ME AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
NEXT ONE AFTER THE FUEL ISLANDS IS OUR MEDICAL EXAMINER'S MODULAR BUILDING.
WE HAVE THAT ONE UNDER CONTRACT.
I'M STILL TRYING TO WORK OUT FINAL CONSTRUCTION DETAILS.
THERE'S A SISTER PART OF THAT ONE THAT WAS NOT AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET APPROVAL, BUT WITH SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS I MADE YESTERDAY,
[01:10:02]
I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY FIND THE FUNDING FOR IT SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SET UP THAT MODULAR TRAILER.WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GET THE FULL SCOPE, INCLUDING SETUP, SITE WORK, UTILITIES, AND ALL OF THAT FOR THE MODULAR BUILDING.
WE HUSTLED TO GET THE ARPA FUNDING APPROVED SPECIFIC TO CONSTRUCTION AND DELIVERY OF A BUILDING ITSELF, AND SO WE'VE GOT A SECONDARY ASK FOR DOING THE SITE WORK, BRINGING THE UTILITIES, PAVING THE PARKING LOT, MAKING SURE THE WALKWAY IS GOOD, AND ALL OF THAT.
>> I'M SORRY, BRANDON. THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WE DID GET FOR YOU DO NOT COVER ALL OF THE NEEDS FOR THAT PARTICULAR SITE?
NO. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THAT CAME TO ME, WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TRULY SCOPE OUT EVERY ASPECT, AND SO WE TOOK A VERY FOCUSED APPROACH AND WE LOOKED SPECIFICALLY AT THE MODULAR BUILDING ITSELF AND JUST THE DELIVERY OF THAT AND SO $301,000 JUST FOR THE MODULAR ITSELF TO BE DELIVERED ON SITE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DO MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AT THE LOCATION.
LUCKILY, THERE'S A COUPLE OF UTILITY STUBS THERE.
WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A SEWER LINE, A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FEET IN ORDER TO GET THAT ONE TIED IN.
WE'LL HAVE TO PAVE A LITTLE PARKING LOT JUST MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR THEM.
>> THANK YOU. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> QUITE ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ONE ON HERE IS THE ACCESS CONTROL UPGRADES FOR CAMP VERDE DETENTION.
THAT'S ACTUALLY BROADER THAN JUST ACCESS CONTROL.
I REFER TO THAT AS A SECURITY ELECTRONICS UPGRADE.
IT'S NOT ONLY THE DOOR CONTROLLING SYSTEM, IT'S ALSO THE INTERCOMS AND THE CAMERA SYSTEM, AS WELL.
WE'VE DONE SOME RECENT UPDATES TO IT GOING BACK ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, BUT AS JARED WAS ALLUDING TO, TECHNOLOGY MOVES QUICKLY, AND WE HAVE TO DO A LOT TO STAY ON TOP OF THE CHANGING TECHNOLOGY.
CAMERAS ARE NOW GETTING AT THE, WOULD YOU SAY THE END OF THEIR LIFE? IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE VERY LONG TO BE EIGHT YEARS, BUT REALISTICALLY, TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING, AND IT'S TIME TO DO AN UPDATE.
YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO SEE SOMETHING FOR LICENSING RELATIVE TO THAT PROJECT, AND WE'LL ACTUALLY BE TALKING ABOUT A CONTRACT ON THE NEXT BOARD MEETING SPECIFIC TO THIS PROJECT.
THAT PROJECT IS ACTUALLY A TOTAL OF $2 MILLION.
WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR, AND THEN A MILLION DOLLARS NEXT YEAR.
THE MILLION DOLLARS FOR THIS YEAR HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED.
THE MILLION DOLLARS FOR NEXT YEAR WAS BAKED INTO THE CIP PLAN, SO IT'LL BE FUNDED.
NEXT ON HERE IS THE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES BUILDING REMODEL.
WE ARE KNEE DEEP IN THE DESIGN PROCESS.
I BELIEVE WE'RE ABOUT TO BE SIGNED OFF ON THAT LAYOUT, RECEIVE FINAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS WHICH, OF COURSE, WILL BE $2.5 MILLION OR LESS BECAUSE WE ESSENTIALLY, DID A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE WITH THE CONTRACTOR, DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT, AND SO ONE CONTRACT FOR THE DESIGN AND THE CONSTRUCTION, WHICH SHOULD MINIMIZE ALL OF OUR CHANGE ORDERS, BUT IT DEFINITELY PUTS BOOK ENDS ON US FOR THE PROJECT BUDGET.
WE WILL STAY WITHIN THAT, AND IF THERE'S ANY NEEDS EITHER BEYOND THAT, WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL MONEY OR WE'LL HAVE TO NOT MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
BUT THAT HAS BEEN GOING SMOOTHLY SO FAR SO GOOD, AND WE ARE ACTUALLY RELOCATING EMPLOYEES RIGHT NOW IN ANTICIPATION OF CONSTRUCTION START HERE WITHIN A MONTH.
BOARD ROOM FAIR STREET REMODEL.
THIS IS ACTUALLY AN AV REMODEL FOR THIS ROOM.
AGAIN, TO JARED'S POINTS, ALL THIS EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN HERE FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND I THINK MORE OF THAT FUNDING IS GOING TO BE ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT GOES IN HERE AND A MINIMAL PART FOR FACILITIES WE MAY HAVE TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE CONDUIT RUNS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE VENDOR TO TAKE CARE OF MOST OF THAT.
I DID COMMIT TO MAKING SOME REVISIONS TO THE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT, THE SEAT THAT IT OCCUPIES OVER THERE TO MAKE IT AS SECURE AS WE CAN, POSSIBLY PROVIDE SOME LOCKING CABINETS SO THAT THEY CAN SECURE MORE OF THE DEVICES AND JUST MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SAFE AND SECURE AND READY FOR YOU GUYS.
THEN THE LAST ITEM ON THIS LIST IS THE BLACK CANYON CITY TRAILHEAD.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A TRAILHEAD AND ARENA IMPROVEMENTS.
WE'RE BRINGING A WELL ON SITE, THANKS TO A DONATION BY A LOCAL MINING COMPANY.
WE'LL BE BUILDING A SMALL BUILDING SO THAT WE CAN PUT ALL OF OUR CONTROL EQUIPMENT FOR THE PUMP HOUSE, THE PRESSURE TANK THERE.
WE'LL BE BRINGING POWER ON SITE TOO IN CONJUNCTION WITH APS SO THAT ULTIMATELY, WE'VE GOT A MANAGEMENT GROUP DOWN THERE.
THEY CAN START DOING MORE HOSTING OF 4H EVENTS, ARENA ROPING, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BRING MORE ACTIVITY TO THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO BE A REVENUE GENERATOR FOR THEM SO THAT THEY CAN SELF FEED AND SELF FEED IMPROVEMENTS DOWN THE ROAD.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE PROJECTS?
>> YEAH, MADAM CHAIR. LOOKING AT THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING, TYPICALLY, THAT'S 10% OF COST, 20% OF COST?
>> THEY SAY RULE OF THUMB IS ABOUT 6%.
[01:15:03]
>> I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE 6% IS SHORT, SO I TEND TO FORECAST SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> JUST LOOKING AT THIS MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING, BECAUSE THE IDEA IS WE CAN START PLACING THESE ALL OVER THE COUNTY, WE'LL OWN THE DESIGN TO THE BUILDING.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE LONG LASTING CONSTRUCTION, SIMPLE ROOF DESIGN, SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST A LONG TIME.
I'M SEEING SOME OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, AND THEY'RE REALLY TAKING HITS BY WEATHER, TIME.
ARE WE LOOKING AT CONCRETE SPLIT BLOCK WHERE YOU NEVER HAVE TO PAINT IT, JUST A FLAT ROOF? IS THERE ANY WAY ON THESE MULTIPURPOSE BUILDINGS TO JUST HAVE A SHELL AND THEN REALLY LOOK AT TIS FOR THE INSIDE TO GO WITH DIFFERENT LOCATIONS? BECAUSE I KNOW ON SOME AREAS, WE HAVE OTHER ENTITIES THROWING IN ON THE PROJECT.
SOMETIMES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SHERIFF, THE CONSTABLE, THE COURT, ALL IN THE SAME BUILDING.
INSTEAD OF GOING OUT FOR ONE DESIGN, IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIGURE IN DIFFERENT TIS FOR THE SAME DESIGN?
>> SUPERVISOR KUKNYO, IT'S A FANTASTIC QUESTION.
LET ME JUST TOUCH ON THE RURAL SERVICES STUDY THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LIBRARY AND YCSO.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HARD WITH THAT IS WHAT SERVICES NEED TO BE IN THESE COMMUNITIES? WE'RE COMPILING A QUESTIONNAIRE THAT'S GOING TO GO OUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME OF IT DIGITAL.
WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME OF IT PAPER SO THAT WE CAN CATCH A BROAD RESPONSE IN THE COMMUNITIES, WHETHER THEY'RE TECH SAVVY OR NOT TECH SAVVY.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HIT IN ALL THE LIBRARY AREAS, AND SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS DOWN THERE SO THAT WE CAN GET AS MUCH INFORMATION FROM THE CONSTITUENTS AS TO WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE IS IN THERE SO WE CAN MAKE VERY GOOD DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN EACH AREA, WHETHER THAT BE SUBSTATIONS, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY ROOMS. DO WE NEED TO HAVE ANY OF OUR SERVICES UP THERE, OR CAN WE USE A COMMUNITY ROOM ON A ROTATING BASIS FOR OUR SERVICES TO COME UP THERE? WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THAT TO UNDERSTAND OUR NEED IN EACH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY.
THEN SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE DESIGN ON THAT ONE IS WE'RE LETTING OUT A CONTRACT FOR ONE DESIGN IN CONGRESS FOR THAT ONE LOCATION.
BUT THE OTHER THING WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO IS TO PROVIDE CONCEPTS, AND PART OF THE CONCEPT IS FOR US AS A BOARD AND AS AN ORGANIZATION TO DETERMINE HOW DO WE WANT THOSE BUILDINGS TO LOOK? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BALANCE THE DESIRE TO BE WITHIN BUDGET AND REDUCE OUR COSTS WITH THE PRESENTATION OF BEING A GOVERNMENT ENTITY.
THERE'S ALWAYS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESPECT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE WHEN THEY COME INTO OUR BUILDINGS, AND SO IT DRIVES SOME OF THE COST UP BECAUSE TYPICALLY, IT COMES WITH, I DON'T WANT TO SAY ORNATE DESIGN, BUT A MORE SOLID LONG LASTING DESIGN TO YOUR POINT, BUT THAT COMES AT A COST.
WHEN WE WORK THROUGH THE MULTIPLE CONCEPTS, THE INTENT THERE IS TO COME UP WITH SOME DIFFERENT IDEAS AND GET THE BOARD TO PROVIDE INPUT AS TO, WHAT IS OUR CONSTRUCTION STYLE? DO WE WANT METAL SHELLS WITH TIS? DO WE WANT TO DO BLOCK BUILDINGS? I STILL THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY TO DO TIS EVEN WITHIN BLOCK BUILDINGS.
BUT WE'LL NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO LOOK AT HOW WE WANT THESE BUILDINGS TO LOOK.
IS IT ONE BUILDING, ONE ROOF, OR ARE WE GOING TO DO SMALLER BUILDINGS AND CREATE MORE OF A VILLAGE SETTING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HERE HAVE A STOP SMALL PARK IN BETWEEN THEM, HAVE THE LIBRARY, AND CREATE A VERY NICE GOVERNMENT COMPLEX WITHOUT BEING A HUGE COMPLEX, OR DO WE WANT A SINGLE BUILDING? BUT THE INTENT IS TO HAVE THIS DESIGNER, GIVE US SOME CONCEPTS, COME BACK BEFORE THE BOARD SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN HAVE YOUR INPUT AS TO WHAT IS THE DESIGN STYLE? WHAT IS THE CONSTRUCTION STYLE? WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING HERE, AND HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE WANT TO SPEND? THAT'S PART OF WHY WE HAVEN'T PUT A LOT OF THE NUMBERS FURTHER DOWN IN HERE IS BECAUSE I CAN MAKE SOME ASSUMPTIONS ON WHAT THOSE CONSTRUCTION COSTS WILL BE, BUT THEY WILL VARY WILDLY DEPENDING UPON THE SPECIFIC CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE WE CHOOSE, THE LAYOUTS, AND THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.
OUR ARCHITECT IS ACTUALLY ASKED TO HOLD BACK, EVEN ON SOME OF THEIR FORECASTING FEES UNTIL WE REALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE DESIGN CONCEPT FOR THOSE BUILDINGS.
>> BECAUSE WITH DESIGN AND ENGINEERING ON THAT BUILDING, YOU'RE LOOKING AT HALF A MILLION BUCKS.
DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE THINKING THESE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO COST 5 MILLION APIECE TO BUILD? BECAUSE THAT DOES SOUND REALLY HIGH, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT.
>> THAT WAS ACTUALLY AN EARLY FORECAST I HAD PUT OUT THERE WAS, I BELIEVE ABOUT $6 MILLION TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST FOR THIS BUILDING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS TO FINE TUNE THAT ESTIMATE BECAUSE ALL I CAN DO IS USE SQUARE FOOTAGE COSTS.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DESIGN RIGHT NOW TO REALLY DRILL DOWN THAT COST TO KNOW DEFINITIVELY WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
I'VE USED SQUARE FOOTAGE COST BASED UPON RECENT CONSTRUCTION,
[01:20:04]
BUT THAT'S WHERE IT MAY CHANGE.IF WE CHANGE OUR CONSTRUCTION STYLE OR TECHNIQUE SLIGHTLY FROM ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS BUILDINGS, THEN THAT MAY RAISE OR LOWER SOME OF THAT COST.
BUT THAT WAS AN EARLY FORECAST I HAD, AND THE INTENT IS ON THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY, TO HAVE OUR DESIGN ARCHITECT AND GET US TO A POINT WHERE WE'VE MADE A DECISION ON CONSTRUCTION STYLE.
WE WILL HAVE THEM DO A FAIRLY DETAILED COST ESTIMATE BASED UPON THAT CONSTRUCTION STYLE SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU GUYS VERY ACCURATE INFORMATION FORECASTING THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
THEN WE CAN USE THAT SAME FORECAST IF IT'S THE SAME SIZE BUILDING OR AT LEAST A RELATIVE COST PER SQUARE FOOTAGE ON WHAT THAT'LL BE IN THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
>> I THINK ONE OF MY OWN COMMUNITIES UP IN SELIGMAN, WHEN WE TIE IN THE COURTS WITH THE SHERIFF, WITH THE CONSTABLE, AND I THINK ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT ONE SERVICE WILL SUPPORT THE OTHER.
IF SOMETHING WENT DOWN AT THE COURT, HOPEFULLY, THERE'S SOME SHERIFF DEPUTIES IN THAT BUILDING AS WELL.
MAYBE THE CONSTABLES IN THAT BUILDING AS WELL, AND THEY CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
WHEN I SEE THIS VISION, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE ON WHAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING AND HOW YOU WANT IT BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS WILL HAVE TO HAVE DETENTION CELLS IN THEM.
RIGHT NOW IN SOME OF THE OUTLYING AREAS, THE DETENTION CELLS ARE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. THAT'S NOT WORKING.
THERE'S DEFINITE NEEDS OUT THERE, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD OWN THE DESIGN, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AGAIN, AND WE COULD JUST PLOP THESE SUCKERS WHEREVER WE WANT THEM TO GO.
>> THE INTENT IS TO WORK THROUGH THE CONCEPTS.
FROM YCSO, THEY LOVE THE LAYOUT OF THE BUILDING IN BLACK CANYON CITY.
WE KNOW ROUGHLY THE FOOTPRINT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BUT ONCE WE ACTUALLY GET INTO DESIGN, WE'RE GOING TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM VERY SPECIFICALLY AND GO THROUGH PROGRAMMING.
WHAT DO YOU NEED? DO YOU NEED A CELL? DO YOU NEED A REST ROOM? DO YOU NEED A LOBBY AND PROGRAM ALL OF THAT STUFF TO FIT WITHIN THEIR SPACE SO THAT THEY'RE REALLY GETTING WHAT THEY NEED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE ALL WANT THEM TO PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITIES OUT THERE.
>> WELL, TO SUPERVISOR KUKNYO'S POINT, I THINK WHAT HE'S TALKING IS EXCELLENT POINT.
ALL THESE MULTIPLE DESIGNS WE'RE PAYING FOR.
I THINK YOU AND I CAN SIT DOWN AND COME UP WITH A CONCEPT VERY QUICKLY WITH THE ARCHITECT OUT THERE.
THIS IS A LONG WINDED ANSWER FOR SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE COULD GET DONE VERY QUICKLY.
THE MULTIPLE DESIGNS ARE TOO EXPENSIVE.
WE DON'T NEED TO BE DOING THIS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.
I THINK WHAT YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, BASIC DESIGNS, STRONG DESIGNS THAT LAST FOR A WHILE, WE CAN GET IT DONE VERY QUICKLY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT FISCAL YEAR, WHAT WE HAVE UP THERE IS TAKING TOO LONG, AND WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT.
I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A STUDY SESSION ON THE CONGRESS BUILDING, COME UP WITH AN ANSWER TOGETHER THAT IS WORKABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
>> WE'RE DRIVING UP COSTS HERE, AND I DON'T LIKE THE PROCESS, I CAN SAY THAT.
TO YOUR POINT, AND I THINK WE CAN GET QUICKER AND EASIER.
I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE A STUDY SESSION ON THAT BEFORE WE PROCEED FORWARD.
>> JUST LOOKING AT WHAT THE CITY OF PRESCOTT HAS DONE, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THEIR TOWN HALL THAT WAS FALLING APART.
WELL, IT'S A FLAT ROOF, IT WAS BUILT IN THE '60S, AND IT'S OUTLIVED ITS THING, BUT WE HAVE OUR SISTER CITY IN GERMANY, AND THEIR TOWN HALL IS 500-YEARS-OLD BECAUSE THEY BUILT THE SUCKER TO LAST.
>> EXACTLY. IF YOU HEARD MR. SCHULTZ TALK ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF THE BUILDING AND HOW IT NEEDS TO BE, LET'S CALL IT ORNATE, OR FABULOUS, FOR A CERTAIN TYPE OF BUILDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE, I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I WANT BASIC SERVICES INTO BUILDING OUT IN CONGRESS.
WE DON'T NEED SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE GOVERNMENT THAT LOOKS FABULOUS, AND IT DRIVES UP THE COST, AS MR. SCHULTZ SAID, IT DOES DRIVE UP THE COSTS.
IT'S JUST DRIVING UP THE COST FOR NO REASON.
I THINK WE CAN GET DONE WITH WHAT WE NEED TO GET DONE CHEAPER AND QUICKER, AS I SAID, JUST YOU AND I SITTING IN A ROOM OR HAVING A STUDY SESSION.
>> BUT I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO BECAUSE OUR SHERIFFS UP THERE ARE WORKING OUT OF A DOUBLE WIDE THAT'S FALLING APART.
IF YOU'RE A JUROR IN SELIGMAN, YOU NEED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, YOU NEED TO LEAVE THE BUILDING, GO ACROSS THE STREET TO THE LIBRARY JUST TO GO TINKLE.
WE HAVE TO CATCH UP BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE JUST VERY BEHIND IN THE OUTLYING AREAS.
>> YEAH, AND THE NEED IS THERE, TO YOUR POINT. YOU ARE CORRECT.
I HAVE TWO OFFICERS OUT THERE, THAT BACKUP IS 30 MINUTES AWAY.
WE NEED THE CONGRESS BUILDING, AND WE NEED IT QUICK.
WE DON'T NEED TO ELONGATE THIS CONSTRUCTION PROCESS BECAUSE THE NEED IS THERE NOW, ESPECIALLY FOR OFFICERS AND THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD QUICKER.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO SUGGEST.
I ALSO AM IN FAVOR OF A STUDY SESSION, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT BROADLY ENGAGE THE RURAL SERVICES MASTER PLAN.
HAVING A VOICE IN THAT PROCESS SPECIFICALLY WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL, BECAUSE IT RELATES TO EACH DISTRICT IN THE MORE RURAL AREAS.
WE CAN HAVE BIGGER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ALSO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES' NEEDS OR CROSS TRAINING STAFF.
IF THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON A BUILDING IN A BUILDING, CAN THEY DO MULTIPLE THINGS FOR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS?
[01:25:01]
BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT DISCUSSION HAPPEN ON ANOTHER DAY.>> BRANDON, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IS SUPPORT TO GET THIS DONE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO INTERJECT AND HEAR REAL QUICK.
NUMBER 1, THE DIRECTORS, EVERY ONE OF THEM, ALL OF THEM IN THE ROOM, INCLUDING THE ELECTED.
THEY ONLY ARE ABLE TO GET THINGS DONE AS THE BOARD MAKES THE DECISIONS TO FUND THE PROJECTS THEY NEED.
THEY CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH WITH THE STAFF THAT WE, AS A BOARD, DECIDE TO FUND.
ULTIMATELY, IT IS ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEEDS OF THIS COUNTY, ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENTS, AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, THEN IT DOES NOT FALL ON THEM.
THIS IS OUR DECISION, AND WE OWN IT.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION HERE IS THAT WE ARE A BOARD.
THERE ARE NO DECISIONS MADE UNLESS THE FULL BOARD IS AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING.
A STUDY SESSION IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED ON EVERY SINGLE THING GOING FORWARD IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, BECAUSE NO ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DECISION.
WE ARE DISTRICTLY ELECTED, BUT WE ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD INDIVIDUALLY.
WE MOVE FORWARD UNITEDLY, AND WE REPRESENT ALL THE COUNTY, ONE MOUNTAIN SIDE TO THE OTHER.
I JUST WANT TO REALLY PUT THAT OUT THERE, BECAUSE THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD FALLS AMONG FIVE SUPERVISORS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR MALLORY, AND VICE CHAIR COMPTON, SUPERVISOR KUKNYO, SUPERVISOR CHECK.
GREAT COMMENTS. REALLY, TO YOUR GUYS' POINT, THAT IS EXACTLY THE COURSE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE.
TO CHAIR MALLORY'S POINT, IT IS A RESOURCE ISSUE.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THREE OF US COULD SIT DOWN IN PENCIL, WHIP A DRAWING AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING, BUT WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME.
THIS IS ABOUT OUTSOURCING SOME OF THE SERVICES TO GET SOME OF OUR LOCAL PROFESSIONALS TO HELP US GET TO THERE, AND SOMETIMES THEY'VE GOT SOME PRETTY GOOD IDEAS.
I LIKE TO FANCY MYSELF AS BEING PRETTY SHARP WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDINGS, BUT THERE'S A LOT SMARTER PEOPLE OUT THERE, AND SO IT'S GOOD FOR ME TO USE MY RESOURCES OUT THERE.
A COUPLE OF POINTS OF CLARIFICATION.
WE'RE GOING TO GET FOUR CONCEPTS, NOT FOUR DESIGNS.
WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH ONE DESIGN FOR THIS COST.
THE CONCEPT IS FOR US AND SPECIFICALLY TO SUPERVISOR CHECK'S POINT AND SUPERVISOR COMPTON, TO ALLOW YOU GUYS TO HAVE INPUT ON WHAT THEY ARE.
HISTORICALLY, WE WILL DO ONE CONCEPT AND THEN ROLL RIGHT INTO DESIGN, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, AND WE DON'T GO BACK AND FORTH.
I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WHERE YOU GUYS DID HAVE SPECIFIC INPUT ON THE DESIGN, ON THE CONCEPT, AND JUST KNOWING THAT NOT EVERY BUILDING IS GOING TO LOOK THE SAME IN EVERY COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO ALSO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
WHAT DOES THIS BUILDING LOOK LIKE IN EACH COMMUNITY? DO WE WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THE COMMUNITIES? HOW DO WE BEST ADDRESS THE NEEDS FOR THE COMMUNITIES AND BE FLEXIBLE, TOO? BECAUSE NOT ALL THE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO LOOK THE SAME.
AGAIN, FOUR SIMPLE CONCEPTS, MAYBE A QUICK LAYOUT, ELEVATION JUST SO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
THERE MAY BE SOME SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THEM, JUST LOOKING AT DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION STYLES, BUT ALLOWING YOU GUYS TO REALLY HAVE THE INPUT, HAVE THE SAY, MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS, HAVE THE ARCHITECT GO BACK AND POLISH IT TO REALLY BECOME WHAT IT IS THAT THE BOARD AS A WHOLE WOULD LIKE TO BE.
THEN ONCE WE HAVE SOME GOOD WORKING CONCEPTS, WE'LL TAKE ONE OF THOSE TO A FULL DESIGN FOR CONGRESS, AND PUT THAT BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT IT'S THE CONCEPTS THAT COST MONEY, AS WELL.
I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THE CONCEPTS ARE GOING TO BE 150 TO $200,000.
IT'S JUST A POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT WHIPPING UP A DESIGN WITH A PENCIL.
I JUST THINK THAT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE TAKING IS NOT WORKING.
YOU AND HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE IN REFERENCE TO, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE THINGS.
WE'RE NOT GETTING APPLES WITH APPLES.
WHAT DOES IT COST FROM THIS PERSON AND THIS PERSON AND THIS PERSON? WE'RE PICKING A PERSON AND THEN WE'RE DISCUSSING MONEY.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE HOUSED AND RUN DIFFERENTLY, PERSONALLY.
WE WILL PAY FOR THESE CONCEPTS, AND THAT'S ABOUT WHAT IT WILL COST.
BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO, I'M NOT BERATING YOU IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM.
IT'S JUST I THINK GOVERNMENT'S GETTING IN THE WAY SOMETIMES, TO YOUR POINT, SUPERVISOR KUKNYO.
>> WELL, WE COULD GO BACK TO STATE STATUTE, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF WHAT DRIVES US.
I MEAN, IF IT BE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, I COULD CERTAINLY GO BACK TO THE ARCHITECT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND HAVE THEM BREAK OUT COSTS FOR THE CONCEPT, SO WE KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE SEPARATELY.
WE'VE SELECTED THEM, AND WE HAVE NOT FINALIZED ANY OF THE COSTS.
[01:30:05]
I COULD CERTAINLY PEEL AT THOSE COSTS SEPARATELY, IF EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM, OR HOWEVER MANAGEMENT THINKS THAT WE SHOULD APPROACH THIS.>> WELL, WE AREN'T GOING TO TAKE DIRECTION, OF COURSE, TODAY ON THIS.
WE'RE JUST TALKING AND HAVING A STUDY SESSION.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, FROM THE CONVERSATION, I THINK YOU SEE, MAURY, THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE WITH THE BOARD.
THERE'S A LOT OF IDEAS, ALL GOOD, WHAT WORKS THE BEST, LESS IS MORE, KEEP IT SIMPLE, JUST WANT TO GET IT DONE.
WE'RE HERE FOR ONE TERM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE WE CHECKING OFF? WHAT ARE THE BOXES WE WANT TO COMPLETE? WHAT IS GOING TO BE OUR LEGACY? HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS? OUR JOB IS TO LEAVE THIS COUNTY IN A BETTER WAY THAN WE FOUND IT, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE BEFORE US LEFT IT IN A TERRIFIC WAY, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY.
I THINK YEAH, WE NEED TO GET THIS GOING.
>> MADAM CHAIR, JUST ONE LAST THING.
THERE'S OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED TOO, BECAUSE WE BOTH BROUGHT UP LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WHEN YOU TALK WITH THEM, OUR GUYS COOPERATE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.
THIS BUILDING MIGHT ALSO HAVE A DESK FOR DPS.
IT MIGHT HAVE A DESK FOR COCONINO AS THEY BACK EACH OTHER UP ALL THE TIME.
MORE THAN TALKING WITH US WITH WHAT WE NEED, I THINK WE NEED TO BRING IN THE STAKEHOLDERS.
I THINK WE NEED TO BRING IN THE CONSTABLE, WHAT DO YOU NEED, THE SHERIFF, WHAT DO YOU NEED, THE COURTS, WHAT DO YOU NEED, FOR SPACE.
I THINK WE COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING REALLY GOOD, SOMETHING FAIRLY SIMPLE AND COST EFFECTIVE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
I THINK THE IDEA OF A STUDY SESSION WOULD BE PERFECT BECAUSE I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY SPEND A FEW HOURS ON THIS.
>> YEAH. MIGHT NEED TWO STUDY SESSIONS.
>> MAY I ASK A QUESTION, PLEASE?
>> ABSOLUTELY. I'M THE NEWBIE SO BEAR WITH ME. NEWBIE HERE.
IS THE PROCESS FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, DO YOU HAVE THE BOARD GIVE DIRECTION WHAT THEIR IDEAS ARE FIRST, OR DOES THE STAFF BRING A CONCEPT? I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS WHERE STAFF MAYBE DIDN'T INTERPRET WHAT, IN MY CASE COUNSEL GAVE THEM, AND WE SURE WASTED A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY ON DESIGN BECAUSE WE WEREN'T REALLY COMMUNICATING WELL.
WHAT IS THE USUAL PROCESS HERE? ALTHOUGH IN THIS CASE, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY, AND I THINK A WORK SESSION.
WE NEED TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME ON SOMETHING TO THIS MAGNITUDE.
BUT IF YOU COULD HELP ME WITH THAT. THANK YOU.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR JENKINS.
I'LL START AND THEN I'M GOING TO PIVOT TO BRANDON TO TALK ABOUT HISTORICALLY.
I WOULD JUST SAY, TO BEGIN WITH, WE ARE HERE TO SERVE AT YOUR PLEASURE.
WE CAN DO WHATEVER THE BOARD DIRECTS US TO DO IN THIS REGARD.
I AGREE, I THINK A STUDY SESSION IS VERY WELL WARRANTED, AND I THINK SUPERVISOR CHECK MAKES A GOOD POINT THAT NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE RURAL SERVICES MASTER PLAN.
WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THAT PROCESS? WHAT ARE WE SEEING? WHAT ARE WE HEARING? WHAT ARE WE PROJECTING? THEN MOVE INTO THE BUILDING STRUCTURE.
AS TO THAT STRUCTURE, I RECALL MY THOUGHTS ON THAT.
I CONTINUE, AND THIS IS JUST ME PERSONALLY, TO BELIEVE YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS.
CAN WE TREAT THEM ALMOST LIKE BUILDING BLOCKS? THE SHERIFF HAS SAID, I KNOW HOW MANY SQUARE FEET AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR ME.
CAN YOU LOOK AT THE LIBRARY? YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MODEL IS.
THEN DEPENDING ON THE COMMUNITY, YOU PUT THE APPROPRIATE BLOCKS TOGETHER, IF YOU WILL, AND THAT'S VERY SIMPLISTIC, BUT THEN YOU START TO CREATE THAT SIMPLE MODEL THAT CAN BE MODIFIED FOR THE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
AS TO WHAT WE'VE DONE HISTORICALLY, I'LL PIVOT TO BRANDON AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
>> HISTORICALLY, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, OUR LAST MAJOR PROJECT WAS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER.
THE BOARD REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY DIRECTION OR RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW IT LOOKED, AND SO WE WERE LEFT ON OUR OWN.
WE LITERALLY SAT DOWN WITH AN ARCHITECT AND WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAMMING, WHICH INCLUDED A BLOCKING DIAGRAM WHERE WE START WITH BIG BLOCKS OF SPACE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR ADJACENCY AND HOW EVERYTHING FLOWS, AND JUST WORK DOWN THE LAYOUT FROM THERE, MORE FUNCTIONAL.
THEN WE LET THE ARCHITECT CHOOSE A FACADE FOR US AND JUST DRIVE IT BASED UPON THE TYPE OF BUILDING THAT IT WAS.
PRIOR TO THAT, THE JJC BUILDING, WE HAD SUPERVISOR SPRINGER, WHO LITERALLY CAME IN WITH A PICTURE AND SAID, I WANT THE BUILDING TO LOOK LIKE THIS.
SHE HAPPENED TO PICK THE FEDERAL RESERVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT DROVE SOME OF THE COSTS ON THAT.
BUT YEAH, TO ECHO MR. THOMPSON'S COMMENTS.
WE'RE HERE AT YOUR GUYS' BEHEST.
[01:35:01]
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY PARTICULARITIES, WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE THAT TO OUR DESIGN ARCHITECT.LET THAT DRIVE SOME OF THE EARLIER CONVERSATIONS, BUT I TOO, AGREE THAT A STUDY SESSION IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
THAT WAS ALWAYS MY INTENT TO BRING SOMETHING TO YOU GUYS TO DISCUSS, AND WE'LL BRING IT JUST AS SOON AS WE CAN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME ROBUST CONVERSATIONS, AND LET YOU GUYS DRIVE THAT PROCESS.
>> I THINK WE DO ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT WE WANT.
I SAW A PICTURE ON THE INTERNET THAT QUITE PERFECTLY, [INAUDIBLE].
>> I WAS VERY. [INAUDIBLE] I WAS ALL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. [INAUDIBLE]. EVEN THOUGH EVERY [INAUDIBLE].
[01:40:04]
>> [INAUDIBLE] THAT WHEN YOU SAY WE GET TO CHOOSE, IT'LL BE WE [INAUDIBLE].
>> I MEAN WE NEED TO WRAP THIS UP OR USE OUR MICS.
I'M GETTING NOTICES FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING REMOTELY. THEY CAN'T HEAR.
>> ANYWAY, WHAT I WAS SAYING, I'M NOT GOING BACK ALL THROUGH THAT.
[LAUGHTER] BUT ANYWAY, ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
NOT, SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING, AND THEN YOU BRING IT ON THE AGENDA. I DON'T WANT THAT.
THIS IS A PARTICIPATION OF THE ELECTED.
ANYWAY, I THINK WE NEED A BREAK.
THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK.
>> SELF-APPOINTED. [BACKGROUND]
I DID GET YOU HERE BEFORE NOON. I KNOW WE'RE BEHIND.
>> I TRY TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND WE'RE READY AND EAGER TO HEAR.
>> WAIT, I'M SORRY. WE'RE MISSING ONE THEM.
>> HE'S IN CHARGE OF THE POWERPOINT, TOO.
>> BECAUSE I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS.
>> I DON'T WANT TO DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THIS ANYMORE. [LAUGHTER] THAT'LL BE ANOTHER DAY FOR SURE.
>> ARE WE WAITING? [BACKGROUND] WE CAN WE CAN GO WITHOUT.
WELL, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR MALLORY, VICE CHAIR COMPTON AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, JUDGE SIMMONS ASSESSOR.
I GUESS, I'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO MY POWERPOINT, AND YOU GUYS CAN JUMP IN AND ASK QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG.
BUT BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THE DEPARTMENT AND SOME NEEDS.
WHAT WE DO AT THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, DISCOVER A PRAISE AND UNIFORMLY VALUE ALL TAXABLE AND NON-TAXABLE PROPERTY IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, PRODUCE AN ACCURATE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT ROLE FOR COMMUNITY, PUBLIC, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCY USE.
DETERMINE THE NAMES OF PERSONS WHO OWN, CLAIM, POSSESS OR CONTROL PROPERTY WITHIN YAVAPAI COUNTY.
[NOISE] SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
OUR INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POWER BI FOR TRACKING KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS HAVE LED TO GROWTH IN BOTH ACCURACY AND PRODUCTION.
SOME OF SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT IS WE WORKED 5,500 PERMITS IN 2024, AND THAT IS A LOT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT WITH 170,000 PARCELS AND 17 APPRAISERS COVERING 8,000 PLUS SQUARE MILES IN THIS COUNTY.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND A TOTAL STAFF OF 54.
DECLINE IN VALUATION APPEALS. OUR APPEALS ARE DOWN.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD JUST ABOUT 100 APPEALS, AND THIS YEAR, WE ONLY HAD 79, AND THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.
THAT IS ATTRIBUTED TO A LOT ATTRIBUTED TO THE ACCURACY AND DEDICATION OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND OUR APPRAISERS.
COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
[01:45:03]
WE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BY ADHERING TO CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, IE, CONTINUING EDUCATION, SEMINARS, CONFERENCES.WE TRY TO INVEST IN EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE TO OUR TEAM.
THAT IS NOT JUST THE APPRAISERS, BUT OUR CAMA TEAM AND OUR CARTOGRAPHERS, OUR TITLE DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS TO LEARN.
WE TRY TO PUT PEOPLE IN THOSE CLASSES WHEN WE CAN.
LET'S SEE. WE ACHIEVED A PERFECT SALES RATIO REPORT FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR, WHICH HASN'T BEEN DONE, I DON'T THINK IN THE AT LEAST THE LAST 20 YEARS.
SALES RATIO REPORT IS BASICALLY A DEGRADING SYSTEM THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IS LOOKING AT OUR VALUES, LOOKING AT OUR WORK, AND THEY'RE TELLING US THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, AND WE'RE FALLING WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE VALUATION AND THE SALES RATIOS.
JUST A LITTLE LITTLE SELF-PAT ON THE BACK.
WELL, THIS WAS ALSO ATTRIBUTED TO OUR TEAM BECAUSE I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM OUR OFFICE WORKING ON IT, BUT I DID HAVE A MY FIRST BILL PASSED THAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED ON CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND EVALUATION OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
I WAS HAPPY ABOUT THAT. GOALS, EXPANDING STAFFING FOR MODELING AND CARTOGRAPHY.
WE'D LIKE TO HIRE MODELING ANALYST ONE AND A GIS CARTOGRAPHER TO MANAGE WORKLOAD, CREATE CAREER PATH TO BUILD EMPLOYEE KNOWLEDGE AND RETENTION AND MAINTAIN ACCURATE RECORDS AND EVALUATIONS.
ENHANCE EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING.
AGAIN, CONTINUING EDUCATION, ALL THAT CREATE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SKILL ENHANCEMENT, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL STAFF, AND LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY FOR IMPROVED EFFICIENCY.
WE'VE GOT HERE, POWER BI IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
CHALLENGES, PROBABLY GOING TO HEAR THIS A LOT.
I KNOW IT SAYS 66, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY 71% DUE TO RETIREMENTS, WE DO ANTICIPATE MORE RETIREMENTS IN 2026.
WE HAVE THAT AGE GROUP ON OUR STAFF.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
WE GOT TO KEEP THE FRESH BLOOD COMING.
LET'S SEE A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF AS THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW.
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ADD KEY STAFF WITHIN OUR COUNTY, WITHIN OUR COMPUTER-ASSISTED MASS APPRAISAL AND CARTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S REFERENCING THE TWO POSITIONS.
THESE POSITIONS REQUIRE YEARS OF TRAINING AND ARE VITAL FOR MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHILE FULFILLING OUR STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS.
INFLATION'S HITTING EVERYBODY.
MOSTLY PRINTING AND MAILING AND OUR SOFTWARE PROGRAMS. OPPORTUNITIES, VALUATION MODELS, ENHANCED VALUATION MODELS TO ACHIEVE GREATER ACCURACY, POSITIVELY INFLUENCING THE KEY PERFORMANCE METRIC SALES RATIOS.
AGAIN, INVESTING IN OUR MODELING TEAM AND OUR CAMA DEPARTMENT, POWER BI, CONTINUE LEVERAGING POWER BI, WHICH HAS BEEN A GREAT TOOL TO TRACK PERFORMANCE, TRAINING, DEVELOP INTERNAL TRAINING PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL SKILLS AND INTERESTS ACROSS VARIOUS DIVISIONS.
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION TO FURTHER ENHANCE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.
AND THE MENTORING PROGRAM, I THINK, WAS REMOVED.
WE DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE BUDGET OVERVIEW, PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.
BUDGET REQUESTS. GO TO THAT PRETTY QUICK.
[LAUGHTER] THE NUMBER 1 HARRIS GOVERN THAT ISSUE WAS A BILLING ISSUE.
[01:50:01]
THEY SWITCHED THEIR BILLING CYCLE.IT MOVED EVERYTHING OVER INTO A DIFFERENT BUDGET AND DIFFERENT BILLING CYCLES.
WE JUST NEEDED TO COVER FOR THAT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT.
UNLESS YOU DO. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
INFLATION, OF COURSE, PRINTING AND MAILING, AND THE RISING COSTS OF THOSE THINGS AND SOFTWARE.
OUR ONE ASK. WAS TWO, BUT NOW WE'RE DOWN TO ONE.
WAS THIS MODEL ANALYST IT'S A NEW POSITION, MODEL ANALYST ONE.
THIS IS WELL, I'LL JUST READ THE DESCRIPTION.
ONE OF OUR TWO MODELING ANALYSTS WILL RETIRE IN MARCH 2026 AFTER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE.
THE OTHER MODELING ANALYSTS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT IN FIVE YEARS HAVING SERVED 25 YEARS.
TO ADDRESS THE GROWING WORKLOAD DEMANDS AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO START MENTORING AND TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL MODELING ANALYST.
ADDING A MODELING ANALYST WILL HELP MANAGE THE GROWING WORKLOADS AND ENSURE THAT ALL STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
HIRING A NEW MODELING ANALYST PREPARES THE COUNTY FOR UPCOMING RETIREMENTS, ENSURING CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
THIS POSITION IS PROBABLY THE MEATS AND BONES OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE OUR APPRAISERS THAT GO OUT INTO THE FIELD, AND THEY DO A HECK OF JOB.
THEY DO A LOT OF WORK. THEY'RE PICKING UP PROPERTIES.
THEY'RE ENTERING THE DATA, ASSIGNING THE COST, ALL THOSE STUFF.
THEY'RE ASSIGNING QUALITY CONDITION THOSE THINGS.
BUT ONCE THAT'S ALL INTO THE SYSTEM, THEN IT'S THE MODELERS THAT ASSIGN THE VALUE.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE ADJUSTING BASED ON THE MARKETS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE ONES THAT ARE LOOKING AT THE SALES TO ADJUST FOR THOSE PROPERTIES.
THESE GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ACTUALLY CREATING THE NAV THE STUFF THAT YOU GUYS ARE DEPENDING ON FOR TAX PURPOSES AND YOUR LEVIES.
I DID SEE THAT IT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, BUT I STILL WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT POSITION AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF THAT.
>> JUDD, I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK YOU, ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED IN YOUR DEPARTMENT?
>> NO, SO WE HAVE WE ARE CURRENTLY, TODAY, 54 OUT OF 60.
NOW, IN MAY, IT'LL BE 57, BECAUSE WE'RE POSTING AND HIRING.
WE ACTUALLY DID HIRE AN APPRAISER WHO COULD NOT START TILL THE END OF MAY.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE 57 OF 60 BY MAY.
>> I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO TALK ABOUT THIS MODELING ANALYST A CONVERSATION JUDD AND I'D HAD THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I'M NOT GOING THERE YET, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHEN I READ THE DESCRIPTION, IT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME, I THOUGHT THIS WAS MORE OF A TRAINING, MENTORING NEED FOR FUTURE BECAUSE OF THE RETIREMENTS.
BUT IT'S THAT ACTUAL WORKLOAD ISSUE, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY. YOU NEED THREE
>> YES, IT IS A WORKLOAD ISSUE AND ALSO A COVERAGE ISSUE, I HAVE MY TOP PERSON HERE.
IT DOES TAKE PROBABLY A GOOD FIVE YEARS TO REALLY GRASP THIS.
I MEAN, IT'S A HIGHLY TECHNICAL POSITION.
THERE'S A LOT OF IWAO CLASSES THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE TO DEVELOP THAT SKILL.
WE DO HAVE A YOUNG MAN IN MIND, WHERE ACTUALLY WE TRY TO DO THIS A FEW MONTHS AGO.
HE'S LEARNING, BUT HE'S NOT IN THAT POSITION YET.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I ASKED THIS VERY GENTLY.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE HELPED OUT WITH AI WHEN YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO PUT THESE TOGETHER AND THEN HAVE SOMEONE ACTUALLY MANAGE THE INFORMATION SYSTEM?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I WOULD HATE TO DEPEND ON THAT, ESPECIALLY THIS EARLY.
THERE'S NO AI MODELING THAT I'M AWARE OF.
THERE'S A LOT OF AI STUFF OUT THERE.
[01:55:02]
>> BECAUSE YOU KNOW LIKE RPR DOES THAT?
>> THERE'S VALUATION, WHAT IS WELL, ZILLOW DOES THAT.
THEY'VE GOT COMPUTERS THAT GENERATE VALUE.
THEY'RE HIGHLY INACCURATE, AS YOU KNOW.
I DO GO TO THE SHOWS, AND I'M HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH OUR STATE ASSOCIATION.
NOBODY THAT I KNOW OF IS USING AI OTHER THAN WRITING A PAPER.
BUT THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION, AND SOMETHING THAT WE CAN KEEP AN EYE OUT.
>> I SAW THE MOVIE, TOO. YOU CAN'T KILL THEM.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I DO WANT TO ASK THAT QUESTION OF IN THE CASE THAT YOU'RE AN OFFICE THAT REALLY HAS TO DEPEND ON FOLLOWING STATUTE.
>> CAN YOU JUST EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THIS POSITION AND HOW IT HELPS YOU ACHIEVE THE STATUTES THAT YOU NEED TO FOLLOW OR JUST TIE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND OUR BUDGET IS WE HAVE TO FUND THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO FUND FIRST.
THEN JUST GIVE US AN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR OFFICE AND HOW THAT STATUTE MIGHT PLAY INTO THIS DECISION.
>> WELL, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT A LOT OF WHAT WE DO, TREASURER OFFICE IS A RECORDER, TITLE 42.
IT'S HUGE PAGES AND PAGES, AND THAT'S THE WORLD WE LIVE IN AND EVERYTHING IS STATUTORY DRIVEN.
WE'VE GOT DEADLINES, AND THAT'S A HUGE PART OF IT.
WHEN WE HAVE AN EXPANDING POPULATION, AND WE HAVE DEADLINES TO MEET THAT ARE STATUTORY, IT MAKES IT MORE CHALLENGING.
YES, WE INVEST IN SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY BUT THAT ONLY GOES SO FAR.
AS FAR AS THIS MODELING POSITION, LIKE I SAID, IT'S ONE OF OUR KEY POSITIONS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
IT DOES TAKE MANY YEARS TO DEVELOP AND TRAIN SOMEBODY.
LIKE JEN AND ERIC HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR 20, 25 YEARS.
EVERYTHING WE DO IS ALMOST ALL IN STATUTE.
>> WHEN THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS RETIRE, WELL, THERE WILL BE A PRETTY BIG GAP.
>> THERE'S GOING TO BE A VOID AND WE'LL BE SCRAMBLING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
>> THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR CHECK, AND JUDD, AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, OUR EMPLOYEES IN OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE WHAT MAKE THIS WHOLE WORLD TURN IN YAVAPAI COUNTY.
NOTING THAT BY MAY, LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE QUITE A LOT OF VACANCIES, AND THIS IS JUST ME SPEAKING IN A WORK STUDY.
I WOULD APPRECIATE FOR ME, IF MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT THIS TO POSSIBLY SEE MORE HOW THIS CAN WORK, CONSIDERING THE VACANCIES IN HERE, AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE AND THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW MODELING ANALYST 1, AND THEN YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE MODELING SPECIALISTS THAT YOU HAVE NOW.
>> WE HAVE TWO SPECIALISTS RIGHT NOW.
WE WERE ONLY ASKING FOR AN ENTRY LEVEL MODELING SO THAT WE CAN GROW AND SO THAT THE NEW GUY HE BE THE MODEL 1, AND THEN ONCE HE GROWS, HE CAN MOVE INTO A SPECIALIST POSITION.
THEN WE CAN KEEP FILLING THAT HIERARCHY UP.
>> WHAT I'M HEARING IS SUCCESSION PLANNING.
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO ME.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING ANYWAY. THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR, IF I MAY COMMENT AS A FOLLOW UP TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE VACANCIES JUST SO THE BOARD IS AWARE.
AGAIN, DIDN'T FIT WITHIN THE BUCKET THIS YEAR OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES, BUT JUDD AND I HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS AND TRIED TO DO SOME PROBLEM SOLVING ABOUT HOW WE GET THERE.
LOOKING AT HIS VACANCIES, JUDD HAS INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO VACATE TWO LOWER LEVEL VACANCIES IN THE OFFICE NOW IN LIEU OF FILLING THIS.
I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL SOLUTION,
[02:00:02]
AND I APPRECIATE HIS WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER THAT.THERE IS AN OPTION THERE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
>> THAT'S CERTAINLY AN OPTION, OF COURSE, CERTAINLY WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER THIS POSITION.
IF WE DO COMBINE TWO EXISTING POSITIONS, THEN WE'RE VIRTUALLY DOWN TO NOTHING LEFT.
I'D BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU AT SOME POINT FOR MORE POSITIONS EITHER NOW OR LATER.
BUT NOW THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THIS PERSON UP AND RUNNING AND TRAINED AND READY TO GO.
THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT.
>> CAN I ADD TO THE HOMEWORK LIST THAT WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS INVOLVED IN THE POSITIONS IN QUESTION SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE A MORE CLEAR DECISION ON DOLLARS?
>> YES. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR CHECK AS WELL.
WE'VE LOOKED AT THEM, BUT WE'LL GET EXACT NUMBERS TO YOU.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT DOESN'T FULLY COVER THE COST, SO THERE WOULD BE SOMEWHAT INCREMENTAL COST TO DO IT, BUT MUCH MORE DOABLE.
>> WHEN YOU DO RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION, ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT MAYBE GETTING THAT TO US WITHIN THIS BUDGET TIME AT ALL? JUST TRYING TO GET CLARITY HERE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR.
>> AGAIN YESTERDAY, WE'RE CAPTURING ALL THE QUESTIONS, AND WE'LL GET THOSE RESPONSES TO YOU TOMORROW.
AGAIN, QUITE FRANKLY, THIS IS NOT A HARD ONE.
WE'VE GOT THE NUMBERS. I JUST SCRUB THEM AND MAKE THE CALCULATION TO GIVE YOU THE DIFFERENCE.
>> JUD, I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU THIS REAL QUICK.
WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT YESTERDAY ABOUT THE TAX LEVY, KEEPING IT FLAT, OR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I KNOW YOU DO SOME OF THIS EVALUATION REGARDING THE TAXES AND HOW IT GOES.
YOU DO RAISE OUR REVENUE BY WHEN YOU ASSESS PROPERTY.
JOSEPH, CAN YOU GET JUST A LITTLE INPUT THAT FROM YOUR SIDE? I APPRECIATE IT.
HOPEFULLY, I CAN TOUCH ON SOME OF IT.
AS YOU KNOW, I DO THE VALUES, AND I'M NOT THE TAX AND LEVY EXPERT.
BUT AS FAR AS THE LPV, YOU GUYS WERE ASKING YESTERDAY ABOUT A SET RATE.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE LPV OR THE NET ASSESSED LIMITED PROPERTY VALUE THAT IS YOUR TAXABLE VALUE HAS GONE UP.
LAST YEAR WAS 6%, THE YEAR BEFORE WAS 7%, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT WAS 7%.
EACH YEAR THAT NET ACCESS VALUE GOES UP 6-7%, AT LEAST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A FLAT RATE, THEN YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT AN INCREASE OF A LITTLE BIT.
EACH PROPERTY SCENARIO IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
THEN ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I KNOW WAS ASKED WAS THE NEW CONSTRUCTION, HOW IT DROPPED.
I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY THAT THAT WAS CENTRALLY VALUED, SO CENTRALLY VALUED, WHICH IS VALUE THAT WE DON'T VALUE.
THAT'S DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.
THAT IS YOUR AIRPORTS AND RAILROADS AND UTILITIES AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
WE DON'T DO THAT VALUATION, BUT THEY HAD A DROP LAST YEAR FOR SOME REASON.
THAT'S WHY YOU SAW YOUR NEW CONSTRUCTION GO DOWN.
BUT AGAIN, NEXT YEAR, IT COULD GO BACK UP.
>> THANK YOU. I REALIZE THIS BUT I DO KNOW THAT YOU DO THIS.
SOMEWHAT WHEN YOU'RE SENDING OUT THE REPORTS, AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A TAX PERSON, BUT IT'S JUST A CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE ALL HAVING, THINKING ABOUT, AND JUST THOUGHT I'D GET SOME INPUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK WE'RE OKAY, JUDD.
>> GOOD. HOW DID I DO ON TIME?
>> CHIP SAID HE WOULD BEAT ME.
AM I SUPPOSED TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE BOARD WHEN I LEAVE?
>> CHAIR MALLORY, VICE CHAIR COMPTON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR DEPARTMENT'S HARD WORK.
WE ARE GOING TO NOW HAVE LAUREN CUSTIS UP HERE FROM ELECTIONS.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR MALLORY, VICE CHAIR COMPTON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY LEADERSHIP.
[02:05:03]
LAUREN CUSTIS, DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS.>> GOT IT. WE'LL JUST HOP RIGHT IN.
THIS IS COMING STRAIGHT OUT OF OUR BUDGET NARRATIVE, AND I KNOW THAT WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE THREE THINGS.
[LAUGHTER] WE DO A LOT MORE THAN THREE THINGS.
IF I HAD TO CHOOSE THREE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT CANDIDATE AND CAMPAIGN FILING, BALLOT CREATION, TESTING, AND TABULATION, AND AUDITING AND CHAIN OF CUSTODY DOCUMENTATION WOULD BE HIGH UP ON THE LIST BUT YET WE DO SO MUCH MORE.
WE SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTED THE 2024 PRIMARY ELECTION AND SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTED THE FIRST MULTIPAGE BALLOT IN YAVAPAI COUNTY IN THE 2024 ELECTIONS.
WE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED NEW ELECTION DAY CALL CENTER TECHNOLOGY, ROVER RESPONSE TICKETING APPLICATION, AND A WAIT TIME WIDGET FOR OUR WEBSITE.
WE SUCCESSFULLY USE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO IMPLEMENT A DIGITAL POLL WORKER APPLICATION, A 210 DAY AND 180 DAY JURISDICTIONAL ELECTION NOTIFICATION FORM, WHICH EVERYONE IS LOVING.
CANDIDATE AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE DESTRUCTION ALERT.
WE'VE BUILT IT IN SO THAT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR A DESTRUCTION, IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY EMAIL US, AND WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT BASED ON OUR RETENTION STATUTE.
BY THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2025, COMING UP SHORTLY HERE, WE WILL BE INTEGRATING ALL OF OUR NEW POLL PADS, BRAND NEW GENERATION 10, POLL PADS NEW CHARGING CABLES, NEW FLIP STANDS AT EACH OF OUR VOTE CENTER LOCATION SO 170 NEW PADS.
OUR GOALS TO SUCCESSFULLY ADMINISTER THE 2025 AUGUST 5TH AND NOVEMBER 4TH JURISDICTIONAL ELECTIONS.
CURRENTLY, WE'LL HAVE THE CITY OF PRESCOTT FOR THE AUGUST ELECTION.
FOR NOVEMBER, WE'VE GOT COTTONWOOD OAK CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT, MINGUS UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, CLARKDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE VERDI VALLEY FIRE DISTRICT, AND AGAIN, THE CITY OF PRESCOTT.
IT'S ALSO A HOPE OF MINE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE NEW CRADLE POINTS FOR EACH OF OUR VOTE CENTERS FOR BETTER CONNECTIVITY ON ELECTION DAY FOR THE 2026 ELECTIONS.
WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE RIGHT NOW OF ACQUIRING NEW VOTE CENTERS FOR BETTER USE FOR OUR ADA COMMUNITY.
SOME OF OUR CURRENT VOTE CENTERS THAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST, HAVE SOME ADA CHALLENGES THAT ARE HARD FOR US TO MITIGATE SO WE ARE LOOKING AT NEW LOCATIONS.
WE RIGHT NOW HAVE EIGHT NEW LOCATIONS AND POSSIBLY 10 BY THE END OF 2025 FOR USE IN 2026.
CHALLENGES. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD IN THE 2024 ELECTIONS IS NOT HAVING ENOUGH CERTIFIED ELECTION OFFICIALS ON STAFF.
WE HAD SOME STAFF TURNOVER, AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE ONLY TRAINS ELECTION OFFICIALS EVERY ODD YEAR.
WE HAVE TO DO WITHOUT THROUGH THAT TIME PERIOD.
VERY EXCITED TO HAVE EVERYBODY ON STAFF BE COMPLETELY CERTIFIED AND BE READY TO GO FOR 2026.
WOULD LIKE TO SOLVE THOSE CONNECTIVITY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AT THE VOTE CENTERS ON ELECTION DAY WITH OUR CURRENT CRADLE POINTS ARE BEYOND END OF LIFE, ACTUALLY.
GETTING THOSE NEW CRADLE POINTS IS REALLY GOING TO BE FANTASTIC.
THEN, AGAIN, WE'RE HAVING LEGISLATIVE CHALLENGES WITH THE 2026 PRIMARY DATE.
EARLY IN 2024, THERE WAS A EMERGENCY MEASURE THAT MOVED THE PRIMARY DATE ONE WEEK.
WE ARE WORKING NOW WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AND OUR LOBBYISTS TO GET THAT DATE PERMANENTLY MOVED TO THE LAST TUESDAY IN JULY.
WE'LL BE IN THE SAME BOAT THAT WE WERE IN EARLY 2024 WITH THE REQUIREMENT THAT WE'LL NEED AN EMERGENCY MEASURE TO MOVE THAT DATE AGAIN.
THE REASON FOR THE MOVE OF THE DATE IS DUE TO THE INCREASE REQUIREMENT FOR RECOUNTS.
BETWEEN THE PRIMARY AND THE GENERAL, WE HAVE EXACTLY 90 DAYS, AND 45 DAYS IS THE DEADLINE TO SEND OUT YOUR COVER BALLOTS.
IF THERE'S A RECOUNT IN THERE, WE'RE REALLY TIGHT ON TIME.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET THAT EXTRA WEEK WOULD BE REALLY GREAT.
[LAUGHTER] OUR OPPORTUNITIES IN 2026.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY TO MONITOR CHANGES TO
[02:10:03]
ELECTION LAWS AND OUR PROCEDURES TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GET IMPLEMENTED CORRECTLY.WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
WE CURRENTLY ARE WORKING ON THAT NOW TO HELP GO THROUGH THE ELECTION PROCEDURES MANUAL AND BRING UP CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AND GET THOSE IMPLEMENTED.
WE'RE ACTUALLY ON CHAPTERS 13 AND 14 NOW.
THERE'S A BIG SCHEDULE TO GET THAT APPROVED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, SO WE'RE WELL INTO THAT PROJECT.
THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT STAFF WILL ATTEND AND ACQUIRE TRAINING THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE.
AGAIN, WE WILL BE ATTENDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS OF ARIZONA, FOR WHICH I'M THE TREASURER, WILL BE HAVING A HUGE CONFERENCE IN JUNE THIS YEAR.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I WILL GO FOR RECERTIFICATION FOR MY NATIONAL CERTIFICATION WITH ELECTION CENTER IN AUGUST.
STEPHANIE IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON HERS NOW.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT I HAVE A NEGATIVE NUMBER THERE.
[LAUGHTER] THAT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE AN ON THE GROUND ELECTION SCHEDULED FOR FISCAL YEAR '26.
OUR BUDGET REQUIREMENTS WERE LOWER, WHICH THAT WILL GO BACK UP NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? BUDGET REQUESTS.
I HAVE REQUESTED A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION.
>> THE REASONS FOR THAT IS FOR ONE, A JOB ALIGNMENT.
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE BASICALLY IN THE WRONG JOB DESCRIPTIONS DOING THIS WORK.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT STAFF AND THE RIGHT JOB DUTIES.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF, FRANKLY, TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON A TWO PAGE BALLOT.
TO CONDUCT A TWO PAGE BALLOT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WITH A STAFF OF SIX.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL CERTIFIED ELECTION OFFICIALS.
WE CANNOT HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CERTIFIED IN THE TABULATION ROOM MANAGING THAT.
WITH US ONLY HAVING FOUR LAST YEAR, WE COULDN'T RUN DOUBLE SHIFTS.
WE COULDN'T RUN EXTRA TIME, BECAUSE WE'RE BURNING OUR STAFF OUT BY DOING THAT.
THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS THAT WITH THE REORGANIZATION OF PEOPLE DOING THE RIGHT JOBS, I'M ABLE TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF SEASONAL STAFF TO MANAGE OUR POLL WORKERS.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO OFFER BACK $46,800 IN MY SEASONAL BUDGET TO OFFSET THE COST OF THIS NEW POSITION.
THEN AGAIN, ADDRESSING THE CRADLE POINTS, THE ONES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE ARE AT END OF LIFE, AND THE NEW CRADLE POINTS WILL BE 5G AND HOPEFULLY GIVE US OPTIMUM CONNECTION ON ELECTION DAY.
THEN, FRANKLY, I THINK THIS IS RATHER EXCITING.
WORKING WITH ZACH, WE'VE COME UP WITH A PLAN TO SET ASIDE SOME MONEY IN YOUR CONTINGENCY BUDGET, JUST IN CASE AN ON THE GROUND ELECTION IS CALLED BY THE STATE, BECAUSE WE DON'T BUDGET FOR THINGS WE DON'T KNOW ARE COMING.
IF THE LEGISLATURE DECIDES TO CALL AN ELECTION, WE WOULD HAVE NO MONEY TO CONDUCT THAT ELECTION.
EVEN THOUGH WE WOULD BE BILLING FOR REIMBURSEMENT, WE HAVE NO UPFRONT MONEY TO SPEND.
WORKING WITH HIM, WE CAME UP WITH $276,000 IN THE CONTINGENCY, SO THAT JUST IN CASE THAT HAPPENS, WE'LL BE PREPARED.
I'M LOOKING AT THIS, IT JUST SAYS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT YOU DID NOT GET.
I'M GUESSING THAT CHANGEOVER THAT YOU WORKED OUT WITH MAURY SOLVE THAT PROBLEM?
>> COMPROMISE IS GOOD [LAUGHTER]
>> YES, IT IS. THE BOARD APPRECIATES THAT FOR SURE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE PAST ELECTION, WE WERE GETTING PHONE CALLS AND TEXT MESSAGES DUE TO THE FACT THAT EVERYONE THOUGHT THE COUNT SHOULD BE DONE BY NOW OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THAT IN OUR MINDS GOING FORWARD.
THAT WE HAVE ELECTION IN 2025, BUT THAT IS ALL MAIL IN, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THEN 2026, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION.
>> TWENTY TWENTY SIX WILL BE THE MIDTERMS. WE'LL HAVE AN AUGUST ELECTION AND NOVEMBER GENERAL.
>> THAT WILL NOT JUST BE A MAIL IN?
>> NO. THAT WILL BE ON THE GROUND.
>> AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE RUN INTO WHAT I'M SURE MICHELLE WILL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT,
[02:15:05]
BUT IT'S THE LATE EARLIES.GET TO VOTE EARLY, BUT THEN YOU DECIDE TO DROP IT OFF RIGHT BEFORE MIDNIGHT OF THE LAST DAY, THE 13TH HOUR.
ANYWAY, YOUR DEPARTMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE FOREFRONT OF ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY WANT TO KEEP IN THE FOREFRONT FOR ALL OF US AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO THIS.
>> YOUR DEPARTMENT AND YOUR STAFF IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE.
THE PEOPLE ARE WHAT MAKES EVERYTHING TURN [LAUGHTER] ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> MADAM CHAIR, DO YOU HAVE A CONTINGENCY RIGHT NOW?
>> NOT CURRENTLY, NO. WE'RE WINDING UP THIS BUDGET YEAR, SO WE'RE SAFE.
>> IF THE STATE DOES NOT CALL THAT, DOES THAT MONEY FALL BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND?
>> YES. IT WILL STAY IN THE GENERAL FUND AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, UNLESS WE NEED IT.
THEY NEED TO CALL THE ELECTION 180 DAYS PRIOR TO AN ELECTION DATE, SO WE SHOULD KNOW IN PLENTY OF TIME TO RELEASE THAT MONEY BACK TO YOUR NEEDS.
>> YOU GUYS ARE SLAVES TO WHAT THE STATE DECIDES TO DO.
DID THEY MOVE AHEAD WITH THE TIME CRUNCH ISSUE THAT YOU GUYS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE YOU HAVE TO DO MANDATORY RECOUNTS, AND YOU DIDN'T GET ANY MORE TIME TO DO THAT RECOUNT?
>> IN EARLY 2024, THEY DID PASS EMERGENCY LEGISLATION THAT MOVED THE PRIMARY DATE ONE WEEK EARLIER.
THAT WAS TO GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE THAT RECOUNT BEFORE WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE BALLOT READY FOR NOVEMBER.
AGAIN, WE'RE BACK AT THE ORIGINAL ELECTION DATE OF AUGUST, I THINK IT'S FOURTH NEXT YEAR.
DON'T QUOTE ME. STILL IN THAT NEED TO HAVE THAT ELECTION DATE MOVED, THEY ARE RIGHT NOW IN ACTIVE TALKS IN GETTING A BILL TO ADD THAT LANGUAGE IN TO PERMANENTLY MOVE IT TO THE LAST TUESDAY IN JULY.
AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T HAVE THAT, AND WE'RE WAITING.
WE MAY BE IN THE SITUATION WHERE WE WERE AT LAST EARLY NOVEMBER 2024, WHERE WE'RE ASKING FOR EMERGENCY LEGISLATION TO MOVE THAT DATE IN THE NEXT SESSION.
WE MAY BE GRANDFATHERING IN PETITION FORMS. THINGS MAY HAVE THE LATER DATE AND THE EARLIER DATE.
WE'LL JUST WORK THROUGH IT AS IT COMES.
>> BECAUSE LIKE CHAIR SAYS, THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS, WHY DON'T WE HAVE THE RESULTS NOW? ON THIS LAST ELECTION CYCLE, I THOUGHT YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING WHY IT TAKES THE TIME THAT IT DID.
>> WELL, THE TWO PAGE BALLOT SLOWED US DOWN.
WE HAD DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF PAGES.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER.
>> OVER 300 BALLOT PAGES WERE TABULATED.
I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF MY STAFF THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THAT ELECTION WITH ALL THE SURMOUNTABLE ODDS THAT WE HAD.
I'M VERY PROUD. WE STRIVE TO DO BETTER.
WE STRIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THOSE RESULTS OUT, WITH AN ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBER.
WE CAN WORK HARDER AND TOWARDS THAT AND BE ABLE TO RUN ADDITIONAL SHIFTS.
WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONALLY TRAINED STAFF THAT ARE REQUIRED.
>> THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE FOR TRANSPARENCY HAVE BEEN GREAT WITH ALL THE ADDITIONAL WINDOWS PUT IN AND THE PROCESSES MOVED SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK YOU GUYS MADE GREAT STRIDES THAT WAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH [NOISE]
>> I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW AS THINGS CHANGE IN THE STATE DOES ALL THESE UNFUNDED MANDATES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
YOU NEED TO KNOW THE BOARD HERE SUPPORTS YOU, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
DON'T HESITATE TO LET US KNOW IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
[OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] WE ALL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HERE TO GIVE YOU THE SUPPORT THAT YOU NEED, WHICH ULTIMATELY HELPS YOU, HELPS OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> I THINK WE'RE GOOD, LAUREN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
>> WE'LL MOVE ON WITH MICHELLE. GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR MALLORY, VICE CHAIR COMPTON, BOARD MEMBERS.
WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING MY ROLE AS THE COUNTY RECORDER.
[02:20:01]
I HAVE TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT I OVERSEE.ONE, IS THE RECORDING SIDE WHERE WE ARE STATUTORILY REQUIRED TO MAKE PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH LAND RECORDS, PROPERTIES.
ONE OF OUR PROUDEST THINGS HERE IN YAVAPAI IS WE HAVE ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE LONGEST UNBROKEN CHAINS OF CUSTODY FOR HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THAT IS BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY MAJOR FLOODS, FIRES, ANYTHING TO DESTROY THOSE DOCUMENTS.
WE KEEP THEM VERY SECURE OVER IN OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT AREA.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES WITH, AND WE'VE ALWAYS KEPT THOSE WITHIN COUNTY BOUNDARIES, SO THERE'S NEVER BEEN A THIRD PARTY TO POTENTIALLY DISRUPT THAT.
VOTER REGISTRATION, WE OVERSEE EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH REGISTERING TO VOTE, MAINTAINING VOTER ROLLS, UPDATING VOTER RECORDS, WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE GIS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION FOR EVERY SINGLE PARCEL AND EVERY VOTER WHO LIVES IN AN INDIVIDUAL HOUSE.
WE KNOW IF SOMETHING'S COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, RESIDENTIAL, SO WE ARE ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT.
THEN, OF COURSE, EARLY VOTING.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, IN GENERAL, ALWAYS LOOK AT ELECTIONS AS ELECTION DAY, BUT 87% OF YAVAPAI COUNTY ACTUALLY CHOOSES TO VOTE EARLY.
WHEN ELECTION DAY COMES, 87% OF THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED AND THAT'S COME THROUGH MY OFFICE AS FAR AS EARLY BALLOTS.
DEPARTMENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THIS YEAR, WE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED WHAT'S CALLED A SCAN FIRST PROCESS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD BEEN WORKING WITH OUR RECORDING.
WHAT IS THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS ANYBODY THAT COMES IN PERSON TO RECORD A DOCUMENT, WE USED TO HAVE TO TAKE THEIR DOCUMENTS, HOLD THEM, GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE PROCESSES TO DO WHAT WE DO TO MAKE THEM INTO PUBLIC RECORD.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED A SCAN FIRST PROJECT NOW WHERE IF YOU COME INTO MY OFFICE, I SCAN EVERYTHING IN RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
GET THAT PORTION OF IT PREPARED.
WE DO EVERYTHING ON THE BACK SIDE.
BUT I'M ABLE TO HAND YOU YOUR DOCUMENTS BACK.
WE ARE NO LONGER HAVING TO HOLD AN INDIVIDUAL'S DOCUMENTS FOR 7-10 DAYS, AND THEN ACTUALLY I PUT THEM THROUGH THE MAIL SYSTEM.
GO BACK DOWN TO PHOENIX AND COME BACK UP AND WAIT FOR YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR DOCUMENTS BACK.
WE'VE GOTTEN TREMENDOUS POSITIVE FEEDBACK WITH THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE HANDING US THOSE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS AND WALKING AWAY FROM OUR OFFICE.
IT'S SAVED OBVIOUSLY AND SHIPPING IN ENVELOPE COSTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE INVOLVED IN THAT.
IT'S REALLY STREAMLINED THAT PROCESS.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE DID THIS YEAR THAT WE USED OUR SPECIAL FUNDS FOR OUR RECORDING FUNDS WAS WE COMPLETED A PRESERVATION PROJECT, AND WE HAD A COMPANY CALLED KOFILE ACTUALLY COME AND REBOUND SOME OF OUR HISTORICAL DOCUMENT BOOKS.
I'LL PROBABLY TAKE SOME PICTURES AND DO A HIGHLIGHT OF THAT BECAUSE WE JUST GOT THEM BACK RECENTLY.
WE'RE ALSO ADDING ALL OF THOSE IMAGES ONLINE FOR, AGAIN, THE PUBLIC TO SEE.
IT WENT 1864-1791 OF THE INDEX OF DEEDS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE EVERY FEW YEARS.
IT'S VERY COSTLY, IT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING AND IT'S A LITTLE NERVE WRECKING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU BECAUSE WE'RE AGAIN, CHERISHING THESE DOCUMENTS.
PUTTING OUR TRUST IN SOMEBODY TO RENOVATE THEM AND CONTINUE TO PRESERVE THEM.
[LAUGHTER] IN THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT, OF COURSE, WE SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTED THREE ELECTIONS LAST YEAR.
WE HAD OUR PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE, THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS.
JUST FOR THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL, WE RECEIVED PROCESS AND VERIFIED 199,000 PLUS EARLY BALLOTS, AND WE HAD OVER 15,000 IN PERSON EARLY VOTERS.
THE GENERAL ELECTION, WE HAD 13,995 IN PERSON EARLY VOTERS JUST FOR THAT GENERAL ELECTION, WHICH WAS THE MOST WE'VE EVER HAD GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
IT WAS A LOT. AGAIN, WE MADE UP 87% OF THE ELECTIONS.
WE NOT ONLY HAVE OUR EARLY PERSON VOTING HERE IN THIS BUILDING, WE ALSO HAVE IT IN COTTONWOOD.
WE PARTNER WITH THE TOWN OF PRESCOTT VALLEY BECAUSE THAT'S THE NEXT LARGEST GROWING AREA.
IF WE WEREN'T USING THE PRESCOTT VALLEY 1, WE WOULD BE IN A WORLD OF HURT OVER HERE.
ANY OF YOU THAT HAVE COME IN AND OUT OF THESE BUILDINGS DURING THE VOTING CYCLES,
[02:25:02]
YOU SEE THE TRAFFIC AND THE LINES AND JUST THE CONGESTION THAT COMES ALONG WITH ADMINISTERING AN ELECTION.I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST GAME CHANGERS WE HAD OVER THIS LAST YEAR, THANK YOU TO OUR PREVIOUS BOARD AND OUR MANAGEMENT FOR ALLOWING US TO PURCHASE A INCOMING SCANNER AND MAIL SORTER, WHAT THAT DID PRETTY MUCH IS WE'VE REMOVED HANDS TOUCHING YOUR BALLOT.
MY BIG THINGS ARE KEEP US OUT OF THE NEWS, CHAIN OF CUSTODY, AND WE TREAT YOUR BALLOTS LIKE MONEY.
THE LESS PEOPLE TOUCHING CASH, THE BETTER, THE MORE SECURE IT IS.
US GETTING THIS INCOMING SORTER HAS ACTUALLY REMOVED PEOPLE FROM THE PROCESS.
IT'S CREATED BETTER ACCURACY AS FAR AS COUNTING THE INCOMING BALLOTS COMING IN INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DO IT BY HAND.
WE'RE PUTTING IT THROUGH A MACHINE THAT'S PHYSICALLY COUNTING IT FOR US, AND IT'S SNAPPING PICTURES OF EVERY SINGLE AFFIDAVIT ENVELOPE AND THOSE SIGNATURES WHICH WE PUT INTO OUR DATABASES.
WE LITERALLY GOT IT UP AND RUNNING THE FIRST WEEK OF THE GENERAL ELECTION BECAUSE OF SHIPPING AND RESTRAINTS AND ALL OF THAT.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE USAGE AND MAKE THAT WORK TO OUR ADVANTAGE.
OUR GOALS COMING UP IN 2026, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO POST OUR HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS.
YOU CAN SEE ANYTHING BACK TO 1904 AS FAR AS DEEDS DOCUMENTS ONLINE.
WE ADDED 37 YEARS JUST THIS YEAR ALONE OF DOING THAT.
WE HAVE OUR STAFF EVERY TIME WE HAVE DOWNTIME OR WE'RE NOT IN THE PROCESS OF ACTUALLY RECORDING A DOCUMENT OR HAVING SOMEBODY WALK IN OR ON THE PHONE.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET THAT PROCESS DONE.
WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES THIS YEAR.
I'M EXPECTING TO SEE MAYBE AN INCREASE MORE OF A BOOM IN THE BUYING AND SELLING SIDE OF THE MARKET.
WE ARE EXPANDING OUR RECORDED DOCUMENT ALERT, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 5,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THAT, SUPERVISOR KUKNYO HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OF BEING OUT THERE AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT PROJECT.
>> SORRY ABOUT WHAT I DID [LAUGHTER] I WAS PROMOTING IT, AND THEY TOOK THEIR WEBSITE DOWN FOR THREE DAYS WORTH OF MAINTENANCE.
>> BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT YAVAPAI ACTUALLY SPEARHEADED IN THE STATE, AND OUR LEGISLATORS ACTUALLY HAVE NOW REQUIRED ALL COUNTIES TO DO WHAT WE'VE DONE, AS FAR AS JUST GIVING ANOTHER, TOOL IN FIGHTING THE POTENTIAL FRAUD THAT IS OUT THERE.
I WILL BE ATTENDING A CONFERENCE IN JUNE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE DEED FRAUD IN THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND WE ARE SEEING IT MORE IN ARIZONA.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AND LAWMAKERS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHERE WE CAN FIND WAYS TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
MY OTHER BIG THINGS I REALLY FEEL LIKE WE STILL STRUGGLE WITH IS THE OUTREACH, THE EDUCATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVE HERE FROM OTHER COUNTIES OR STATES, AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT ELECTION LAW CHANGES BY STATE.
THEY'RE ADMINISTERED FROM THE STATE, AND THEN DOWN TO THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT MOVE FROM CALIFORNIA AND SAY, WELL, THIS ISN'T HOW IT WAS HERE.
WELL, YOU'RE NOT IN CALIFORNIA ANYMORE.
THEN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME AND COMPARE.
WELL, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MARICOPA, COCONINO, OR MOHAVE, BECAUSE WE'RE BORDERED WITH THEM.
WELL, THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S DONE HERE IN YAVAPAI.
WE DO HAVE SOME ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO REACHING OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON CONTINUING OUR VOTER EDUCATION, TRYING TO DO SOME DIFFERENT OUTREACH, REALLY INCREASING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YAVAPAI COUNTY VOTERS ARE GETTING YAVAPAI COUNTY INFORMATION.
THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT WITH, A CALL CENTER OR SOMETHING TO HANDLE THE VOLUME OF CALLS.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I SAY WHEN I'M OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY IS YAVAPAI IS STILL SMALL ENOUGH TO ANSWER THE PHONE.
IF YOU CALL US, WE ANSWER THE PHONE.
[02:30:03]
WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULDN'T ANSWER THE PHONE ANYMORE.THE THIRD FLOOR WAS CALLING US SAYING, HEY, PEOPLE ARE GETTING TRANSFERRED UP TO US BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE.
WHEN I ONLY HAVE EIGHT PHONES AVAILABLE IN MY LITTLE AREA, AND WE'RE FIELDING 20,000 CALLS DURING ELECTION CYCLES, WE'RE STRUGGLING.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAYBE GET SOME INCREASED HELP WITH THAT.
I KNOW THAT ON ELECTION DAY, LAUREN WORKED WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WE MAY BE TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME ASSISTANCE SOMEWHERE ELSE WITHIN THE COMMUNICATION SIDE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT WORK.
VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE THERE TO ANSWER THOSE VOTERS QUESTIONS.
STATISTICS ACTUALLY REVEALED, WHO WAS MY NEXT SLIDE.
ABOUT 20,000 PHONE CALLS JUST FOR THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION.
WE PROCESSED OVER 70,000 REGISTRATION FORMS LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S NOT JUST NEW REGISTRANTS, THAT'S SOMEBODY CHANGING AN ADDRESS OR CHANGING THEIR POLITICAL PARTY.
EVERY TIME THEY DO THAT, IT'S COMING THROUGH OUR OFFICE.
WE AVERAGE ABOUT 300 MOVES A WEEK FOR VOTERS IN, YAVAPAI COUNTY.
PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY, WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THERE'S NOT AN ELECTION GOING ON? THERE'S ALWAYS AN ELECTION GOING ON.
YOU JUST MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT IT AND/OR THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY MOVING OR SOMEBODY MOVING IN AND OUT OF OUR JURISDICTION.
WE'VE PROCESSED OVER OR ACTUALLY MAILED OUT OVER 700, ACTUALLY IN 29,000 PIECES OF MAIL, WHICH INCLUDED ABOUT 350,000 EARLY BALLOTS FOR THE 2024 ELECTION CYCLES.
WE'RE IN IT. WE FEEL THE PAIN.
WITH MORE VOTERS CHOOSING TO VOTE EARLY IN PERSON, WE'RE STARTING TO REALIZE WE'RE OUTGROWING THESE PHYSICAL SPACES.
I'M DOING EARLY VOTING THAT 27 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION IN THIS LOBBY, AND I'M REQUIRED WITH EARLY VOTING TO HAVE IT AT MY TWO LOCATIONS, WHICH IS COTTONWOOD IN HERE.
WE'RE TAKING OVER THE ASSESSORS AREA.
WE'RE TAKING OVER THE LOBBIES, AND WE'RE RUNNING INTO SOME REAL SPACE ISSUES.
WE LOOK AT IT LIKE A RESTAURANT.
YOU CAN HAVE 35 PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE TEXAS ROADHOUSE WAITING TO GET IN.
YOU SEE ALL THESE TABLES WITH PEOPLE DONE WITH THEIR FOOD, BUT THEY'RE LOLLYGAGGING, HAVING THEIR WINE, HAVING THEIR DESSERT.
YOU CAN'T GO OVER THERE AND TELL THEM, HEY, YOU GOT PEOPLE WAITING.
CAN YOU GET OUT OF THE BOOTH? WE EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING WITH ELECTIONS.
IF WE DON'T HAVE ROOM TO ADD MORE VOTING BOOTHS, WE ARE SEEING LINES WRAPPED AROUND THE BUILDING.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MAYBE BRAINSTORM AND WORK WITH ON HOW TO ACCOMMODATE THAT INCREASE IN VOTERS FOR THAT 27 DAYS.
THEN NAVIGATING THE NEW CHANGES IN LEGISLATION.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD TO HAVE AN ENTIRE NEW PROCESS TO INCLUDE WHAT WAS WE CALLED A RECEIVED MODULE.
NOW, WE RECEIVE THE BALLOTS IN OUR OFFICE.
WE DO THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION, WE COUNT THEM.
WE HAVE TO PULL THE TABS OFF THE ENVELOPES.
THEY ADDED A RECEIVED AREA THAT INCLUDED AN ENTIRE EXTRA STEP TO EARLY VOTING.
EVERY TIME WE GET THROWN A CURVEBALL LIKE THAT, THIS IS ANOTHER PERSON.
THESE ARE MORE STEPS THAT WE'RE DOING AND I FORESEE THAT COMING IN THE NEAR FUTURE, EVEN WITH SOME OF THE PROJECTED PROPOSED LEGISLATION HAPPENING ON THEY WANT US TO NOT ONLY DO A 90 DAY NOTICE, THEY POTENTIALLY WANT US TO SEND A NOTICE TO EVERYBODY REQUIRING THEM TO VERIFY THEIR ADDRESS BEFORE AN ELECTION CYCLE.
THAT WILL CREATE ANOTHER 180,000 PIECES OF MAIL GOING OUT AND ANOTHER 180,000 RESPONSES BACK.
THAT WILL REQUIRE MORE MANPOWER.
WE'RE TRYING TO JUST GET OURSELVES PREPARED ON WHAT'S TO COME.
OPPORTUNITIES, CONTINUING EDUCATION.
AS LAUREN HAD MENTIONED, WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR STAFF CERTIFIED.
IT IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO HAVE THEM ACCESS CERTAIN AREAS.
WE RELY VERY HEAVILY ON SEASONALS, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS SEASONALS CAN'T DO.
I CAN'T HAVE SEASONALS IN MY VOTER REGISTRATION DATABASE MAKING CHANGES TO RECORDS.
THAT RELIES ON OUR ACTUAL FULL TIME STAFF.
WE CAN HAVE THEM ANSWER THE PHONE FOR LIMITED THINGS, BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT GOES UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, DEPENDING ON WHAT A VOTER IS ASKING ABOUT.
I WILL RECEIVE MY NATIONAL CERTIFICATION.
I WILL ACTUALLY BE GRADUATING IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, ALONG WITH MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
I'VE ALWAYS COUNTED MYSELF AS PART OF THE STAFF WHEN PEOPLE SAY HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE THAT WORK IN THIS? I'VE ALWAYS COUNTED MYSELF,
[02:35:02]
BUT I REALIZED DURING THE 2024 ELECTION, WHEN I WAS ON THE BALLOT, I WAS LOCKED OUT OF EVERYTHING.WE WERE DOWN A PERSON ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE I DO THE WORK.
I WILL SIT IN A BOOTH AND CHECK PEOPLE IN.
I WILL DO SIGNATURE VERIFICATION.
I ALWAYS SAY, I'LL SWEEP AND MOP THE FLOORS IF THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
I WAS KICKED OUT OF THAT, AND IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE STRAIN THAT IT WAS PUTTING ON OUR STAFF.
THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS TO ENHANCE OUR RECORDING SOFTWARE.
I KNOW JED TOUCHED ON, YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT AI.
THERE'S STARTING TO BE MORE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING IN THIS WORLD OF, IS THERE WAYS TO INCORPORATE THAT TO WHERE INSTEAD OF, WHEN WE GET DOCUMENTS, AND WE'RE STILL HAND DOING SO MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION WHEN WE'RE INDEXING, WE'RE HAND DOING THIS, WE'RE HOPING TO SEE MORE OF THOSE PROCESSES BECOME AUTOMATED, AND IF SO, I'M ALL ABOUT IT.
LET'S FIND WAYS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND USE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
IT JUST HASN'T QUITE GOT THERE YET FOR WHAT WE DO.
IN OUR DEPARTMENT BUDGET OVERVIEW, YOU CAN SEE ON OTHER FUND EXPENDITURES.
THAT'S OUR RECORDING OUR 122 FUND.
LAST YEAR, WE DID THAT BIG PRESERVATION PROJECT, WHICH WE AREN'T DOING ONE LIKE THAT THIS YEAR, WHICH IS WHY THAT'S LOWER ON THERE.
WE HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN OUR REVENUE JUST BECAUSE THE HOUSING MARKET'S BEEN PRETTY STAGNANT.
WHEN THAT GETS BOOMING, THAT'S WHEN WE FEEL IT.
WE WOULD GO FROM ANYWHERE FROM 6-800 RECORDINGS A DAY.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE AVERAGING AROUND 300 A DAY.
WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT IT'S ALLOWED US TIME TO CATCH UP ON SOME OF THOSE OTHER HISTORICAL PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING.
OUR REQUEST THIS YEAR, I DID REQUEST A PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
IN MY VOTER REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT, I HAVE MY REGISTRAR VOTERS, MY TOP GUY, AND THEN I HAVE SIX VOTER REGISTRATION SPECIALISTS.
WE REALIZED VERY EARLY ON LAST YEAR THAT WITH OUR STAFF, IF SOMEBODY GETS SICK, IF SOMEBODY HAS AN ISSUE, IF SOMEBODY CALLS OUT, IT'S VERY IMPACTFUL.
DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF THE 2024 GENERAL, MATT, MY REGISTRAR, THE TOP GUY THAT WAS RUNNING THIS BRAND NEW MACHINE THAT NONE OF US HAD EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO TEST YET.
HE GOT COVID REALLY BAD COVID.
[02:41:16]
>> I THINK BACK. IT LOOKS LIKE MINE WORKS.
I WAS SAYING THAT WE HAVE MY MAIN GUY WHO HAD GOTTEN COVID RIGHT ON THE FIRST WEEK OF THE GENERAL ELECTION.
[INAUDIBLE] DOWN TO A FULL TIME STAFF MEMBER THAT GOT SICK IN SEVERAL SEASONALS.
THEN WE HAD ANOTHER FULL TIME STAFF MEMBER THAT HAD A CAR ACCIDENT THE VERY FIRST WEEK.
WE WERE DOWN MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN MY VERY SMALL FULL TIME STAFF WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF ELECTION, AND I'M KICKED OUT OF THE ROOM.
I ACTUALLY HAD TO GO TO OUR ATTORNEYS AND SAY, LOOK, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE AN EXECUTIVE DECISION HERE THAT I HAVE TO BE IN THERE, AND THEY SAID, NO, YOU CAN'T.
IT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE LESSONS LEARNED LIKE 2022, WHERE WE LOST OUR RECORDER, OUR ELECTIONS DIRECTOR, AND OUR MANAGER, WITHIN 59 DAYS OF EACH OTHER, WE LOST 40 YEARS OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE DURING THAT ELECTION CYCLE, AND WE KILLED OURSELVES TO MAKE IT WORK.
AS LAUREN SAID, WE HAVE HAD SOME VERY PERFECT STORMS WHERE WE COULD HAVE BEEN THE COUNTY ON THE NEWS SAYING WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT WENT WRONG.
I JUST CAN'T HAVE IT BE SOMETHING AS RIDICULOUS AS, WELL, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE STAFF.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DO IT.
JUST SINCE THE OCTOBER ELECTION, WE'VE ALREADY INCREASED OUR VOTER REGISTRATION RULES BY OVER 3,200 MORE VOTERS.
JUST IN THIS LAST SIX MONTHS, AND IT IMPACTS US.
YOU KNOW, I IMPACTS EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
WE ALL KNOW ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS WHERE THE GROWTH IMPACTS HOW GOOD WE CAN SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES.
WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS A PROGRAM COORDINATOR, WHICH WILL BE A STEP IN BETWEEN THE REGISTRAR AND MY GENERAL CLERKS, BECAUSE WE DO NEED SOME SUCCESSION PLANS, AND WE DO NEED SOMEBODY THAT HAS MAYBE A HIGHER LEVEL OF IF OUR TOP PERSON, SOMETHING HAPPENS WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN FILL IN THOSE GAPS BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE GAP BETWEEN A BASIC CLERK TO A REGISTRAR.
WHAT WE DID WAS BECAUSE THE MARKET IS SO SLOW ON THE RECORDER SIDE WITH HOUSING EVERYTHING THERE, WE TOOK MY VACANT POSITION THAT'S ON THE RECORDER SIDE AND TRADED OFF WITH THIS AND THEN MADE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
WE DID A TRADE ALSO TO DO THIS.
DEPENDING ON WHERE THE HOUSING MARKET GOES IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, I MAY BE COMING BACK AND SAYING, HEY, I NEED THAT POSITION FILLED AGAIN.
BUT FOR NOW, IT'S A FAIR TRADE, AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE COUNTY AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
OUR INCREASE IN OPERATION EXPENSES IS GOING TO INCLUDE SOME ADDITIONAL SEASONAL STAFF FOR THESE ADDITIONAL STEPS, INCLUDE THAT ADVERTISING AND OUTREACH PART OF IT, AND SUPPORT THE CALL VOLUME.
HOWEVER, WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT,
[02:45:01]
WHETHER THAT BE TRYING TO FIND SOME OTHER MEETING ROOMS WITHIN THE BUILDING.OR EVEN AN OFFSITE AREA WHERE WE CAN FORWARD SOME OF THOSE CALLS AND HAVE A SATELLITE SITUATION HAPPENING.
IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
THEN INFLATIONARY COSTS WITH THE RECORDER SIDE, JUST WITH OUR EXISTING SOFTWARE EXPENSES.
MY BUDGET ASKS, I DIDN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING THAT I FELT WAS ABOVE OR BEYOND OR JUST, HEY, CAN WE HAVE SOMETHING BECAUSE OF AN EXPENDITURE LIMIT.
WE TRY TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE COUNTY OVERALL.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, MICHELLE, AND I THINK THAT WHEN WE GET INTO THAT, I BELIEVE, THE 2026 ELECTION, WHEN WE HAVE THOSE LINES OF PEOPLE OUT THERE, MAYBE THIS ROOM SOMEHOW CAN BE UTILIZED.
I KNOW WE DO OUR BOARD MEETINGS HERE, BUT THAT'S ONLY ONE TIME.
SO MAYBE SOMEHOW WE CAN UTILIZE THAT.
IN '22, BECAUSE OF COVID, WE WERE HAVING PEOPLE COME DOWN, OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ALREADY BACKGROUND CHECKED AND WHATEVER, WERE HELPING YOU LAUREN,IN THOSE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, MAYBE WE CAN ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT THAT ON THE PHONE PART, HOW THAT WORKS.
WE DEFINITELY, AS A COUNTY, HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT CAN CROSS OVER TO HELP WITH DIFFERENT THINGS.
JUST KNOW THERE ARE AVENUES WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT FOR ANYONE WHO DIDN'T EXPERIENCE IT.
IT WAS ACTUALLY 2020 WHEN WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID.
WE HAD PEOPLE FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT.
WE HAD THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, LITERALLY IN THERE HELPING US SEPARATE ENVELOPES.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES TO SEE HOW MUCH OUR COUNTY STAFF, OUR EMPLOYEES, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WAY HIGHER LEVELS THAN WHAT WE NEEDED THEM TO DO.
THEY CAME IN AND THEY SAT THERE FOR HOURS EVERY DAY, HELPING US TO GET THROUGH THAT ELECTION.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE A FEW CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, MOSTLY FOR OUR STAFF HERE.
ON OUR STAFF COUNT, THE RECORDER IS COUNTED AS HAVING A NEW FTE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS REALLY A RECLASSIFICATION.
THAT WOULD PUT US DOWN TO 25 RECOMMENDED STAFF POSITIONS INSTEAD OF 26, I THINK.
THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS IF THE SEASONAL WORKERS' WAGES ARE THE SAME AS ARE COUNTED UNDER ELECTIONS, BECAUSE SHE MENTIONED THERE WAS A $46,000 GIVE BACK WITH ADDING IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WITHOUT THAT ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, THE REAL COST THERE MIGHT BE CLOSER TO $70,000.
>> WITH LAUREN, SHE HAS TWO SEASONAL STAFF THAT WORK PART-TIME AND ALMOST MAKE UP A FULL-TIME POSITION THAT ARE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR HER TO WORK ON THE POLL WORKERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WITH US, OUR SEASONAL STAFF ARE ABOUT 4-6 WEEKS AT A TIME, DURING AN ELECTION.
IT IS DIFFERENT THE WAY HER SEASONALS WORK TO HOURS.
WHAT SHE WAS DOING IS TAKING THOSE TWO LONG-TIME SEASONAL POSITIONS COMBINING, REDUCING THAT COST THAT WAY TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE FOR HER.
WITH MINE, I'M ACTUALLY TAKING A FULL-TIME RECORDER CLERK POSITION FROM MY ONE DEPARTMENT, MOVING IT OVER AND TRADING IT FOR THE VOTER REGISTRATION SIDE.
UNDER RECORDER, I THINK IT SHOWS 19 FULL-TIME STAFF, AND IT STAYS THAT WAY BECAUSE WE'RE TRADING OFF ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER.
>> THEN THE SEASONAL IS NOT LISTED ON THIS SHEET. THAT'S WHY I HAD THAT QUESTION.
>> A GREAT CLARIFYING PIECE, AND YOU ARE CORRECT.
WHEN WE PROVIDED YOU AT THE BEGINNING OF TODAY WITH 26 POSITIONS, WE PROVIDED YOU THE FULLY COSTED SIDE OF THE RECORDERS' BUDGET.
HOWEVER, WHAT'S PLACED INTO THE BUDGET IS ONLY THE INCREMENTAL COSTS, WHICH WOULD BE THE 278, SIMILAR TO THE CHANGE WE DID WITH ELECTIONS, THE OTHER SIDE, IT HELPS DIFFERENTIATE THE COST, BUT, YES, WE PROVIDED YOU THE FULL AMOUNT.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING ON THE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT JUST HISTORICAL, TOO.
MAKING THEM EASIER ACCESSIBLE, WE HAD A ROAD DISPUTE, AND WE HAD TO ACTUALLY GO BACK TO A DOCUMENT FROM 1899 TO PROVIDE CLARITY.
[02:50:03]
>> WE GOT OUR ANSWERS. NOT ONLY ARE THE HISTORICAL, BUT THEY'RE WORKING DOCUMENTS STILL ARE HANDWRITTEN THINGS THAT YOU ALMOST HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THEIR WRITING.
>> CHAIR, IF I COULD ADD, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THOSE COMMENTS YOU DID ABOUT THE CALL CENTER.
AS WE KNOW, WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE SPACE, TOO.
THAT IT'S A LITTLE HARDER, AS WE KNOW RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT AS WELL.
>> I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
>> WE APPRECIATE YOUR DEPARTMENT AND WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
>> THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO STEVE KING.
HE IS BACK THERE PACING THE FLOOR AND HAS BEEN HERE FOR QUITE A WHILE.
>> NO. THAT'S MY MIDDLE NAME, I GUESS.
>> TODAY, IT MIGHT NEED TO BE YOUR FIRST NAME.
>> TODAY, IT MIGHT NEED TO BE YOUR FIRST NAME.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
ARE WE THERE NOW? WELL, WELL, I DO APPRECIATE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I WILL BE MORE THAN LIKELY MUCH MORE BRIEF THAN ANYONE ELSE.
BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO YOU ALL.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO SOME STAFF WE HAVE WITH SHERRY STERLING, RENEE RASKIN, AND JEN NELSON OVER THERE.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT KEEP ME STRAIGHT, AND I NEED A LOT OF STRAIGHTENING OUT, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS SINCE I TOOK OFFICE.
THEY SAY THE FIRST RULE OF EVERYTHING IS NEVER FILL A GREAT PERSON'S SHOES.
I'M TAKING TOOK THE PLACE OF MR. CARTER, WHO WAS IN THIS POSITION FOR MORE THAN 19 YEARS, AND A GREAT MAN, IN MY OPINION, AND A VERY GREAT FRIEND.
BUT I DON'T PRETEND TO FILL HIS SHOES IN.
I SEEK TO STAND ON HIS SHOULDERS OR AT LEAST SIT ON HIS SHOULDERS ANYWAY.
THAT'S PROBABLY A STRANGE ANALOGY, BUT TO SEE AND TO CONTINUE ON WITH THAT.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL. I DID SUBMIT A REQUEST THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO YOU, AND I UNDERSTAND BUDGETS.
I UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS WORK AND AT LEAST I HAD A FAIR HEARING, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
BUT I WAS ALSO OFFERED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME AS THE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AGO, MY FAMILY AND I, THERE'S ONLY ONE GIRL AT THE TIME, NOW THERE'S TWO, AND NOW THEY'RE BOTH GROWN AND GONE, MOVED TO CAMP VERDE TO FIND A LITTLE SLICE OF MAYBERRY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE ANDY REFFIN SHOW, I WATCHED IT EVERY SINGLE NIGHT ON MY TV FROM 7:00-8:00 O'CLOCK.
MY WIFE THINKS I'M VERY STRANGE TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A FAVORITE THING OF MINE.
I WAS A PRINCIPAL DOWN IN PHOENIX.
I JUST WANTED TO FIND A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOWDOWN.
I DIDN'T WANT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING A PRINCIPAL ANYMORE.
WELL, THAT DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT THAT WAY.
I BECAME EVENTUALLY A SUPERINTENDENT OVER IN COTTONWOOD, AND NOW I'M THE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
IN MANY REGARDS, I DID FIND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR RAISED OUR GIRLS.
LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE GROWN AND GONE.
ONE LIVES IN HAWAII, THE OTHER LIVES IN WASHINGTON, DC.
WE'RE GOING TO GET A CHANCE TO SEE THEM HERE IN JUNE. THEY'RE BOTH DOING GREAT.
THEY WENT THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THEY WENT THROUGH CAMP VERDE SCHOOLS AND THEY WENT OFF TO MINGUS, AND THEY'RE DOING FINE.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THEM IN LIFE THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING HERE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE WE MIGHT HAVE FOUND MAYBERRY, I HAVE ALSO FOUND A LOT OF CHALLENGES AROUND THIS COUNTY.
FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, I PUT 8,000 MILES ONTO THE COUNTY CAR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. THOMPSON, FOR PROVIDING THAT.
IT WAS MUCH SAVED ME A LOT ANYWAY.
I'VE BEEN FROM BAGHDAD TO SEDONA, FROM SELIGMAN, DOWN TO BLACK CANYON CITY TO CONGRESS.
I'VE BEEN TO EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL DISTRICT, NEARLY EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL, INCLUDING BOTH CHARTS AND PRIVATES OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS.
>> I GOT A BRAND NEW BATTERY. HERE YOU GO.
>> CAN I HAVE THAT BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR A BUDGET FOR BATTERIES, I GUESS.
>> THAT WAS A COMMERCIAL, I THINK. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
[02:55:04]
I RAN ON THREE THINGS.THE THREE THINGS THAT I RAN ON WERE CTE, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, EXPANSION OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN ACROSS THIS COUNTY.
I RAN ON EXPANDED AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE TRULY PASSION ABOUT IN LIFE.
THE THIRD THING THAT I RAN ON WAS WHAT I MADE A BUDGET REQUEST FOR, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS NOT THERE NOW, AND THAT'S OKAY, WHICH IS STRUCTURED LITERACY, A RETURN TO PHONICS-BASED READING INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN FROM EARLY GRADE LEVELS ON.
I SAW THE IMPACT OF THAT IN MY PRIOR INCARNATION AS A SUPERINTENDENT OF COTTONWOOD.
WE SAW AMONGST THE HIGHEST GROWTH SCORES AMONGST THE ENTIRE STATE.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS AN IMPERATIVE IN THIS COUNTY, AND THAT IS WHY I PUT A BUDGET REQUEST IN TO YOU ALL FOR THAT.
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IT'S GOING TO GO FORWARD, BUT I DO HAVE A HANDOUT FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AT LEAST JUST AN IDEA, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE IS GOING TO MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT TO HAVE LITERATE, PRODUCTIVE AND CIVIC ORIENTED ADULTS IN THIS COMMUNITY, IN THIS COUNTY, WHICH IS THE ONLY THING I CARE ABOUT ARE THE CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTY, TURNING INTO QUALITY ADULTS AND STAYING IN THIS COUNTY BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE WITH TOO MANY OF OUR KIDS WITH MEANS AND THE ABILITY, WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY LEAVE. INCREASINGLY, WHAT WE'RE ALSO SEEING IS POVERTY IS BEING CONCENTRATED AMONGST THE CHILDREN OF THIS COUNTY.
I'VE BEEN TO PLACES ACROSS THIS.
MR. COMPTON WENT OUT WITH ME LAST WEEK AND VISITED A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK NOT THAT HE WASN'T AWARE OF THIS ALREADY, BUT IT OPENS A LOT OF PEOPLE'S EYES, THE CONDITION OF MANY OF OUR CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT SCHOOLS, FOR MANY OF THESE KIDS, IS THE ONLY AND BEST HOPE TO CHANGING THAT AROUND, CHANGING THE TRAJECTORIES OF OUR LIVES.
SOMEBODY HERE TALKED ABOUT TRAJECTORIES, I THINK MR. WOLF DID.
HE SAYS, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO CHANGE TRAJECTORIES.
I KNOW THAT. I BELIEVE THAT I'VE SEEN IT.
I'VE SEEN KIDS ALSO OPEN UP IN A BLINK OF AN EYE, AND I THINK THEY NEED TO BE LITERATE ADULTS AND LITERATE CHILDREN.
THEY ALSO NEED TO BE HEALTHY AND HOPEFUL KIDS.
THAT IS MY JOB TO DO AS THE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, I HAVE VERY LITTLE POWER.
PEOPLE CALL ME ALL THE TIME WANTING ME TO FIX THEIR PROBLEMS. I SAY, IN THIS SCHOOL IN THAT SCHOOL, I SAID, WHAT WOULD THE SUPERINTENDENT SAY? WELL, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO THEM, BUT YOU'RE THE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
WELL, I INFORMED THEM THE STATUTE.
I HAVE VERY FEW STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE FIRST ONE IS MY OFFICE IS THE FISCAL AGENT FOR THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS AND SOME CHARTERS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
I'M ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTRIBUTING LAWS AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE UPDATED IN THE POLICIES THAT COME OUT OF STATE.
I ALSO GET TO POINT BOARD MEMBERS, WHICH I'VE HAD TWO OF THOSE IN THE LAST SINCE I TOOK OFFICE BACK JANUARY 1ST, MOST RECENT ONE OVER AT MINGUS UNION HIGH SCHOOL LAST WEEK.
BUT THERE'S ALSO IN THE STATUTE, IT ALSO SAYS ANYTHING ELSE THAT FURTHERS THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
THAT'S THE FUN ONE BECAUSE THAT'S WIDE OPEN, AND I LIKE THAT.
I LIKE HAVING THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAND THIS OUT.
THIS OUTLINES THE INITIATIVE THAT, AS I SAID, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BECAUSE IT IS THAT IMPORTANT.
IT'S CALLED THE SCIENCE OF READING, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S ALSO CAN BE CALLED STRUCTURED LITERACY OR CAN ALSO BE CALLED PHONICS-BASED READING INSTRUCTION.
THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE ACROSS THE COUNTY, AND THEY THINK THEY ALL NEED HELP WITH THAT.
THE ONLY DISTRICT ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY THAT'S FULLY INVOLVED IN THE CURRICULUM ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL PIECE OF THE SCIENCE OF READING IS IN THE COTTONWOOD DISTRICT.
WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED AN INITIATIVE WITH FOUR OTHER DISTRICTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL, BEAVER CREEK, SEDONA, CAMP VERDE, AND CLARKDALE, WHO ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
WE ALSO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS SET UP ALREADY WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND WHERE THEIR CURRENT STATUS IS WITH STUFF.
WE ARE GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD, BUT I COULD USE SOME RESOURCES TO ASSIST WITH THAT, BUT I AM NOT LOOKING FOR A POSITION ANYMORE.
THE PERSON I WAS CONSIDERING FOR THAT POSITION IS GOING TO BE STEPPING DOWN.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE A POSITION, BUT I COULD USE SOME RESOURCES TO FURTHER PROPAGATE THAT. I PUT THAT IN FRONT OF YOU.
IT'S A THREE-YEAR PROPOSAL, $100,000 A YEAR TO BE USE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT TO PROPAGATE, EXPAND, AND EMBED THE SCIENCE OF READING ACROSS THIS ENTIRE COUNTY TO FURTHER THE READING LITERACY OF OUR CHILDREN OF THIS COUNTY.
IT WOULD ALSO COME WITH A YEARLY REPORT BY ME AND A REVIEW BY THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS TO SAY, YES OR NO, ARE YOU SHOWING PROGRESS OR NOT TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION, BUT THE EFFICACY, THE EFFICIENCY, AND THE VIABILITY OF THIS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.
WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER PRETTY WELL ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
A VERY HARD-WORKING CANDIDATE.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT. THAT'S IT.
>> I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
ONE, I WAS AT AN EVENT OVER THE WEEKEND, LAST WEEKEND, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT A CERTAIN PERSON YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW WORKING THERE.
THIS POSITION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS THAT WHAT WAS POSSIBLY SHOWN?
[03:00:07]
>> NO. THAT PERSON IS A STRUCTURED LITERACY SCIENCE OF READING COACH FOR THE INTERVENTION MODELS.
THERE IS ONE OF THOSE THAT EXISTS IN EACH ONE OF THE COTTONWOOD SCHOOLS. THAT'S ONE OF THEM.
SHE'S ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC. BUT WHAT SHE IS, IS SHE'S ALSO A TRAINER FOR WHAT THEY CALL THE LETTERS TRAINING.
LETTERS TRAINING IS WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE TEACHERS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM.
SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO TRAIN OTHER TEACHERS IN THIS MODEL.
CURRENTLY, THERE'S SIX OF THOSE ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
NOT TOO MANY. WE JUST RECEIVED THREE MORE.
WE'RE LOOKING TO TRAIN ONE IN CAMP VERDE SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER THE SUMMER TO EXPAND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WITH THESE FUNDS IS TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE DOES NOT EXIST.
THE PEOPLE DON'T EXIST, THE FUNDS DON'T EXIST, AND THE STRUCTURES DON'T EXIST WITHIN THE SCHOOLS OR THE CAPACITY.
WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN DOING IS GROWING THE CAPACITY OF THIS COUNTY, PIECE BY PIECE, INCH BY INCH, ROW BY ROW, IS THAT OLD SONG USED TO SAY USED TO SING THE KIDS.
BUT AT LEAST GET THAT BALL ROLLING AND UTILIZING THAT MODEL THAT WE'VE SEEN.
I LOVE LAURA BOARD AND I'VE WORKED WITH FOR MANY YEARS, AND SHE GETS IT.
BUT WE NEED ABOUT 60 OR 70 MORE LURE PARDONS ACROSS THIS COUNTY.
>> MADAM CHAIR? I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME ON THAT TOUR.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
I WAS SHOCKED BY WHAT I SAW IN REFERENCE TO THE QUALITY OF WHAT YOU WERE DOING THERE.
THEN ALSO THE LACK OF QUALITY WHERE A LOT OF THOSE CHILDREN ARE LIVING AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, AND THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
I WANT TO LOOK AT SEEING HOW WE CAN GET THIS INCORPORATED INTO THE BUDGET. IT'S IMPORTANT.
I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT TWO WEEKS AGO UNTIL I WENT ON THE TOUR WITH YOU.
YOU KNOW WHAT MY THOUGHTS ARE ON THIS. I WANT TO LOOK AT IT.
>> I WANTED TO THANK YOU. THAT WAS ALL OUT OF THE BLUE.
YOU APPROACHED ME WITH BRINGING SOMEBODY UP FOR A TOUR, I'M LIKE, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHO IT WAS.
BUT IT WAS SERENDIPITOUS, I THOUGHT. VERY MUCH SO.
>> LET'S HOPE AND IT GOES RIGHT TO THE TOP. YOU DID ALL DONE.
>> WELL, THE AMOUNT OF HOMELESSNESS WOULD ACTUALLY SHOCK MOST PEOPLE IF THEY ACTUALLY KNEW IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS LIVING IN CARS, GOING TO SCHOOL, TAKING SHOWERS AT THE GYM.
EVEN, YA BY COLLEGE, 20% OF THEIR STUDENT BODY IS COUCH SURFING OR HOMELESS, OR LIVING IN CARS.
THAT'S VERY REAL. BUT YOU KEEP SAYING, THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH OR WITHOUT THIS BUDGET THING, WHICH SAYS, YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH OR WITHOUT, WHY DO YOU NEED THE MONEY?
RIGHT NOW, THE FUNDS ARE DRYING UP ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, AS FAR AS GRANT FUNDING GOES, AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE RELIED UPON.
WHEN I SAY, DO WITH OR WITHOUT YOU, I'D LIKE YOU TO BE THERE WITH ME.
DON'T GET ME WRONG. OF COURSE, IT'D BE BUT I'LL HAVE TO SPEND A LITTLE EXTRA TIME FINDING THOSE RESOURCES.
I'D LIKE A LITTLE BOTH WHEN YOU'RE A KID AND YOU GET IN A SWING AND SOMEBODY GIVE YOU A BOOST.
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS A BOOST TO GET THIS GOING IN THE COUNTY.
SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER, I THINK IT WAS SUPERVISOR MALLORY ABOUT GETTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF STUFF.
I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS COUNTY TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT MISSISSIPPI, THEY CALL IT THE MISSISSIPPI MIRACLE OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH READING LITERACY.
ALABAMA HAS DONE A LOUISIANA'S.
THOSE ARE TRADITIONAL THREE OF THE LOWEST STATES IN READING LITERACY.
ARIZONA IS ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK, AS FAR AS HOW THEY MEASURE THOSE READING LITERACY, BUT WE'RE ALSO AT THE BOTTOM AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES.
IN MY OPINION, AND I KNOW I'M ON TV RIGHT NOW AND I KNOW I'M AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
I'M GOING TO SAY IT ANYWAY. I THINK TOO OFTEN THAT OUR POLICYMAKERS, THEY DON'T ALWAYS TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN, IN MY OPINION.
I THINK THAT WE COULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THAT, AT LEAST IN MY WORLD.
THIS IS THAT IMPORTANT TO ME, AND THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THROUGH MY OFFICE TO EXPAND THAT OUT, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE SOME HELP.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET IN BUY-IN FROM PEOPLE ALL AROUND.
IF WE'RE NOT DOING THIS ALREADY, AND WE'RE TEACHING A DIFFERENT WAY, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO GET BUY-IN FROM ALL THE INSTRUCTORS?
>> THAT IS A WONDERFUL QUESTION.
LIKE I SAID IN COTTONWOOD, WE GOT IT DONE.
I SAY WE MY PART OF IT WAS SAYING YES TO A LOT OF GOOD STUFF AND A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE AHEAD.
BUT AS I STARTED APPROACHING DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, SOME OF THE THINGS I HEARD FROM THOSE DISTRICTS WERE SAY, WE WANT WHAT COTTONWOOD HAD.
I THINK THE REPLICATION OF THOSE START WITH ONE SCHOOL AND YOU GO INTO TWO, YOU GO IN THREE, AND PRETTY SOON EVERY SAYS, HOW COME YOU DIDN'T ASK ME? I'M LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WANTED IT. WELL, LET'S DO IT THEN.
I THINK SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO.
WE HAVE TO AT LEAST START THAT PROCESS.
>> THANKS FOR BEING PASSIONATE ABOUT THE GIG.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS AS WELL.
I KNOW SUPERINTENDENT KING FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW,
[03:05:03]
AND I THINK IF ANYBODY HAS A TRACK RECORD OF REALLY BEING INNOVATIVE IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION AND SEEING RESULTS, IT'S HIM.I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE HIM WORKING ON THIS.
THE READING DROP-OFF AGE OF THIRD GRADE, IF KIDS DON'T GET THERE BY THIRD GRADE, IT DOES CHANGE THEIR TRAJECTORY.
THE MORE THAT WE INVEST IN EARLY EDUCATION BENCHMARKS, THE FEWER KIDS END UP IN OUR JUDICIARY SYSTEM AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER LAYER TO THIS, WHICH IS ECONOMICS.
I THINK PART OF THE REASON TO CONSIDER HAVING THE COUNTY STEP IN, IF NOT THIS YEAR IN FUTURE YEARS IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE DECIDE TO MOVE HERE FOR A JOB OR TO LOCATE AN INDUSTRY, EDUCATION OFTEN IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN PEOPLE MAKING THAT DECISION.
IF THE COUNTY CAN HELP, IF THE RISING TIDE RAISES ALL SHIPS THING AND HELP FACE OF EDUCATION IN YAVAPAI COUNTY IMPROVE, IT REALLY DOES GIVE A POSITIVE STROKE TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> THANK YOU. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.
MY HEART SAYS THAT I'D LIKE TO REVISIT THIS REQUEST.
THAT'S JUST ME. I'M ONLY ONE OF THE FIVE HERE.
THAT IS WHERE I'M FEELING THAT WE NEED TO MAYBE TRY TO REVISIT THIS REQUEST BECAUSE THE CHILDREN, ARE HERE TO BUILD A FUTURE.
WE PROVIDE SAFETY, HEALTH, EDUCATION.
SOME MAIN CORE THINGS, AND I THINK THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE REVISITED.
I THINK WE NEED TO EVALUATE WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE AND HOW DO WE HELP OUR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
HOW DO WE HELP THE COUNTY AND BOTH SIDES OF THIS MOUNTAIN? THAT WAS ONE THING WE HEARD A LOT OF.
WE DIDN'T THINK THAT ONE SIDE WAS GETTING AS MUCH AS THE OTHER SIDE.
I'M HERE TO SAY THAT I WANT EVERYTHING TO MATTER, AND IT DOES MATTER.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, IF I MAY, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS ITEM.
MR. KING AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, I FULLY SUPPORT WHERE HE'S GOING.
PROBABLY MORE SO THAN ANY NEW POSITION BEING REQUESTED, THOUGH.
I REALLY SEE THIS ONE AS A POLICY DECISION.
THIS IS A NEW EXPANDED INITIATIVE THAT THE COUNTY HASN'T PREVIOUSLY FUNDED.
I REALLY THINK THIS IS A POLICY CONVERSATION.
AGAIN, MORE SO THAN THE OTHER NEW POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET.
BUT I DO THINK THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD TO GET THERE.
I HEARD YOU MR. KING SAY YOU ALREADY HAD A POSITION YOU COULD USE.
>> WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, THE COUNTY ESA, THE EDUCATION SERVICE AGENCY, HAD WRITTEN A GRANT, AND THEY HAD A PERSON WORKING IN THIS POSITION.
THAT GRANT WAS DUE TO EXPIRE ON SEPTEMBER 30, AND IT WILL EXPIRE OF SEPTEMBER 30 THIS YEAR, THAT PERSON HAS ELECTED TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
BUT ONE OF MY PRIMARY GOALS WHEN I FIRST TOOK OFFICE AND WORKING WITH THE STAFF THERE WAS SAY, HOW DO WE FUND THIS PERSON'S POSITION GOING IN THE FUTURE? BE IT WAS FOCUSED ON THE SCIENCE OF READING AND WORKING WITH DISTRICTS.
RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S WHY I'VE REVISED THAT AND HANDED OUT THAT HANDOUT BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYBODY IN MIND.
YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE, I TAKE ONE FROM A DISTRICT, THAT'S ONE LESS TEACHER WORKING DIRECTLY WITH KIDS.
WELL, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M LOOKING TO DO.
I DON'T WANT TO HURT OTHER DISTRICTS.
AS I'M LOOKING AT THE EXPANSION OF THIS, I THINK THAT THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT'S ROLE IN THIS COULD BE FUNDING TRAININGS.
THEY'RE WORKING COLLABORATION TO FIND OUT WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE THE IDENTIFICATION, THOSE NEEDS WITH THOSE INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS, AND THEN STARTED SETTING UP THE PROGRAMS, THE INFRASTRUCTURES, AND THE FRAMEWORKS FOR THEM TO START MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR WILLINGNESS AND WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT AND CHARTER FOR THAT MATTER HAS LOCAL CONTROL, I CAN'T TELL ANYONE, WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE, VERY FEW PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.
BUT I CAN HELP SHOW THEM THE WAY AND LEAD THAT WAY.
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING WITH THIS.
AS FAR AS A POLICY DECISION, PERHAPS, I THINK IT'S PROVEN.
THIS IS WHAT THEY USED IN MISSISSIPPI.
THIS IS WHAT THEY USE IN LOUISIANA.
THIS IS WHAT THEY USE IN ALABAMA.
THIS IS BEST PRACTICE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND IT'S RETURNED IN MANY WAYS TO EARLY PHONICS TRADITIONAL EDUCATION, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IN MANY PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
IT'S NOTHING NEW, BUT IT CERTAINLY, I THINK FALLS UNDER MY STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO DO THINGS THAT FURTHER THE EDUCATION WITHIN THIS COUNTY.
YES, SIR. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
YOU HAVE THE POSITION NUMBER NOW THAT COULD BE USED IF THE [OVERLAPPING].
>> NO, IT WAS A GRAND, WELL, MAYBE, BUT IT WAS A GRANT-FUNDED POSITION FUNDING IS GOING AWAY.
>> YOU'VE GOT THE NUMBER, JUST NO FUNDING FOR IT.
>> CORRECT, THANK YOU, SHARON.
[03:10:01]
THE OTHER PIECE OF AS THE REQUEST CAME FORWARD, IT WAS FOR AN ONGOING EXPENDITURE.
ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS IS YOU COULD DO ONE-TIME FUNDING FOR IT SINCE YOU HAVE THE PCN IN OUR LANGUAGE, THE POSITION NUMBER.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT IDEAL, AND YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AND REJUSTIFY AGAIN NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD THROW OUT IS IF YOU HAVE SOME EXISTING FUNDING, COULD THIS BE PARTIALLY FUNDED BY THE BOARD, TOO, AS ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT?
>> THAT IS A GREAT POINT. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE MODEL OF WORKING WITH THESE CURRENTLY THESE FOUR DISTRICTS IS ALMOST THE SHARED SERVICE MODEL WHERE THEY PUT A LITTLE SKIN IN THE GAME.
WE PUT A LITTLE SKIN IN THE GAME AND DEVELOP IT.
MY PREFERENCE AT THIS POINT WOULD BE TO LOOK AT MY MOST CURRENT PROPOSAL, WHICH GIVES ME GREATER FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN FIND SOMEBODY.
I GOT A POSITION, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FILL IT.
IF I CAN HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY, SAY, WELL, WE CAN FUND IT, DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY CURRENTLY WORKING FOR DISTRICTS, GIVE THEM SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME TO ACTUALLY SPREAD THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO OTHER DISTRICTS AND OTHER SCHOOLS, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL FOR ME.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
>> THIS IS PROBABLY FOR ZACH OR MAURY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL PART OF OR THE PEOPLE COUNT.
IN 2024, THERE WAS LIKE 31.50, THEN IT WENT UP TO 38 THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE IN, AND IT DROPS DOWN BY ALMOST 11 FOLKS.
YOU'RE ALREADY DOWN QUITE A FEW FOLKS THAT LIKE, 11 DECREASE IN SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE OF LACK OF GRANTS, I'M ASSUMING.
THIS IS MY INTERPRETATION, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CAN I ADD TO THAT QUESTION SO THAT YOU MIGHT ANSWER MORE FULLY? BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A $46,000 INCREASE IN THAT INCREASES IN SALARIES. THERE YOU GO.
>> IT JUST DOESN'T FLOW FOR ME, IF YOU COULD.
>> GREAT QUESTION. THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE AND I CAN SPEAK TO I'LL SPEAK TO THE FTES, AND THEN AFTERWARDS, ALLOW THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT TO ACTUALLY TALK THE BACKGROUND BEHIND THE GRANTS.
BUT THE TOTAL LEFT TES, THERE IS SOME FLUCTUATION, BUT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FLUCTUATION IS ACTUALLY OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL FUND.
THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTING NUMBER OF POSITIONS IS TEN FROM 2024 THROUGH 2026, THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
AS COUNTY MANAGER THOMPSON MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LIMITED AMOUNT OF GENERAL FUNDS SUPPORT FOR THE TOTALITY OF WHAT THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DOES.
IT'S PRIMARILY SOME ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, A SCHOOL NURSE POSITION, AND A COUPLE OF OTHER SPECIALTY ITEMS. IT'S LIMITED.
THE MAJORITY OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IS ACTUALLY THROUGH GRANTS.
THERE IS SOME FLUCTUATION DEPENDING UPON THE GRANTS THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR, AND AS WELL AS THEY'RE RECEIVING.
I DON'T HAVE HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE AS TO WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED YEAR OVER YEAR TO LEAD TO THAT, BUT THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE DIFFERENTIATION.
IT'S WHOLLY IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE OUTSIDE OF GENERAL FUND.
>> EVEN IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.
>> IF I MIGHT SPEAK TO THAT, JUST VERY BRIEFLY.
WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES COMING IN AND LOOKING AT HOW WE DO BUSINESS AND WHAT WE DO BUSINESS ABOUT HAS BEEN A BIG PRIORITY IN WORKING WITH THE TEAM OVER THERE.
NOT THAT I WANT TO CHANGE THE FOCUS.
I THINK THERE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING THINGS DONE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 30 YEARS, PROBABLY.
I'M YOUR THIRD SUPERINTENDENT IN CLOSE TO 30 YEARS, SO IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
A LOT OF DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES ARE CHANGING.
I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY IS CHANGING.
I THINK THE RESOURCES ARE CHANGING COMING FROM UP ON HIGH.
I THINK IT'S JUST DIFFERENT TIMES WE'RE MOVING INTO.
AS I SAID, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE PRIORITY.
A LOT OF WHAT WE HAD DONE BEFORE IS THE SHARED SERVICES MODEL, WHERE WE PROVIDE SERVICES OUT TO DISTRICTS FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, AND ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
THOSE ARE GETTING TOUGHER AND TOUGHER TO COME BY THOSE PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES OUT TO THESE SMALL DISTRICTS.
WE'VE GOT SOME VERY SMALL DISTRICTS OUT THERE.
DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF RESOURCES, YOU LOOK AT SELIGMAN.
I WAS UP IN SELIGMAN QUITE A BIT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
LOVE IT UP THERE, GREAT PEOPLE.
BUT THEY NEED HELP. THEY NEED A LOT OF HELP UP THERE.
YOU HAVEN'T BEEN UP TO CROWN KING.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
THEY'VE GOT EIGHT KIDS IN SCHOOL UP THERE.
THEY NEED SOME HELP WITH THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
I WAS OUT IN SKULL VALLEY ON MONDAY, BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT THERE.
WONDERFULLY LOOKING, HEALTHY CHILDREN.
THAT'S WHAT STRUCK ME THE MOST.
BUT THEY NEED HELP OUT THERE, TOO.
I THINK THAT IS A KEY ROLE FOR THE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE TO HELP THOSE SMALLER DISTRICTS NAVIGATE.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND STATE REGULATIONS,
[03:15:02]
ALL THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES. IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.>> I'M ALSO WITH CHAIR MALLORY ON THIS.
I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE REVISITED THIS ITEM, INCLUDING WHAT IT WOULD COST US TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT IS ASKING.
TO PRESENT IT TO US AS AN OPTION, THAT WOULD BE MY FEELING SO WE CAN MAKE A MORE EDUCATED DECISION ON WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THIS MATTER.
MAYBE SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT THE MANAGER MAY HAVE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TOTALITY OF ALL OPTIONS SO WE CAN MAKE THAT CHOICE.
>> YES. JERRY, IF I COULD ASK FOR A CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR MR. KING, DOES THIS PROPOSAL THAT YOU BROUGHT TODAY, DOES THAT CHANGE THE ASK OR DO WE ALREADY KNOW THAT'S THE 99,924?
I JUST MADE AN EVEN ROUND 100,000 BUCKS TO SAY, MR. KING, IF YOU WOULD USE THIS $100,000 FOR EXACTLY WHAT THE MISSION AND THE PURPOSE IS IN THERE. THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
I'M ASKING FOR THAT DISCRETION.
I'M ALSO SAYING THAT I WILL BRING METRICS BACK TO YOU AND SHOW THE PROGRESS AND FOR YOUR DETERMINATION FOR CONTINUATION OF THAT DIRECTION A YEAR FROM NOW AND CHECK IT FOR EFFICACY.
I WOULD HOPE THAT I WOULD NOT BE SITTING UP HERE BY MYSELF, BUT I'D BE SITTING UP HERE WITH OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF SCHOOLS TO SAY, THIS HAS BEEN A VALUE TO OUR SCHOOL.
>> SORRY TO ANSWER MY QUESTION.
>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW SALARIES WENT UP $46,000.
>> CORRECT. IN ALL GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS, WITH THE CLO MERIT, THEY WILL BE INCREASED IN THERE FOR THE CLO MERIT PORTION AS WELL AS THEY HAD TWO OTHER AREAS IN THERE.
LET ME BRING IT BACK UP. THERE WERE INFLATIONARY ITEMS FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CONFERENCES AS WELL.
>> I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE MERIT AND COLOR WERE SHOWING UP IN THOSE INCREASES. THANK YOU.
>> ACROSS ALL AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD, ALL GENERAL FUND PHYSICIANS WILL HAVE THIS.
>> WE HAVE THE TREASURE NEXT CHIP.
HERE IS MY THOUGHT. IF WE GET THROUGH CHIP AND KATHERINE AND OR WHAT? THEN WE'LL DO THIS, AND THEN WE'LL BREAK.
MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT STAFF.
THE TREASURER'S DEPARTMENT IS DOING VERY GOOD.
WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH TRANSITIONS FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
PRIOR TO THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD A VACANCY OF OUR FISCAL SUPERVISOR FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
DURING THE FIRST THREE YEARS, WE OVERHAULED THE TAXING END OF OUR BUSINESS.
WE REDID OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE MODEL.
WE INCREASED OUR EFFICIENCIES ON THE TAX BILLING SIDE VERY MUCH.
WE WERE HOLDING BACK ON FISCAL BECAUSE THE EMPLOYEE THAT WE HAD HAD A GRAVE ILLNESS, AND WE WANTED TO HOLD HER POSITION OPEN UNTIL WE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH HER.
ONCE THAT WAS DETERMINED, WE FILLED THE POSITION WITH THE VERY QUALIFIED PERSON.
THEN WE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF FINDING ANOTHER SUPER GOOD CPA-LEVEL PERSON TO COME INTO OUR FISCAL DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE BEEN REVAMPING OUR FISCAL DEPARTMENT WE'RE REALLY, REALLY INNOVATING THAT PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
WE HAD VERY FEW BUDGET REQUEST OR BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, MOSTLY DUE TO INFLATION.
OUR BIGGEST BUMP WAS POSTAGE AT $50,000.
>> IN THAT PARTICULAR POSTAGE LINE ITEM, $15,000 OF THAT WAS TO GO TO THE SECONDARY NOTICE.
THE OTHER 35,000 IS A PLACEHOLDER BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHAT THE HECK USPS IS GOING TO DO.
WE JUST DON'T WANT TO BE SHORT BUDGETED.
IF WE DON'T GET THOSE INCREASES, BUT I'M REALLY SURE IN THE INDUSTRY IS REALLY SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO, WE'LL HAVE IT THERE WHEN IT HAPPENS, AND IF IT DOESN'T, WE WON'T EXPEND IT.
[03:20:03]
WE HAVE A RELATIVELY SIMPLE BUDGET.HOPEFULLY, NOT A LOT FOR ALL TO WORRY ABOUT AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> HIS MERIT AND COLAR IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THERE.
EVERY SINGLE ONE WE'VE SEEN ALREADY HAS WHAT WE.
>> CORRECT. WHAT WE DO ACROSS THE BOARD IS WE APPLY THE RECOMMENDED MERIT AND COLAR FOR ALL POSITIONS IS APPLIED ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL GENERAL FUND POSITIONS? CORRECT.
>> WE ALREADY SEE THAT IN THE BOOKS. WELL, I APPRECIATE IT CHIP.
>> JUST SO NO GETS CONFUSED LATER ON IF THEY DECIDE TO READ THEIR BOOK [LAUGHTER] THE NOTES INDICATE THAT THERE IS A FULL TIME EMPLOYEE ASTOR, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS NOT THE CASE.
>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, SUPERVISOR CHECK.
IN TALKING WITH I CALL HIM CHIP.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW CHIP'S LAST NAME.
I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT TREASURE I WAS GOING TO SAY TREASURE CHIP, BUT I'VE NEVER SAID IT THOUGH, DAVIS.
I HAVE TO SAY, WE HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP, AND VERY OFTEN TALKED TOGETHER AS CHIP MENTIONED TO ME BEFOREHAND.
THERE'S A PLUS ONE POSITION IN AN OFFICE ASSISTANT.
I NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT AND CHECK THAT PORTION OF IT.
I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS SOME SWAP IN 2015, BUT I WILL LOOK INTO THAT TODAY AND GIVE AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD TOMORROW ON THAT, BUT THERE IS NO NEW POSITIONS BEING ASKED FOR THROUGH THE BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS FOR THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
>> I HAD THIS GREAT SPEECH PLAN JUST TO ADDRESS THAT.
AFTER WE HAD SUBMITTED OUR BUDGET, I WAS ADVISED, IF YOU'RE TRULY GOING TO BE A GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATIC OFFICIAL, YOU NEED TO GO INTO THAT BUDGET HEARING, YOU NEED TO ASK FOR SOME PEOPLE, SOME SPACE, AND SOME MONEY.
WE ADDED ANOTHER PERSON IN JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT.
>> ON THE PAGES, BECAUSE I HAD A NOTE TO NIKKI.
I'M LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IS MY LITTLE STICKY NOTES FROM LAST NIGHT.
WILL YOU PROVIDE THEM BECAUSE I DO KEEP MY BOOKS FROM, I'M HERE, WHATEVER YEAR.
>> I JUST GOT RID OF NINE YEARS OF CAMP VERDE BOOKS BY THE WAY.
I TURNED THEM IN FOR REPURPOSING.
BUT THEY'RE VERY HELPFUL TO REFER BACK.
>> IF WE GET THROUGH THE YEAR AND WE GET FINANCIAL REPORTS. COULD YOU GIVE US THE.
>> MOST DEFINITELY. ALSO, TO LET YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLINE AS WELL, SO WE'LL BE UPDATING YOUR INDIVIDUAL PAPER COPIES AS WELL AS THE ONLINE VERSION TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THE RECOMMENDED.
BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE RECOMMENDED, CORRECT.
WHAT THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET IS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE LOOK THROUGH IT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF HUNDRED PAGES IN THERE.
IF YOU FIND SOMETHING, LET US KNOW.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE IT'S UPDATED, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU A PAPER COPY AS WELL AS THE OTHER VERSION OF WELL.
>> I HAD TO ASK PAGE NUMBERS NEXT YEAR. PLEASE. THANK YOU.
>> I GUESS IT DID COME UP WITH ONE OTHER QUESTION BECAUSE IT DOES LOOK LIKE THERE'S AN 18% INCREASE IN THE BUDGET FOR THE TREASURE, IS THAT STILL THE CASE?
>> THAT IS CORRECT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE INCREASE ON THEY HAVE THE SERVICE LINE ITEMS, AS WELL AS THE SUPPLIES IN THERE.
LET ME SEE BECAUSE IT'S THE 24,000 SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.
LET ME JUST DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT POSITION DURING, I WILL CHECK ON THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS CORRECT, BUT I BELIEVE SO IT'S BUILT INTO THE MODEL.
I THINK THE POSITION PIECE IS THE POINT OF CLARIFICATION, BUT I WANT TO LOOK AT THAT MORE FULLY BEFORE RESPONDING.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK WE'RE GOOD, AND NOW WE'LL TAKE A 30 MINUTE LUNCH, IS THAT CORRECT? SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU.
>> PLEASE BECOME SILENT BECAUSE IT IS NOW 11:11.
>> GOOD THING WE'RE DOING BUDGET.
EVERYBODY, WE ARE BACK IN OUR STUDY SESSION, AND WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC FIDUCIARY AND APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE, AND IT HAS BEEN QUITE A LONG DAY, BUT WE'RE GLAD WE'RE HERE.
[03:25:05]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD AND COUNTY MANAGEMENT.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC FIDUCIARY OFFICE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE PUBLIC FIDUCIARY IS OR WHAT WE DO.
IN THE MAJOR SERVICES PAGE HERE, I WILL EXPLAIN THAT THE PUBLIC FIDUCIARY IS EMPOWERED THROUGH STATUTE SINCE 1974, IT'S ARS 145601 THAT REQUIRED EVERY COUNTY TO APPOINT A PUBLIC FIDUCIARY IN ARIZONA AND THE PUBLIC FIDUCIARY WOULD SERVE AS THE COURT APPOINTED GUARDIAN AND OR CONSERVATOR, IF NECESSARY, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INDIGENT AND DISABLED HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THEIR OWN BEST INTEREST, AND THEY CAN'T MAKE THEIR OWN.
A CLASSIC PHRASE USED FOR THIS ROLE IS THE GUARDIAN OF LAST RESORT, BECAUSE TRULY THAT IS WHAT WE SEEK TO BE.
IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO COULD STEP IN, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE PREFERENCE OVER OUR OFFICE.
THEN ALSO, WE'VE BEEN ADMINISTERING THE CREMATION AND INDIGENT BURIAL PROGRAM, AND WE ARE AN COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION.
I GET PHONE CALLS EVERY DAY ACROSS THE MAP ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT DEALING WITH PEOPLE IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS OF ALL SORTS.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2025, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD A FULL STAFF WITH NO TURNOVER.
THERE'S SEVEN OF US, INCLUDING ME.
FOUR OF US ARE LICENSED FIDUCIARIES, AND WE HAVE OUR LICENSES THROUGH THE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT.
REQUIRES AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECK, A PROCTOR TEST IN PHOENIX CONTINUING EDUCATION, ONGOING FEES, OF COURSE, FOR THE LICENSING.
I'M ALSO CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ARIZONA FIDUCIARIES ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS OUR MAIN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FIDUCIARIES, AND PROVIDES MOST OF THE CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR LICENSED FIDUCIARIES IN ARIZONA.
WE'RE SEEING THAT THE CASES THAT WE'RE GETTING FOR GUARDIANSHIP ARE INCREASINGLY MORE COMPLEX, MORE LAYERED, MORE CHALLENGING TO SORT THROUGH, WHICH, I THINK COMES WITH THE SHIFT IN DEMOGRAPHICS IN THAT PREVIOUSLY, PERHAPS 10 YEARS AGO, FOR THE PUBLIC FIDUCIARY, MOST OF OUR WARDS, AND WARD IS THE WORD USED CLASSICALLY IN LEGISLATURE TO DESCRIBE THAT ROLE.
I'M NOT FOND OF IT, BUT I USE IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD.
TEN YEARS AGO, MOST OF OUR WARDS WOULD HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED OR OTHERWISE ADVANCED DEMENTIA AND HAD NO ONE IN THEIR LIFE TO ASSIST THEM.
WE'RE GETTING MORE CASES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE FAMILY, BUT PERHAPS THE FAMILY IS PART OF THE PROBLEM IN THAT THEY'RE FINANCIALLY ABUSING THE PERSON OR NOT ALLOWING THEM TO GET THE MEDICAL CARE THAT THEY NEED.
WE ALSO ARE GETTING MORE CASES FOR PEOPLE WHO THOUGH THEY MAY BE CASH POOR, THEY MAY OWN A HOUSE.
THEY'RE NOT TECHNICALLY INDIGENT, BUT THEY DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ASSET THAT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS THAT WE SELL IT FOR THEM AND THEN USE THAT MONEY FOR THEIR CARE.
BUT THESE ARE ALL MORE COMPLEX THAN IT WAS IN 2018 WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO THE DIRECTOR ROLE.
IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE HOW IT'S MORPHED OVER THE LAST.
I'D SAY ESPECIALLY THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
BUT WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED THE CHALLENGES.
ALSO, THE INDIGENT CREMATION PROGRAM HAS SEEN ABOUT A 50% INCREASE SINCE JUST LAST YEAR.
I HAD THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING DURING COVID.
WE HAD A BIT OF A SPIKE IN CASES BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE WORLD.
BUT NOW WE'RE GETTING SUCH AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF CASES FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST ABANDON THEIR DEAD.
THEY JUST EITHER THEY DON'T WANT TO OR CAN'T PAY TO HAVE THE PERSON CREMATED.
[03:30:07]
THE HEART OF THE INDIGENT CREMATION PROGRAM IS THAT IT'S A HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOL BECAUSE HUMAN REMAINS HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH.IF A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME GOES BY, AND FAMILY HAS EITHER NOT BEEN LOCATED, DOESN'T RETURN CALLS, IS RESISTANT TO THE IDEA OF PAYING OR SAYS THEY CAN'T PAY OR THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY.
THE HUMAN REMAINS HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH.
WE GO AHEAD, THE COUNTY PAYS THE COST FOR THE CREMATION.
THEN IF THE PERSON IS A VETERAN, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO BE INTERRED AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.
IF THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE INTERRED IN THE COUNTY CEMETERY.
OCCASIONALLY, WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE WHO GENUINELY DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PAY.
THEY'RE VERY HEARTFELT ABOUT WANTING THE CREMAINES OF THEIR LOVED ONE AND SO WE DO ALLOW THEM TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE CREMAINES.
>> KATHERINE, IF I GET INTERRUPT, DOES EVERYONE KNOW WHERE THE COUNTY CEMETERY IS?
>> I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP, MAURY, BECAUSE THE COUNTY CEMETERY IS LOCATED RIGHT BEHIND YR MC JUST DOWN THE STREET ON AINSWORTH, IS WHERE YOU ENTER IT BEHIND THE MEDICAL BUILDING THAT'S THERE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, AT SOME POINT, GO VISIT THAT CEMETERY.
I'LL TELL YOU NOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE IMPRESSED.
IN MY GREATEST HOPE, MAURY, KNOWS THIS BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I REALLY WISH WE COULD MAKE THAT CEMETERY LOOK A LITTLE MORE HUMANE AND PRESENTABLE TO BE PROUD OF IT THAN FOR IT TO LOOK THE WAY IT DOES.
YES. IT'S NEXT TO MOUNTAIN VIEW, BUT IT'S A SEPARATE AREA THAT IS MANAGED BY THE COUNTY.
THERE'S SOME PRETTY OLD REMAINS IN THERE AND AN OLD MARKERS AND HEADSTONES THAT ARE JUST ALMOST CRUMBLED TO DUST.
IT DESERVES MORE DIGNITY IN MY OPINION THAN WHAT IT CURRENTLY PORTRAYS.
>> I WOULD ADD TO THAT, AS KATHERINE SAID, I WENT UP SHORTLY AFTER I GOT HERE AND TOOK A TOUR OF IT ONE EVENING ON MY WAY HOME.
IT IS A DEPRESSING LOOKING PLACE.
BUT, FRANKLY, WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT COULD YOU DO WITH IT, AND WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WOULD MAKE IT LOOK BETTER.
>> HOW DO YOU GET [INAUDIBLE]?
>> YOU ENTER FROM AINSWORTH, AND THERE'S A ONE STORY MEDICAL BUILDING WITH A PARKING LOT IN FRONT.
YOU GO BEHIND THAT MEDICAL BUILDING, AND THERE'S THE ENTRANCE.
THERE'S A SIGN THAT SAYS, JAVA PIE COUNTY CEMETERY.
>> DO OTHER PEOPLE GET BURIED IN THERE BESIDES PEOPLE THAT COME FROM YOUR OFFICE? WHO GETS BURIED THERE, IS IT JUST?
>> I BELIEVE HISTORICALLY, YES, PEOPLE WERE.
ALSO, WHEN THE PRESCOTT HIGH SCHOOLS FOOTBALL FIELD WAS CREATED, APPARENTLY, THERE WERE A LOT OF NATIVE AMERICAN REMAINS THAT WERE LOCATED IN THAT AREA, AND THEY WERE REMOVED FROM THE ATHLETIC FIELD AND TRANSPORTED OVER TO A GROUP BURIAL, WHICH IS MARKED IN THAT SAME SECTION WITH A CHAIN AROUND IT, A LITTLE SIGN, EXPLAINING IT.
I'M CERTAIN THAT IT WAS WITH GOOD INTENTION THAT THE LARGE SIGN THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN THE CEMETERY IS POSTED UP THERE TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS.
BUT THE LANGUAGE USED IN IT IS REALLY OUT OF DATE, BECAUSE IT CATEGORIZES THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PLACED THERE AS BEING HOMELESS, FELONS, CRIMINALS, POPPERS.
IT'S VERY DATED LANGUAGE THAT'S RATHER INSULTING.
THE ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE OF THAT, WHICH I FIND SO DARKLY IRONIC.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A MAN WHO'S BURIED IN THERE THAT HE WAS HE WAS A LONER, AND WE COULDN'T FIND HIS FAMILY AND HE ENDED UP, NOBODY MADE CLAIM TO HIM.
[03:35:01]
WE HAD HIM CREMATED, HAD HIM PLACED IN THERE.IT TURNED OUT THAT HE WAS AN ENGINEER FOR SPACE X AND HAD ALSO WORKED AT TESLA, AND HE HAD A COUPLE MILLION DOLLAR IN HIS 401K.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT BROUGHT UP TO DATE.
YOU'RE WELCOME. IT'S AN INTERESTING PLACE TO WALK THROUGH.
DEPARTMENT GOALS, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE OUR DEPARTMENT BE ABLE TO MANAGE A GREATER NUMBER OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CONSERVATORSHIP CASES, WHICH THEY ARE MOSTLY GUARDIANSHIP BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ASSETS THAT REQUIRE CONSERVATORSHIP.
THE WAY THAT COULD HAPPEN WOULD BE TO HIRE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD SOLELY WORK ON THE INDIGENT CREMATION PROGRAM.
AS IT IS NOW, I AM THE PRIMARY PERSON WHO EXPEDITE THE INDIGENT CREMATION PROGRAM.
IT DOESN'T REQUIRE BEING LICENSED, LIKE MY FIDUCIARY ROLE.
WITH THE INCREASE IN CASES, WE'RE UP TO ABOUT 100 CASES NOW AT THIS POINT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS A 50% INCREASE.
IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER FOR SOMEONE TO BE FOCUSED ON THAT FULL TIME AND I THINK IT WOULD IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF IT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I FELT LIKE I GOT WONKY ON THAT ONE.
>> OUR CHALLENGES, THERE IS A INCREASED NEED FOR PUBLIC GUARDIANSHIP SERVICES.
THERE ARE WAY MORE CASES OUT THERE THAT NEED SERVICES THAN WE CAN POSSIBLY SERVE, SO WE HAVE TO BE SELECTIVE AND SERVE THE CASES OF THE OF THE HIGHEST DEGREE.
I WOULD TELL YOU THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE ARE VERY PROFOUNDLY AFFECTED EITHER BY THEIR DISABILITY OR BY DEMENTIA.
BUT THEY'RE NOT PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE IN THE COMMUNITY TYPICALLY.
THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESIDING IN GROUP HOMES, IN NURSING HOMES.
I THINK SOMETIMES I HEARD, I THINK IT WAS STEVE KING MENTIONED HOW SURPRISING IT WAS TO SEE THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS CHILDREN.
IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE OFTEN IN WHEN WE GET THE CASE IN EXTREMELY POOR RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS.
AND I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE A NUMBER OF THESE CASES THAT WE GET THAT ARE JUST HORRIFIC IN TERMS OF THEIR HOARDING AND LACK OF UTILITIES AND JUST MIND BOGGLING.
WE REALLY NEED TO SERVE MORE CASES.
I THINK HAVING THE INDIGENT CREMATION PERSON DEDICATED TO THAT PROGRAM WILL FREE ME UP TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON MORE REFERRALS.
>> DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT, MADAM CHAIR? IT SAYS IN YOUR 2026 PROJECTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO TRANSFER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM TO COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THAT IN COMPARISON TO THE ADDITIONAL POSITION.
>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS NOT ON THE TABLE FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR NOW.
BUT IN THE FUTURE, DID YOU WANT TO SEE SOMETHING MORE?
>> IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE THE PROGRAM MOVE TO BE HOUSED ADJACENT TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND VITAL RECORDS BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A NEXUS TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS? THAT IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE TO ME AND HAS FOR A LONG TIME, THAT THAT IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
IN FACT, OTHER COUNTIES, PUBLIC FIDUCIARIES HAVE MADE THAT TRANSITION OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
MARICOPA, PIMA, AND COCONINO IS IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT AND THAT'S JUST TO BE ABLE TO FREE UP FIDUCIARY RESOURCES, ADD TO THE EFFICIENCY, AND PUT IT WHERE IT IS MOST CLOSELY ALIGNED, SO THANK YOU.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO CLARIFY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT WAS,
[03:40:02]
THERE'S A POSITION NEEDED.ON THE LAST SLIDE, TOO, THAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION, ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IS THAT DESPITE THIS INCREASE IN NEED FOR SERVICES, WE HAVE SUCH A LACK OF SERVICES FOR OUR FOLKS THAT WE SERVE IN YAVAPAI COUNTY.
IN FACT, PROBABLY ABOUT HALF OF OUR CASES ARE PLACED IN MARICOPA COUNTY BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE SERVICES AND PLACEMENT OPTIONS UP HERE.
>> CAN YOU EDUCATE ME ON THE REASON WHY THAT SHIFT WOULDN'T HAPPEN THIS YEAR, THEN?
>> ONE OF THOSE IS SPACE, AS YOU KNOW, PART OF THE BUDGET IS ADDITIONAL ROOM FOR THE MEDICAL EXAMINER OUT THERE.
THEY'RE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS RIGHT NOW.
AS KATHERINE SUGGESTED, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT THE FUTURE YEARS.
THIS YEAR, THERE'S JUST NO PLACE FOR THEM TO BE.
>> THANK YOU AND THERE ARE THE NUMBERS.
ZACH, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THAT THAT I SHOULD NEED TO EXPLAIN?
>> IN THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU SHOULD HAVE. NO, SORRY.
IN THE NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE FTE.
THIS WILL BE THE MAJOR CONSIDERATION FOR FY26 TO THE DEPARTMENT.
>> THAT IS IT. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS?
>> YES, GO AHEAD. YOU SAY THERE'S NOT MANY SERVICES.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE DO HAVE, I MEAN, WE ATTRACT THE HOMELESS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SERVICES.
I MEAN, YOU CAN GO TO THE SALVATION ARMY, GET BREAKFAST, CCJ, GET LUNCH.
THEY JUST BUILT A SHOWER AND BATHROOM.
>> WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT FOLKS, THOUGH, RESPECTFULLY, SUPERVISOR THAT ARE HOMELESS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WITH REALLY EXTRAORDINARY MEDICAL NEEDS, WHO CANNOT NAVIGATE THE WORLD BY THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE SIMPLY NOT ABLE TO BECAUSE OF A BRAIN CONDITION CONDITION SINCE BIRTH.
ONE OF OUR MOST SEVERE CASES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A YOUNG LADY WHO'S 19, AND WE BECAME HER GUARDIAN WHEN SHE TURNED 18.
SHE WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES PRIOR TO THAT.
BUT SHE WAS BORN WITH JUST EXTRAORDINARY DISABILITIES AND NO PARENTS WHO WERE SUITED TO TAKE CARE OF HER AND SO ALL SHE'S EVER KNOWN IS LIVING IN A CARE INSTITUTIONAL TYPE SETTING AND SO WE ARE HER GUARDIAN NOW.
BUT OUR WORDS ARE TYPICALLY NOT PEOPLE WHO CAN FIND RESOURCES ON THEIR OWN, LIKE THE SALVATION ARMY OR CCJ.
>> WELL, I JUST KNOW MEALS ON WHEELS IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE SOMETIMES THIS IS THE ONLY PERSON THESE PEOPLE SEE.
>> THEY DIE IN THEIR HOMES AND NO ONE EVEN KNOWS.
>> THAT'S WHY I LOVE MEALS ON WHEELS BECAUSE THEY'RE AN EXTRA SET OF EYES ON PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN VERY VULNERABLE AND REALLY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE.
>> YES. I KNOW THAT YOU AND I HAD TALKED SO.
I GOT ALL THE INFORMATION AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TAKE YOUR ADVICE AND LOOK FORWARD INTO WHAT MAYBE THE NEXT YEAR LOOKS LIKE ON THIS.
>> WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
I APPRECIATE IT. MY TEAM DOES AS WELL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR MALLORY AND VICE CHAIR COMPTON AND BOARD.
I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A LITTLE BREAK.
WE WENT AND GRABBED SOMETHING TO EAT SO THAT WE'D BE AWAKE FOR THIS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ALLOW ME TO COME UP AND DISCUSS COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
I'M LESLIE HORTON, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
I ALSO HAVE WITH ME, KATHY YANCY, WHO IS OUR DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATOR, AND MOSTLY PREPARED WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU FOR OUR BUDGET SUBMITTAL.
I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
THEN ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, I'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS.
YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE SUBMITTED AND THIS IS FOR A VERY LARGE DEPARTMENT.
[03:45:05]
WE HAVE CURRENTLY ABOUT 180 EMPLOYEES WITHIN COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.AND SO I THINK SECOND TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE'RE ABOUT THE LARGEST COUNTY DEPARTMENT.
A LOT OF THAT COMES AS OUR UNIQUE MERGER THAT HAPPENED IN 2023, AND WE MERGED A COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF YAVAPAI, WHICH WAS ABOUT 100 EMPLOYEES WITH PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, WHICH WAS ABOUT 80 EMPLOYEES OR AROUND THERE FLUCTUATES DEPENDING ON WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT THE TIME OR WHAT GRANTS WE HAVE.
WE ARE A UNIQUE MODEL, THOUGH.
YOU DON'T SEE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I BELIEVE THERE'S ONLY SEVEN AGENCIES THAT ARE COMBINED GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH COMBINED WITH A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER.
AND SO IT HAS ITS PROS AND CONS, AND WE DEAL THROUGH ALL OF THEM, AND WE APPRECIATE THOUGH, THE COUNTY'S SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT THIS MODEL AND HOW WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND SO EVERYTHING WE DO REALLY LENDS TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF THOSE WITHIN OUR COUNTY.
EVEN THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE, THEY ARE PROVIDING CLOSURE TO THE FAMILIES THAT NEED IT AS THEY INVESTIGATE DEATHS.
SO WITHIN PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, WHICH IS GENERALLY GRANT FUNDED. YES.
>> I'M CONTROLLING THE SLIDES, THAT'S RIGHT.
GOOD. UNDER PUBLIC HEALTH, WE HAVE HEALTH EDUCATION, EPIDEMIOLOGY, IMMUNIZATIONS, VITAL RECORDS, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, WHICH IS OUR RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS, AND COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH SERVICES LIKE WIC, HEALTH START AND OTHER FAMILY BASED SERVICES.
OUR FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS, ALSO KNOWN AS A FQHC OR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF YAVAPAI.
ALSO, I SOMETIMES HERE, PRESCOTT FREE CLINIC.
THAT'S THE BOARD THAT RESIDES OVER THAT.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A LOT OF FEDERAL RULES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A 501 C3 NONPROFIT COMPONENT TO OUR FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER.
THAT'S THE WAY WE DO THINGS LIKE FUND RAISING FOR BREAST CANCER TREATMENT AND THINGS.
BUT THAT IS PRESCOTT FREE CLINIC BOARD ALSO RESIDES OVER OUR FQHC SIMILAR TO HOW YOU DO AND WE HAVE PRIMARY CARE PEDIATRICS, DENTAL, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES, AS WELL AS OUR MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE.
WE HAVE MADE LOTS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR.
BUT I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES IS CONTINUING THIS MERGER OF DEPARTMENTS, SIMILAR TO ITS AND GIS.
OUR DEPARTMENT WAS ONE DEPARTMENT AT ONE TIME.
IT WAS THEN SPLIT APART, PROBABLY 10 YEARS AGO, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN I THINK 2016 WAS ACTUALLY WHEN BECAUSE I BECAME A DIRECTOR SOON AFTER THAT.
BUT WE SPLIT PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE CLINIC APART.
IN 2023, MAURY AND THE REST OF THE BOARD AND MANAGEMENT AT THE TIME APPROACHED ME ABOUT TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MERGING THE TWO DEPARTMENTS BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
IT'S COME WITH A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF LONG WEEKENDS AND NIGHTS OF GETTING STUFF DONE, ESPECIALLY KATHY, WHO SITS HERE WITH ME.
SHE WAS ONE OF MY ONLY STIPULATIONS OF DOING THIS WAS THAT KATHY HAD TO COME WITH ME FROM PUBLIC HEALTH TO TAKE ON THIS ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP ROLE BECAUSE SHE'S AMAZING.
BUT A LOT OF WORK, BUT WE DO NOW HAVE A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS MERGED, A LOT OF COLLABORATION THAT GOES ON, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT HAPPENING WITH THE CLINIC AND THE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH THAT WERE PROBABLY IN DUPLICATION AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE EXPANDED CLINICAL SERVICES TO INCLUDE OUR MOBILE UNITS THAT THANK GOODNESS, THEY FINALLY GOT LICENSE THIS WEEK.
WE WILL BE GETTING THOSE OUT ON THE ROAD.
IT WAS JUST IN TIME FOR OUR RENOVATION.
I HAVE BAD NEWS FOR THE ONE IN PRESCOTT BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE OF THE VANS IN COTTONWOOD, ONE IN PRESCOTT, BOTH ARE LICENSED.
EXCUSE ME, BUT WE NEED TO USE THE ONE IN PRESCOTT AS A CLINICAL ROOM DURING OUR RENOVATION.
WE WILL LOSE OUR CERTIFICATES OF LICENSING IF WE ARE NOT PROVIDING SERVICES DURING OUR PRESCOTT RENOVATION.
WE'RE PULLING UP THE MOBILE VEHICLE, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A CLINICAL EXAM ROOM FOR US.
WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE DELAY ON GETTING THAT ONE OUT TO OUR RURAL AREAS.
BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY IT WON'T BE AVAILABLE ON WEEKENDS, AND IF WE HAVE EVENTS COMING UP, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET IT OUT THERE TO THOSE TWO.
WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THAT WAY.
WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED AND GOT A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EXPANSION GRANT,
[03:50:02]
TRYING TO WORK ON GETTING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES MORE SUBSTANTIALLY OFFERED TO OUR EXISTING PATIENTS AS WELL AS ANY NEW PATIENTS THAT COME OUR WAY.BUT A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND RECENTLY.
WE'VE ALSO, WITH THAT, HAD TO EXPAND PROVIDER STAFFING, AND IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO RECRUIT PROVIDERS, BUT EVEN JUST RIGHT NOW, WE'RE RECRUITING AND ARE BRINGING ON A BRAND NEW PHYSICIAN IN COTTONWOOD, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF OUR BUSIEST LOCATIONS AND HAS THE HIGHEST NEED FOR MORE SUPPORT BY PROVIDERS THERE.
WE HAD A PHYSICIAN THAT JUST PLOPPED INTO OUR LAPS, AND SHE'S AMAZING.
SHE'S GOING TO BE WONDERFUL, HAS 25 YEARS OF PHYSICIAN EXPERIENCE AND DECIDED TO RETIRE OR SEMI RETIRE INTO THE SEDONA AREA.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING HER ON, AND SHE WANTS TO WORK PART TIME, BUT WE WILL TAKE IT.
WE NEED, ESPECIALLY THOSE MEDICAL PROVIDERS.
BUT IN THE PAST YEAR, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO BRING ON OUR BRAND NEW CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, DR. CALPAS.
HE'S BEEN WONDERFUL AND SERVES AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH MEDICAL DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS THE CLINICAL CMO.
THEN WE ALSO BROUGHT ON OUR NEW MEDICAL EXAMINER, DR. CROSS.
SHE'S BEEN HERE SINCE LAST JULY AND HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO THAT STAFF, THE SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, AND I'VE HAD ONLY WONDERFUL FEEDBACK ABOUT HER.
RIGHT NOW, TOO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DIDN'T PUT ON HERE IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN AGGRESSIVELY SEEKING GRANT FUNDING AND DOING VERY WELL WITH THAT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ABOUT IN COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR.
WE KNOW WE GOT CUT ALL OF THOSE COVID GRANTS THAT WE KNEW AT SOME POINT WERE GOING TO GO AWAY.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A PROJECTED POSSIBILITY OF 2.9 MILLION COMING IN, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE GRANTS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN RIGHT NOW, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN WRITING THOSE GRANTS OVER THE PAST YEAR.
OUR GOALS FOR THIS YEAR ARE TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THOSE MOBILE HEALTH VANS FOR ALL YAVAPAI COUNTIES, BUT WITH A FOCUS ON OUR RURAL AREAS.
WE ARE GOING TO WORK TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT THE YAVAPAI COUNTY HEALTH AND WELL BEING WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PREVENTION AND REDUCING BARRIERS TO HEALTH CARE, THINGS LIKE TRANSPORTATION, TRYING TO BRING SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHERE THEY LIVE, WORK AND PLAY AND THEN INCREASING RECRUITMENT AND STAFFING OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO ENSURE OPTIMAL HEALTH CARE CAN BE PROVIDED AND WHEN I'M TALKING HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TOO, IT'S NOT JUST DOCTORS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS.
I'M SORRY. I'M GOING THE WRONG WAY. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU.
WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A BRAND NEW PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER THAT JUST JOINED US.
WE HAVE JUST THIS WEEK, RIGHT AS WE'RE STARTING OUR PRESCOTT RENOVATION, WE HAVE A NEW COUNSELOR THAT WILL BE SITTING NEXT DOOR TO ME FOR A WHILE.
BUT WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING ON THOSE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AS WELL AS DENTISTS.
DENTAL IS ONE DEPARTMENT THAT IS ALWAYS IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL STAFFING AND PROVIDERS, BUT WE'RE LIMITED ON SPACE AS WELL.
OUR CHALLENGES IN THIS YEAR, LIKE I SAID, YOU HAVE WHAT WE'VE SUBMITTED, BUT MEETING CLA AND MERIT FUNDING REQUIREMENTS, THIS IS A DEFINED AMOUNT MADE BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND MANAGEMENT, AND WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE AND APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE CAN DO COLAS AND MERITS.
I'VE BEEN HERE THROUGH SO MANY OF THOSE YEARS WHERE WE HAD NONE OR 1%, AND IT'S REALLY TOUGH BECAUSE YOU START SEEING JOBS OUT THERE THAT LOOK A LOT MORE APPEALING THAN THIS, AND YOU START LOSING PEOPLE DURING THOSE TIMES, AND WE DO.
WE ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THE COLAS AND MERITS.
KATHY EVERY YEAR BUDGETS FOR WHAT WE KNOW IS COMING OUR WAY IN TERMS OF BUDGET COLAS AND MERITS.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT A DEPARTMENT LIKE OURS, WE ARE ONLY 3% COUNTY FUNDED, AND 97%.
>> NINETY-SEVEN GRANT AND FEE FUNDED.
WITHIN THAT, OUR GRANTS TEND TO BE A FIXED AMOUNT.
SOME OF OUR GRANTS THAT WE'VE HAD FOR PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES AND THE CLINIC HAVE NOT INCREASED IN THE LAST DECADE.
AS WE'RE BUDGETING FOR COLAS AND MERITS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S INTEGRATED IN.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN PAY THOSE, BUT IT ENDS UP OVER TIME BECOMING A BARRIER IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO EITHER REDUCE SERVICES,
[03:55:03]
REDUCE TRAINING, REDUCE SOME PIECE OF THAT GRANT.SOMETIMES IT'S THE HOURS AND STAFFING, IN ORDER TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE INCREASES.
THAT'S JUST ONE THING TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE COLAS AND MERITS ARE, WE DO TRY TO COVER ALL OF THAT WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, AND SO WITHIN OUR GRANTS AND FEES AND WHAT WE BRING IN.
THAT'S A CHALLENGE GOING INTO THIS NEXT YEAR, ESPECIALLY AFTER SOME CUTS, AND THEN THESE GRANTS THAT JUST HAVEN'T SEEN AN INCREASE IN A REALLY LONG TIME.
THE STATUS OF FUNDING AND REDUCED FUNDING FROM BOTH PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE FOR GRANTS AND THE PROVISION OF HEALTHCARE IS A CHALLENGE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE IS A LOT UP IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW.
I REALLY CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT OUR FUNDING IS GOING TO RESEMBLE IN SIX MONTHS.
KATHY AND I HAD BEEN PLANNING FOR THAT OVER TIME.
WE DID THINK WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE TILL 2026 BECAUSE THEY WERE RECENTLY EXTENDED.
BUT IF WE HADN'T SPENT THAT MONEY BY NOW, AND IT WAS COVID RELATED, THAT'S FINE.
WE WERE OKAY WITH GIVING THAT BACK, AND WE HAD SAVED IN SOME OF OUR OTHER GRANTS IN SOURCES OVER TIME TO MAKE SURE WE ACCOMMODATED TO THOSE CUTS.
NOW, THE CUTS COMING OUR WAY THAT WE ALSO CAN FORESEE, WE STILL DON'T KNOW THE AMOUNTS.
THERE WAS A BULLETIN FROM HHS LEAKED ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AGO THAT HAS SOME THINGS OUTLINED IN IT THAT I'D RATHER NOT THINK ABOUT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT DID GIVE US SOME IDEA OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COULD BE ADJUSTED IN THE FUTURE.
BUT WE KNOW THERE'S BIGGER PIECES FOR THE CLINIC, LIKE THINGS LIKE MEDICAID, THAT ARE BEING CRITICALLY LOOKED AT AND COULD SEE SOME MAJOR CHANGES.
LIKE I SAID, THE STATUS OF THE FUNDING, I KNOW WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
I KNOW WHAT WE'VE SEEN AT THIS POINT.
I CAN FORESEE SOME THINGS, BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE WAY OUT OF MY CONTROL THAT COULD COME OUR WAY, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY BE FACED WITH THOSE CHALLENGES.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE'VE BEEN CHALLENGED WITH IS THE LAST THREE MEDICAL EXAMINERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY NEED ANOTHER MEDICAL EXAMINER.
COUNTIES THAT ARE THE SAME SIZE AS OURS, COCONINO, PANAL, SOME OF THE OTHERS HAVE TWO MEDICAL EXAMINERS.
WHEREAS, WE HAVE TRIED TO HAVE ONE AT SOME POINTS IN TIME.
WE'VE HAD A MEDICAL EXAMINER AND A PA, WHICH THE PA COULD DO AUTOPSIES AND EXTERNALS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE DOCTOR BUT RIGHT NOW, WE JUST HAVE ONE, AND SHE HAS EXPRESSED THAT SHE REALLY NEEDS HELP.
GOING INTO THIS NEXT YEAR, WE'RE NOT BUDGETED FOR AN ADDITIONAL MEDICAL EXAMINER.
BUT IF WE EVER DO DECIDE TO PURSUE ACCREDITATION THROUGH THE NATIONAL ACCREDITATION BOARD FOR MEDICAL EXAMINERS, WE WOULD HAVE TO BRING ON TWO BECAUSE OF THEIR REQUIREMENTS FOR CASELOAD.
BUT JUST TO RELIEVE OUR MEDICAL EXAMINER, MAKE SURE WE CAN KEEP HER AND SUPPORT HER, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BRING ON SOME ADDITIONAL COVERAGE THIS YEAR IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO HIRE ANOTHER MEDICAL EXAMINER.
THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF.
IT MAY HAVE TO COME OUT OF CONTINGENCY SINCE IT'S NOT OUTLINED HERE, BUT THAT'LL BE FOR YOU TO DECIDE IF WE DO END UP NEEDING THAT.
BUT I'M KEEPING IN CLOSE CONTACT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS HER NEEDS.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, I THINK, EVEN WITH GETTING COVERAGE UP HERE, IS THAT THE OTHER MEDICAL EXAMINERS ARE VERY BUSY AS WELL.
IT'S HARD TO GET THEM TO BE ABLE TO COME UP AND HELP US.
THEN YOU'VE GOT EXCUSE ME, A LOT OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS IN MARICOPA AND SOME OF THESE OTHER COUNTIES.
BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR ACCREDITATION PROCESS, THEIR MEDICAL EXAMINERS MUST KEEP WITHIN A CERTAIN CASELOAD AMOUNT PER YEAR.
IF THEY COME UP AND HELP US, IT DOES PUSH SOMETIMES THEIR NUMBERS OUT OF WHACK.
SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR MEDICAL EXAMINER HAS ASKED FOR HELP, AND WE'LL TRY TO SUPPORT HER GOING FORWARD AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE BRING BACK NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES ON THE RADAR.
WE DO GET THE OPIOID LITIGATION DASHBOARD FUNDING.
THAT IS REALLY, FOR ME, AN EXCITING THING BECAUSE WE GET THESE OPIOID DOLLARS, AND SOME OF THEM GO TO PANT, OR SOME OF THEM GO TO OTHER AGENCIES IN THE COMMUNITIES, AND WE HAVE THIS MINI-GRANT.
WE HAVE A PORTAL OPEN RIGHT NOW WHERE PEOPLE CAN APPLY IN AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTY CAN APPLY FOR $50,000 FOR OPIOID PROJECTS.
BUT I REALLY WANT A VERY CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WAY OF SHOWING THE GEOGRAPHIC SPREAD OF THE DOLLARS, BUT ALSO THE IMPACT THAT THEY'RE MAKING IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING THESE DOLLARS OUT OF THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT,
[04:00:03]
AND YOU HEAR ABOUT IN THE NEWS ONCE IN A WHILE, THERE'S ARTICLES ABOUT MISUSE OR THINGS THAT ARE FLAGRANT USES OR SOME STATES ARE JUST PUSHING ALL THEIR OPIOID DOLLARS INTO CERTAIN THINGS, AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OURS ARE SPREAD INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT REDUCE THE BURDEN OF OPIOIDS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO USED REALLY WELL.WE WORK WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS THAT GET THOSE DOLLARS, TOO TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WAYS THAT THEY COULD PUT THOSE DOLLARS TO GOOD USE.
THIS DASHBOARD, I'M EXCITED FOR JUST TO SHOW EVERYBODY HOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING PUT TO WORK IN OUR COUNTY.
THEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CLINIC EXPANSION.
WE ARE COMPLETING OUR ASH FORK LOCATION, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THAT IS A CLINIC THAT USED TO BE OWNED BY NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE.
THEN WAS OWNED BY A PRIVATE PRACTICE AND HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR WELL OVER A YEAR NOW.
THE COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED A STRONG DESIRE TO HAVE HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
MOST OF THEIR INDIVIDUALS TO GET ANY BASIC HEALTHCARE ARE GOING AT LEAST AN HOUR FROM HOME, AND THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
WE'RE GOING TO START STAFFING THAT, AND APPRECIATE THAT THE COUNTY HAS SUPPORTED US IN GETTING THAT ASH FORK CLINIC STARTED.
I KNOW THAT ASH FORK AREA, SELIGMAN, AND A LOT OF THE SURROUNDING AREA IS VERY EXCITED FOR THAT TO OPEN.
THAT SHOULD BE COMING VERY SOON.
WE ARE PUTTING IN FOR LICENSING.
WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE EQUIPMENT IS IN THE BUILDING.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE BEFORE THE STATE LICENSING COMES IN AND DOES THEIR INSPECTION, THAT WE ARE READY FOR THEM.
THEN WE ARE COMPLETING RENOVATIONS TO IMPROVE THE PRESCOTT YCCHS LOCATION AND SPACES, AS WELL AS THE SERVICES WE CAN OFFER.
THAT IS A VERY, VERY WONDERFUL GIFT TO US.
IT WAS BEING ABLE TO SHIFT SOME ARPA FUNDS AND USE IT FOR RENOVATION BACK WHEN THE DEPARTMENTS WERE SEPARATE.
WE WERE LOOKING FOR A WHOLE DIFFERENT BUILDING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT NOT ONLY HAS ANGRY CRAB BEEN ABLE TO MOVE INTO TOWN.
BUT WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT BUILDING AND HAD PUT AN OFFER ON IT.
BUT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY STAY IN ONE BUILDING.
I LOVE WHERE WE'RE AT AND OUR STAFF CAN OPERATE WELL OUT OF THAT BUILDING, AND WE CAN, ESPECIALLY AS COMBINED DEPARTMENTS, PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLINIC.
IT WORKS REALLY WELL, BUT WE DEFINITELY NEEDED EXPANSION OF SPACE AND A RENOVATION, THAT BUILDING I'VE BEEN IN IT 20 YEARS NOW, AND IT NEEDED SOME UPDATES.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO GET THAT DONE, BUT RIGHT NOW, IF YOU HEAR ANY COMPLAINTS FROM STAFF, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S A MESS, AND IT'S LOUD, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.
OUR PROJECTED END DATE ON THAT RENOVATION IS A BEST-CASE SCENARIO AROUND THANKSGIVING.
WORST CASE, IT COULD BE VALENTINE'S DAY, BUT WE WILL SEE.
WE'RE HOPING FOR BEST CASE BECAUSE ALREADY IT'S LOUD AND DUSTY, AND WE WILL SEE.
OUR BUDGET OVERVIEW. OUR BUDGET, GOING INTO THIS NEXT YEAR, WE'RE RIGHT UNDER AND RIGHT AROUND $30 MILLION WITHIN OUR COMBINED DEPARTMENT.
I'VE MENTIONED THAT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE IS GENERAL FUNDED.
THAT DOES STILL COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
OUR OTHER FUNDS, AND THAT'S A COMBINATION DOWN THERE OF OTHER FUND REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES, ARE THE CLINIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH COMBINED.
IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS, WE HAVE 13,000 TO PURCHASE A DATA SHARING AND STORAGE PROGRAM FOR THE MEDICAL EXAMINER TO PARTNER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
A LOT OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES USE EVIDENCE.COM, AND WE HAVE UP TIL NOW BEEN USING WHAT ARE NOW VERY EXPENSIVE LITTLE USB DRIVES.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE PROTECTED USB DRIVES NOW.
WE CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT'S LONG-TERM.
WE JUST HAVE TO BUY IN IN THE BEGINNING, AND WE DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE BUDGET CAPACITY TO BRING ON EVIDENCE.COM.
BUT THIS ALLOWS US TO GIVE A LINK TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND WE CAN SHARE FILES SAFELY BACK AND FORTH.
THEN WE HAVE 7,954 TO PURCHASE TWO NEW BONE SAWS.
ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS ONE IS THEY'RE NEEDED, AND I WOULD HATE TO BE A MEDICAL EXAMINER USING A BROKEN ONE.
WE DEFINITELY NEED THOSE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
I KNOW OUR MEDICAL EXAMINER TEAM DOES AS WELL.
WE ARE GETTING RECOMMENDED, OR WE'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED TO GET 200,000 FOR ASH FORK LOCATION AT THIS POINT,
[04:05:05]
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT CAMP VERDE AS WELL, BUT WE'VE RUN INTO SOME HICCUPS IN THE ROAD WITH CAMP VERDE.IT'S BEEN DELAYED, AND THE COST TO MOVE INTO CAMP VERDE IS MORE THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY HOPED FOR.
BUT WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS AND APPLYING FOR FUNDS AND HOPING THAT SOMETHING COMES THROUGH THAT WILL ALLOW US THAT BUDGET CAPACITY TO MOVE INTO CAMP VERDE.
BUT FOR NOW, I THINK WE CAN GO A LONG WAYS WITH $200,000 FOR MOVING INTO ASH FORK, MAKING SURE WE CAN STAFF IT, EQUIP IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S A SUCCESSFUL LOCATION.
THAT'LL DEFINITELY HELP US GET ESTABLISHED THERE.
THANKFULLY, WE NOTICED THAT WE HAVE AN ARPA-FUNDED MODULAR UNIT THAT IS BEING DELIVERED SOON.
WE HAD REQUESTED $150,000 FOR THE SETUP, THE PLUG-INS, THE PLUMBING, THE PARKING LOT ADJUSTMENTS, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE TO MAKE THIS THING WORK FOR US.
THANKFULLY, THIS WAS NOT ORIGINALLY IN THE PACKET AS A RECOMMENDATION, BUT BRANDON HAD THE PROJECT IN FACILITIES THAT WAS NO LONGER NEEDED.
HE OFFERED UP THAT FUNDING CAPACITY FOR THIS, WHICH IS DEFINITELY A NEED.
I APPRECIATED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER ON THAT ONE AND GET THIS ONE ON THE BOOKS.
OTHER WAYS, WE'D HAVE A BUILDING WITH NO HOOKUPS.
I THINK THAT THOSE ARE, FOR NOW, WHAT WE HAVE ON THE TABLE FOR DISCUSSION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THIS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
>> I WANT TO ADD SOME CLARITY TO THE CAMP VERDE SITUATION AND CORRECT ME IF I DON'T HAVE IT ALL UP TO DATE.
>> ORIGINALLY, YOU WERE READY TO TAKE OVER THE DENTIST'S OFFICE THAT'S AT SALT MINING, 260.
IT WAS NEEDED WAY MORE EXTENSIVE RENOVATION THAT WAS REALLY IN THE BUDGET.
IT'S A VERY SMALL BUILDING ANYWAY. IT WAS MY DENTIST.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT BUILDING.
THEN YOU HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTHCARE.
UNFORTUNATELY, FOR CAMP VERDE OVER THE MANY YEARS, THEY'VE NOT BEEN A GREAT PARTNER. WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
IT'S A WORKING PROCESS TO WORK WITH NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTHCARE AND THAT FACILITY THAT'S AT FINNEY FLAT ROAD IN 260.
I THINK OUR DISCUSSIONS NOW, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE COMING UP IS CAMP VERDE HAS LOTS OF LAND.
IF IT WORKS WITHIN THE BUDGET, A MODULAR UNIT THERE AS WELL, WHERE WE HAVE SPACE AND WE ALREADY HAVE THE UTILITIES.
I KNOW THE GRANT FELL THROUGH THAT WE WERE HOPING FOR.
I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME MONEY FROM BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.
YOU RECENTLY JUST YESTERDAY, SENT THE LETTER TO KELLY, BUT WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANY CONGRESSIONAL MONEY FROM DC, AND WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING FROM THE STATE BECAUSE SELINA BLISS WROTE ME A LETTER AND TOLD ME THAT.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, CAMP VERDE'S EXPECTING THIS, BECAUSE EARLY ON, WE TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY JUNE, AND THEN THINGS CHANGED, AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT.
IF ALL THIS FALLS THROUGH, WHAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT I WOULD GIVE TO THE TOWN OF CAMP VERDE? AS FAR AS THIS NEXT GRANT.
WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS? I COULD GET BACK TO THOSE FOLKS.
>> LESLIE, I'D ASK YOU TO START BY SPEAKING TO THE PROVIDER COVERAGE, AND THEN I CAN SPEAK TO THE FACILITIES SIDE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I KEEP TELLING PEOPLE, I WISH THE STARS WOULD ALIGN A LITTLE BIT BETTER ON THIS ONE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FOR A LACK OF TRYING.
DEFINITELY, WE HAVE THE OFFER ON THE TABLE STILL OF THE BUILDING FROM VERDE VALLEY FIRE, BUT OUR INITIAL THOUGHT WAS IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT $40,000 TO MOVE INTO.
NOW, AFTER THE BUILDING WAS VACATED, IT'S LOOKING MORE LIKE 175,000-200,000 FOR A BUILDING WE DON'T OWN AND WOULD BE RENTING.
BUT THEN WE ALSO WE DID PUT IN FOR THE NEW ACCESS POINT FUNDING, THAT WE WERE INFORMED RECENTLY THAT HRSA AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THEY'LL BE FUNDIN.
HOPEFULLY, LEVEL FUNDING TO THE PROJECTS THAT EXIST, BUT NO NEW PROJECTS THIS YEAR.
THEN WE DO HAVE AN APPLICATION READY TO ROLL FOR CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT'S NOT A REAL POSITIVE OUTLOOK THERE, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO TRY.
WE'LL PUT IT IN THERE AND GET IT ON THE RADAR.
IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A POINT OF CONVERSATION IN BOTH OF THE RECENT MEETINGS WITH SENATOR GARGOS AND SENATOR KELLY.
[04:10:02]
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY.BUT FOR THE MEANWHILE, WE DO HAVE SOME OPTIONS WITH THE MOBILE VANS.
WE CAN START PROVIDING SOME SERVICES AND CAMP VERDE RIGHT AWAY.
AS LONG AS WE CAN STAFF THOSE AND SET UP A ROTATION OF A SCHEDULE, WE CAN START PROVIDING SOME SERVICES.
WE ALSO WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT EVERY AVENUE AVAILABLE.
THE TOWN IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH US.
WE'RE KEEPING THAT DOOR OPEN WITH NAH AS WELL.
IF AN OPPORTUNITY ARISES, WE'RE GOING TO JUMP ON IT.
WE JUST NEED THINGS TO COME TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO START BY USING THE MOBILE VEHICLES AND GET THINGS GOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
IF AN OPPORTUNITY ARISES, ANY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WILL LET US KNOW RIGHT AWAY SO THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR THOSE.
BUT ALSO, WE'RE OPEN TO ANYTHING THAT COMES THE COUNTY'S WAY OR ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.
>> THANK YOU, LESLIE, AND SUPERVISOR JENKINS, THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS.
BUT IF WE CAN ADDRESS, IF THERE'S A PLAN WITH EXISTING RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE STAFFING NEEDS OF THAT EXPANSION INTO CAMP VERDE, SAY THE TOWN WOULD COME UP WITH SOME LAND.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME ONE-TIME EXPENSES FOR THE MODULAR AND THE SETUP.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A DECISION OBVIOUSLY FOR THE BOARD TO MAKE.
WE WOULD BRING THAT BACK FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION.
BUT AGAIN, MY OPINION, WE WOULD WANT TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE COULD ADDRESS THE ONGOING RECURRING STAFFING COST.
IF WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT ONE-TIME EXPENSES, AGAIN, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT THOSE RESOURCES AVAILABLE IF THE BOARD WOULD SO CHOOSE.
>> YES, AND I CAN ALSO ADD THAT IN DOING THAT BUDGET FOR CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING, IF WE WERE TO GO THE ROUTE OF A MODULAR UNIT SETUP FOR MEDICALLY EQUIPPED MODULAR.
THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $800,000-850,000 TO FULLY HOOK THAT UP.
THE MODULAR ITSELF IS ABOUT 650.
BUT THE BENEFIT OF THOSE TOO IS IF DOWN THE ROAD.
YOU DECIDE TO BUILD AN ACTUAL BUILDING IN THAT SPACE, OR WE HAVE A DIFFERENT OPTION.
WE COULD MOVE THAT CLINIC TO ANOTHER LOCATION THAT IT'S NEEDED.
>> MADAM CHAIR, WHEN YOUR MEDICAL EXAMINER BACKS UP, WHAT HAPPENS? IS SHE JUST WORKING A LOT OF HOURS OR LIKE, OT, ARE WE GOING TO BURN HER OUT AND LOSE THE ONE EXAMINER WE HAVE?
>> I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
SHE'S A WONDERFUL MEDICAL EXAMINER.
LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE.
IT TOOK US TWO YEARS TO RECRUIT HER HERE.
LIKE I SAID, THE LAST THREE HAVE MENTIONED THAT THEY NEED HELP IN ADDITIONAL COVERAGE HERE.
THE THING THAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ABOUT 90 DAYS BEHIND ON ACTUAL RESULTS FOR SOME OF THOSE CASES.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT AT THOSE DAYS, WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY HIGH VOLUME WEEKS.
SHE CAN INCREASE THE DAYS THAT SHE DOES AUTOPSIES, BUT THAT TAKES AWAY FROM THE DAYS THAT SHE CAN GET THE PAPERWORK DONE AND REALLY DO AN ANALYSIS OF HER CASES.
ALL THE WHILE TOO, SHE HAS FOUR INVESTIGATORS THAT SHE ACCOMPANIES TO SOME OF THE MORE INTENSIVE INVESTIGATING SCENES.
BUT SHE ALSO HAS TO GO AND TESTIFY IN CASES OUT OF TOWN, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES ON IN THEIR WORLD THAT PULLS HER AWAY, BUT IT'S A REQUIREMENT OF THE JOB.
SINCE SHE STARTED, I THINK SHE'S ONLY TAKEN ONE WEEK OFF WHERE SHE GOT COVERAGE, AND SHE WAS WORKING THAT WEEK TO TRY TO CATCH UP, BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO GET COVERAGE.
I THINK GOING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ALLOW HER TO HAVE SOME COVERAGE WHILE SHE'S WORKING, NOT TAKING VACATION.
IT'S GOING TO BE WE'RE SEEING POPULATION GROWTH HERE, AND WE SEE AN ELDERLY POPULATION GROWTH HERE, WHICH GIVES US PROBABLY MORE DEATH CASES THAN SOME COMMUNITIES PER CAPITA.
>> LESLIE, I'M SORRY, YOU DON'T? BEFORE WE HAD A MEDICAL EXAMINER, WE WERE SHARING, GETTING SOME HELP FROM DOWN IN THE VALLEY.
I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THAT AN OPTION TO LOOK AT THAT AND NOW THAT WE'RE LIKE, YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE BEHIND, IS IT POSSIBLE TO BRING SOME HELP UP RIGHT NOW? CAN WE GET CAUGHT UP? WHAT DOES ANY OF THAT LOOK LIKE? I DON'T KNOW.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND WE DO.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN COVERAGE, BUT THEY ARE BUSY AS WELL SO THAT IT'S SOMETIMES NOT EASY.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE A WEEK WHERE THERE'S TWO CASES.
IF WE'VE ARRANGED COVERAGE IN ADVANCE, IT'S NOT REALLY WORTHWHILE, BUT THEN WE HAVE WEEKS WHERE THERE'S 17 OR 18 CASES, AND, YOU GET A COUPLE BIG CAR ACCIDENTS, AND WE'VE GOT OUR HANDS FULL.
IT'S HARD TO PREDICT ALWAYS WHEN THAT COVERAGE IS NEEDED.
[04:15:02]
THEN LAST MINUTE, IT'S HARD TO PULL THEM UP HERE FOR HELP.WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO WORK ON A PLAN THAT HELPS GIVE HER SOME COVERAGE AND AND GIVES HER THE SUPPORT THAT SHE NEEDS AND THEN WORK TOWARDS.
I THINK THE COVERAGE IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
IT WAS GOING UP IN PRICE RIGHT WHEN WE HIRED HER, BUT IT WAS AROUND THE TUNE OF ABOUT $7,500 A WEEK.
IT'S AN EXPENSIVE LINE OF WORK, AND YOU'RE COVERING THEIR TRAVEL, AND THEIR EXPENSES HAVE TO COME OUT OF THAT AMOUNT THAT WE PAY.
WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BACKUP FOR THAT PERSON, SO WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE HER SOME SUPPORT THROUGH COVERAGE.
EVENTUALLY, I THINK WE WILL GET TO THAT PLACE.
IF WE'RE NOT THERE ALREADY, I BELIEVE WE ARE THERE ALREADY, BUT COULD PROBABLY USE A SECOND MEDICAL EXAMINER, BUT IT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE POSITION IN OUR COUNTY PRETTY MUCH.
IT'S A TOUGH FINANCIAL PILL TO SWALLOW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AT SOME POINT, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO CONSIDER IT.
UNTIL THEN WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO HELP GIVE HER THE COVERAGE THAT SHE NEEDS TO STAY ON TOP OF THE WORKLOAD.
>> IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD WAKE WHEN IT GETS HEAVY? IS THERE A PRIVATE SECTOR YOU CAN FARM THEM OUT TOO? I KNEW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING SOMEBODY IN, BUT IS THERE SOMEBODY THAT SAYS, OKAY, MEDICAL EXAMINER TO GO AND YOU CAN CALL THEM UP AND THEY SHOW UP AND GET IT DONE?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN, MAYBE.
I DON'T KNOW, THOUGH. DEPENDS ON THE QUALITY.
BUT THE OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE PIMA COUNTY COVERED FOR US FOR TWO YEARS.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEEN BUILDING A BRAND NEW HUGE FACILITY, AND THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRACT OUT WITH OTHER COUNTIES AND YOU'D HAVE TO TRANSPORT THE BODIES TO THEM.
THEY COULD DO THE WORK THERE, AND THEN YOU'D TRANSPORT THEM BACK HOME.
BUT SO THE COSTS WOULD BE HIGH FOR THAT CONTRACTING OUT, BUT IT IS AN OPTION.
DOWN THE ROAD, THAT'S WHAT THEIR PLAN IS IS TO INCREASE CAPACITY.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SOME DOCTORS THAT HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO COVER IN OTHER COUNTIES.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
THEY ARE VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, AND IT'S A LINE OF WORK THAT NOT TOO MANY NEW GRADS ARE MOVING INTO EITHER.
>> WELL, WE JUST HAD A SITUATION THE OTHER DAY WHEN I CALLED YOU UP, I HAD A LADY WHO THE DEATH CERTIFICATE.
THE NAMES WERE NOT DONE CORRECTLY, AND IT WASN'T ANYTHING AT THE COUNTY.
I THINK IT WAS A MORTUARY IS WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF IT.
THAT WAS SENT BACK, AND WE HAD TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH THAT, AND YOUR DEPARTMENT DID.
BUT IT'S A VERY DELICATE AND AND A VERY, SAD, AND THESE ARE PEOPLE'S LOVED ONES, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES WITH THAT.
>> HONESTLY, YESTERDAY AND TODAY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE JOBS AND THE SERVICES THE COUNTY PROVIDES IS VERY, TO ME, OVERWHELMING, EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
I'M JUST STILL AND TOMORROW, WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER DAY OF DEPARTMENTS.
IT IS A LOT, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OF EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON.
THEY KNOW ABOUT ROADS, AND THEY KNOW ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
VOTING. BUT, MAN, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS, SO YES.
>> I THINK IT'S AMAZING, MADAM CHAIR, THAT 3% IS COVERED BY THE COUNTY AND 97% IS GRANTS.
THAT'S GOOD, BUT IT ALSO LEAVES US A LITTLE VULNERABLE TOO, DOESN'T IT?
>> WELL, THERE MAY BE TIMES WHERE I NEED TO COME TO YOU FOR HELP AND ACTUALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE SOME ARPA FUNDS OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT WE COULD JUSTIFY UNDER THE CLINIC, BECAUSE WHEN THIS MERGER HAPPENED, OUR CLINIC WAS HEADED IN A REAL BAD DIRECTION.
IT WAS JUST ABOUT TO HAVE TO CLOSE ITS DOORS AND PROJECTED TO HAVE ABOUT A $2.5 MILLION SHORTFALL.
THANKS TO A LOT OF HARD WORK AND A LOT OF VACANCY SAVINGS AND DOING THINGS THAT MADE THINGS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THANKS TO THE BOARD, AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT FOR ADVOCATING FOR THE NEED FOR ARPA FUNDS TO HELP MAKE US WHOLE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH SOME REALLY TOUGH TIMES AND THIS YEAR, WE'RE THANKFULLY NOT PROJECTED AT A SHORTFALL, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING OUR WAY.
THERE MAY BE TIMES WHERE I NEED TO COME BACK AND SAY, THESE SERVICES ARE NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO SUSTAIN THEM.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY EFFICIENT SO FAR, AND WE BARELY ASK FOR MUCH WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE VERY AGGRESSIVE IN GOING AFTER GRANTS, BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THAT.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.
[04:20:02]
I JUST WANT TO INFORM YOU ON WHAT WE NEED, SO THAT WHEN THAT RAINY DAY HAPPENS OR WHEN ANYTHING COMES OUR WAY THAT WAS UNFORESEEN OR EVEN IF IT WAS FORESEEN, THAT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP US WEATHER IT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT THE COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON.>> WELL, THANK YOU, LESLIE SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT DID.
>> IF I CAN MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS HERE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED VERSUS WHAT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, UNDER THE NOT RECOMMENDED, WE HAD THE ONE RECURRING ASK FOR THE NEW MEDICAL EXAMINER, $355,000 AND I THINK YOU'VE ALL HAD THAT CONVERSATION HERE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST THERE.
WE'LL DO THE BEST TO PIECE IT TOGETHER, ANOTHER YEAR, BUT I THINK LESLIE'S RIGHT AT SOME POINT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A PERMANENT CHANGE THERE.
HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET BY ANOTHER YEAR BY SUPPLEMENTING SOMEHOW.
THEN THE ONE TIME, YOU'LL SEE THEY HAD THE IEO MODULAR SETUP.
WE'RE MOVING THAT AS A RECOMMENDATION TO FUNDED WITH THE $370,000 SAVINGS ON THE ROOF FROM YESTERDAY.
THAT LEAVES THE COLA AND MERIT CONTRIBUTION OF $615,000.
I'D START WITH FOR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO BE PRIMARILY GRANT FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT FUNDED.
WE'RE REALLY NOT OUT OF MAYBE A LITTLE HIGHER HERE, BUT NOT OUT OF THE NORM FOR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
HAVING SAID THAT, I DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S A GROWING LIFT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE COLA AND MERIT INCREASE WITHIN A GRANT FUNDED DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS RECOMMENDATION IS BUILT ON THE PREMISE OF DO THE VERY BEST YOU CAN TO ABSORB AS MUCH OF THOSE COSTS BASED ON THE BOARD'S FINAL DECISION.
IF, IN FACT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY CANNOT, THOUGH, I SEE THAT AS A COUNTY OBLIGATION THAT WE WILL NEED TO COVER.
HISTORICALLY, IN MY OPINION, WE'VE LOOKED AT COMMUNITY HEALTH AS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
FOR ME, IF YOU'RE A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, YOU'RE A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, AND REGARDLESS OF HOW THAT DEPARTMENT'S FUNDED, YOU SHOULD BE TREATED THE SAME FOR COLA AND MERIT.
THAT'S WHERE I'M AT ON THOSE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MANAGER THOMPSON. I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND LIKE I SAID, I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THOSE MERITS AND COLAS, AND THERE WERE THOSE YEARS WHERE WE GOT NOTHING, AND WE HAD GRANT FUNDING TO PAY THEM.
I WOULD BEG THE COUNTY TO SAY, WE CAN WE GIVE OUR STAFF COLAS AND MERITS IF WE CAN AFFORD IT? YET WE WERE TREATED THE SAME AS THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
NOW WE'RE IN AN OPPOSITE SITUATION WHERE WE MAY STRUGGLE TO COVER SOME OF THOSE BECAUSE OF LEVEL FUNDING, AND YET, WE'LL DO OUR BEST, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
IF WE DO NEED TO, WE WILL COME BACK AND ASK TO, HELP WITH THAT.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, KATHY AND I WILL WORK ON OUR BUDGETS AND MAKE SURE WE CAN HOUSE THOSE INCREASES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU.
LYNN, YOU GET TO DO THIS AGAIN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. AGAIN, I GUESS CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LYNN WHITMAN, DIRECTOR OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL DISTRICT.
SO OUR MAJOR SERVICES ARE REGULATION THAT INCLUDES FLOODPLAIN, DRAINAGE, GRADING, AND STORMWATER, WHICH IS WATER POLLUTION.
MITIGATION, THAT'S WHERE WE BUILD, DESIGN AND BUILD PROJECTS TO HELP PROTECT AGAINST FLOODING.
THEN OUR FLOOD WARNING SYSTEM, WE HAVE ABOUT 120 GAUGES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, RAIN GAUGES, WEATHER STATIONS, AND STREAM GAUGES.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ALERT SYSTEM WAS BASED ON TECHNOLOGY FROM THE 1970S, AND SO WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS UPDATING THAT TO ALERT 2.
THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN UPDATED TO NEWER, BETTER, MORE RELIABLE TECHNOLOGY.
WE DEVELOPED A HANDBOOK FOR OUR HYDROLOGISTS DO ALL OF OUR PERMIT REVIEWS, AND IN THE OLD DAYS, IT WAS EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF, AND THEY INTERPRETED REGULATIONS DIFFERENTLY.
WE'VE CREATED A HANDBOOK WHERE EVERYBODY'S CONSISTENT DOING THINGS THE SAME WAY, AND IT ALSO HELPED MOVING FORWARD THAT IT CONTINUES TO BE CONSISTENT.
WE HAD TWO MITIGATION PROJECTS THAT WE COMPLETED.
WELL, ONE OF THEM WE'RE DOING NOW, BUT BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR,
[04:25:01]
WE WILL HAVE COMPLETED TWO MITIGATION PROJECTS IN THE MAYOR AREA.WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TRAINING OUR HYDROLOGISTS TO GET THEM UP.
RIGHT NOW I'M REVIEWING A LOT OF THE ENGINEERING, WHICH I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR, AND I SHOULDN'T BE DOING, SO WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THEM TRAINED UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
WE ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, WOULD LIKE TO BRING SOME OF OUR DESIGN AND PLANNING PROJECTS IN HOUSE.
WE'VE GOT A DISTRICT ENGINEER NOW THAT IS INTERESTED IN DOING THAT.
THEN WE HAVE A GRANT TO UPDATE OUR DRAINAGE DESIGN MANUAL, AND IT'S GOING TO BE COUNTY WIDE.
WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE GOING TO REALLY BRING THAT UP TO DATE TO CURRENT STANDARDS.
CHALLENGES. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH FEMA.
WE EXIST BECAUSE OF A STATE STATUTE.
WE WOULDN'T GO AWAY, BUT IT WOULD DEFINITELY CHANGE SOME THINGS FOR US.
IT'S LIKE ONE OF THOSE, LIKE, EVERY DAY, YOU WAKE UP, YOU CHECK THE NEWS, AND YOU GO, WELL, MAYBE THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE.
THE BIGGEST CHANGE RIGHT NOW FOR US IS WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE GRANT FUNDING THAT WE'RE LOSING AS SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS GO AWAY.
I THINK OUR DRAINAGE DESIGN MANUAL IS GOING TO BE A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK NOT ONLY WITH THE COMMUNITIES, BUT WITH THE CONTRACTORS AND THE PUBLIC AND REALLY PUT TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE MANUAL THAT WE CAN USE MOVING FORWARD.
WE ALWAYS LOOK LIKE WE HAVE MORE MONEY THAN WE DO AND THAT'S PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF THE IGA PROGRAM, A LOT OF COMMUNITIES DON'T SPEND THEIR MONEY ALL AT ONCE, AND SO IT CARRIES INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
WE'VE GOT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY THAT HAS BEEN CARRYING OVER FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND SO THAT'S PART OF IT.
THE OTHER PART IS WE'VE GOT A REALLY BIG PROJECT IN HOKE GON THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IN 2020.
COVID PUT BASH ON THAT, AND NOW WE'RE WAITING FOR THE CITY OF PRESCOTT TO FINISH A PROJECT.
THAT'S A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'RE CARRYING OVER UNTIL WE CAN GET IN THERE AND DO OUR PROJECT OURSELVES.
THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO RECLASSIFY ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES FROM ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ONE TO A PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS.
>> WELL, THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, LYNN AND YOU'RE ALWAYS VERY EFFICIENT AND AGAIN, YOU OPERATE SIMILAR.
YOU'RE DEALING WITH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MUNICIPALITIES AS THE LIBRARY GIVES CONTRIBUTIONS, WHICH IS OUR NEXT DIRECTOR TO THE MUNICIPALITIES.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP WHERE WHAT YOU DO.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE WE BEEN WITH DOING THAT WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES?
>> IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN AS STRUCTURED AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
IT USED TO BE THEY WOULD ASK FOR MONEY, AND WE WOULD GIVE IT TO THEM.
BUT I'VE FOUND RECORDS BACK TO MAYBE 2006, 2007.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DIDN'T DO IT BEFORE THEN.
IT'S JUST THAT'S HOW FAR BACK I'VE LOOKED.
>> SO I APPRECIATE YOU YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR US.
I KNOW ALWAYS, A PERSON THAT LOOKS FOR THE SOLUTION, AND YOU ALWAYS DO FIND IT.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR DEMAND.
>> I DON'T GO BIG [INAUDIBLE].
>> WE GOT TO BE WATCHING THE WATER COMING OFF A STRING FIELD, AND MAYBE HOKE GONE WAITING A LITTLE BIT IS GOING TO BE A GOOD THING BECAUSE THAT'LL GET MORE DEFINED?
>> WELL, IT'S DESIGNED, IT'S READY TO GO, AND WE WANTED TO GET IT DONE BEFORE STRINGFIELD.
WE WERE REALLY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE.
BUT IT'S A HISTORICALLY CHALLENGING AREA THAT'S BEEN HAVING FLOODING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
IT WAS TO GET THAT ALL ORGANIZED AND PUT TOGETHER SO THAT WE COULD REDUCE THAT FLOODING BEFORE STRINGFIELD WAS BUILT.
>> ARE YOU BEING HAVING INPUT INTO THE NEW ZONING STUDY THAT'S ON.
>> BECAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT, THE PEOPLE OUT IN PALDEN, WHERE EVERY TIME THERE'S A RAIN EVENT, THEY'RE CUT OFF.
>> WHICH MAKES IT A DANGER, SOMEHOW TO NOT ALLOW BUILDING IN THOSE AREAS OR SOME MITIGATION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THROUGH A PAD RATHER THAN JUST HAVE THESE WILDCAT THINGS THAT CREATE AN EMERGENCY EVERY TIME.
>> YES, WE ARE NOT A FAN OF THE WILDCAT.
>> YOU GUYS ARE WORKING WITH THE ZONING STAFF.
>> WE'RE A PART OF THAT PROCESS, FOR SURE.
>> YEAH, WE WORK REALLY WELL WITH THEM.
>> MADAM CHAIR, MAY I MAKE SOME CLARIFICATIONS.
I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE AND CLARIFY TO MAKE SURE I'M CORRECT IN ASSUMING THAT ALL OF THESE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT FUNDING THAT'S LEVIED SEPARATELY FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THAT TAX ALSO GOES DOWN OR THAT RATE GOES DOWN CONSISTENTLY WITH PROPERTY VALUES AS WELL.
THAT'S CONTINUING TO GO DOWN IN A NORMAL FASHION?
[04:30:03]
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO AT&T, YOU CAN'T CAPTURE APPRECIATION.
THE RATE HAS TO BE REDUCED IN ORDER TO AVOID CAPTURING APPRECIATION IN VALUE.
>> JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE NOTHING WAS BUDGETED DIFFERENTLY.
>> TO ADD ON, CORRECT. THE BOARD WILL BE ADOPTING DURING THE ADOPTED BUDGET, THE RATES.
THE COUNTY RATE, FLOOD CONTROL, AS WELL AS THE LIBRARY DISTRICT.
BASED UPON THE RESOURCES THAT FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WAS RECOMMENDING THIS YEAR, WE HAVE THEM IN THERE AS A T&T RATE, SO THE RATE WOULD BE RATE WOULD BE CHANGING FROM, THE FY 25 RATE OF 6.1674-1599, SO THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED RIGHT AT THE TNT RATE.
THAT WOULD BE A REDUCTION BASED UPON THE REQUESTS PUT FORWARD BY THE BLOOD CONTROL DEPARTMENT.
>> THIS ASK OF $7,000 RECLASSIFICATION, IT'S NOT LIKE WE COULD USE THAT IN, WE COULDN'T USE THAT IN ANOTHER AREA OF THE BUDGET.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT IN THE CONVERSATION.
>> SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU ANY BETTER WAY TO SPEND YOUR MONEY.
I THINK YOU PROBABLY HAVE A GOOD IDEA THERE.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU.
HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON AND YOUR PATIENCE, TOO.
IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
COREY. LIBRARIES. BEST FOR LAST TODAY.
>> CHAIR, MALLORY. VICE CHAIR COMPTON. WHAT'S THAT?
>> YOU SAID MALLORY AND SAID, ARE WE DONE?
>> [LAUGHTER] I'M LIKE, I GOT THE TITLE RIGHT. DIRECTOR MALLORY.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR ABOUT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT TODAY.
I'M COREY CHRISTIANS, YOUR COUNTY LIBRARIAN AND YOUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR.
MARTY MADE ME PROMISE TO KEEP THIS UNDER AN HOUR.
ABSOLUTELY UNDER AN HOUR. [INAUDIBLE].
>> THAT WORKS FOR ME. YEAH. NO, SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT.
WE OPERATE 15 LIBRARY BRANCHES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THIS IS PART OF OUR CORE SERVICE.
WE SERVE APPROXIMATELY 34,000 RESIDENTS DIRECTLY WITH THOSE BRANCHES.
THIS IS LIKE ASH FORK, BLACK CANYON CITY, DEWEY HUMBOLDT, CLARKDALE, SOME OF THOSE AREAS WHERE WE OFFER DIRECT LIBRARY SERVICES.
I'LL ALSO MENTION THAT WE HAVE SEEN INCREDIBLE GROWTH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
THIS IS POST COVID, SO THE LAST TWO YEARS.
FOR INSTANCE, LIBRARY VISITS IN OUR BRANCH LIBRARIES HAVE INCREASED 82,000-116,000, WHICH IS NEARLY A 50% INCREASE IN TWO YEARS.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT HOW OUR LIBRARIES ARE INCREASING IN USAGE AS FAR AS THE BRANCHES GO, I'M GENERALLY TALKING DOUBLE OR TRIPLE DIGIT INCREASES JUST IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
THIS ISN'T TWO OR THREE OR 4%.
THESE ARE MASSIVE INCREASES. PROGRAM ATTENDANCE.
SUMMER READING PROGRAM STAR WARS DAY, THOSE THINGS, THEY'VE ALMOST DOUBLED FROM FY 22-FY 24 17,000-28,000.
HUGE INCREASES WITH PEOPLE GOING TO PROGRAMMING, CIRCULATION OF BOOKS, WHICH IN MOST LIBRARIES IS GOING DOWN, ACTUALLY. OURS WENT 16,6000-183,000.
A 20,000 INCREASE IN PEOPLE CHECKING OUT BOOKS.
NOTARIZED DOCUMENTS, INCREASED BY 300 FROM FY 22 TO 2,400 TODAY.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THOSE 15 BRANCHES, AND THEY'RE NOTARIZING 2,400 DOCUMENTS A YEAR, WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG LIFT.
WE ALSO ON TRACK TO CATALOG 27,000 ITEMS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS MORE THAN ALL THE OTHER LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTY COMBINED.
IN SHORT, OUR LIBRARY USAGE IS REALLY SKYROCKETING, AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY BENEFITING FROM USING THOSE LIBRARIES IN LARGE PART BECAUSE IT'S THEIR ONLY CIVIC SERVICE CENTER IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE.
THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE FOR THEM TO GO FOR ANY SERVICE.
THE OTHER THING WE DO IS WE OPERATE THE ABPI LIBRARY NETWORK, WHICH IS A CONSORTIUM OF 58 LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH 26 GOVERNING AUTHORITIES.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP THAT IS
[04:35:02]
$6.43 AS A RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR EVERY DOLLAR OF TAXPAYER FUNDS SPENT.IT IS AN INCREDIBLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR THIS SERVICE.
PART OF WHAT WE DO WITH THIS IS IT ALLOWS ALL COUNTY RESIDENTS TO HAVE A LIBRARY CARD THAT WORKS AT ANY LIBRARY IN THE COUNTY, WHICH IS ANY SCHOOL LIBRARY, ACADEMIC LIBRARY, COLLEGE LIBRARY, PUBLIC LIBRARY, ANY OF THOSE PLACES IT WILL WORK.
AS PART OF THAT, ABOUT HALF OF OUR RESIDENTS IN THIS COUNTY USE THEIR LIBRARY ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THEIR ACTIVE LIBRARY, USERS ALMOST ONE OUT OF TWO.
ON AVERAGE PER CAPITA, THEY CHECK OUT 9.1 ITEMS. NOT ONLY ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY USING THE LIBRARY, BUT THEY'RE USING IT A LOT.
THIS IS ONLY CAPTURING WHEN THEY GET A LIBRARY CARD AND THEY CHECK OUT WITH IT.
INCREASINGLY, A LOT OF OUR SERVICES THESE DAYS, THEY'RE NOT EVEN GETTING A LIBRARY CARD.
THEY'RE COMING IN. THEY'RE ATTENDING A PROGRAM.
THEY'RE DOING THINGS THAT DON'T REQUIRE A CARD TO CHECK SOMETHING OUT.
WE ALSO PROVIDE COURIER SERVICE TO 28 LIBRARIES AND TWO COURTHOUSES, AND WE TRANSPORT APPROXIMATELY 250,000 ITEMS A YEAR ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTY.
THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE SHARED AMONGST ALL THE LIBRARIES IN THE LIBRARY NETWORK.
WE ALSO SUPPORT TECHNOLOGIES FOR ALL OF OUR MEMBERS, INCLUDING A LIBRARY CIRCULATION SYSTEM, OR ONLINE CATALOG, AUTHENTICATION PLATFORMS. WE HAVE A COUNTY WIDE CALENDAR SYSTEM, WHICH HAD 6,000 EVENTS IN FY 24.
>> I THINK YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION.
>> MY APOLOGIES, SUPERVISOR MALORY.
>> NO, I HAD. YOU MENTIONED REAL QUICK ABOUT THE GOING ON USING THE COMPUTER, BUT NOT HAVING A LIBRARY CARD? I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT STATEMENT, BUT WHEN I GO TO THE PRESCOTT VALLEY AND I WANT TO USE ANY OF THEIR COMPUTERS, I DO HAVE TO PUT IN MY LIBRARY CARD.
>> YEAH, OUR SYSTEM DOES ALLOW AND THIS IS FOR THE BRANCH LIBRARIES KEEP IN MIND.
PRESCOTT VALLEY WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
I THINK THEY USE A DIFFERENT SYSTEM, BUT THEY CAN PUT IN THEIR CARD TO AUTHENTICATE, OR THEY CAN COME IN AS A GUEST.
OFTENTIMES WE'LL HAVE TOURISTS, WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN.
THEY WANT TO CHECK THEIR E-MAIL.
THEY DON'T WANT A LIBRARY CARD.
THEY JUST WANT TO COME IN AND USE THE SERVICE.
THEY REGISTER AS A GUEST WHEN THEY DO THAT.
>> I DIDN'T SEE THAT OPTION. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
WE ALSO SUPPORT A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY THINGS.
I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE COUNTY WIDE SUPPORT TOO FOR THOSE SYSTEMS. WE HAD 752 HELP HELP TICKETS THAT WE ANSWERED FY 24.
FAR IN TWO THIRDS OR THREE QUARTERS OF THIS YEAR, WE'RE AT 941 TICKETS, SO WE'RE ALREADY AHEAD OF WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.
I ALSO MENTIONED ON THIS TECHNOLOGY PIECE THAT WE DO GET E RATE FUNDING FOR SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE.
SO FAR, ALL THAT FUNDING SEEMS TO BE INTACT AND NOT IMPACTED BY ANY OF THE STUFF FROM THE FEDS.
BUT WE DID GET A CYBERSECURITY GRANT FOR E RATE THAT WE THOUGHT WAS $50,000.
TURNS OUT IT'S ACTUALLY $450,000.
IT'LL ALLOW US TO REALLY IMPROVE CYBERSECURITY IN SOME OF OUR BRANCHES, AND ITS IS PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT HELPING US WITH THAT PROCESS.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE ALSO SUPPORT SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES, SUCH AS OVERDRIVE.
WE ALSO HAVE A MANGO LANGUAGE DATABASE OUR MEMBERS USE ER E-BOOK PLATFORM.
WE ALSO SUPPORT OUR SEVEN MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES.
WE PROVIDE $1.2 MILLION IN DIRECT FUNDING TO OUR AFFILIATE LIBRARIES.
WE ALSO PROVIDE ACCESS TO SUBSCRIPTION DATABASES AND SERVICES, SUCH AS OUR STATE DATABASES, WHICH MAY EVENTUALLY BE IMPACTED BY REDUCTION IN FEDERAL FUNDS BECAUSE THE STATE LIBRARY IS ABOUT HALF FUNDED BY FEDERAL MONIES.
THEN THE UTM LEARNING PLATFORM.
IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND TEAM MANAGEMENT OR INTRO TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, OR YOU WANT TO START YOUR VERY OWN BEEHIVE, YOU CAN DO THAT USING UTOMI.
ALSO, WE HAVE STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING THAT WE PROVIDE OUR PARTNERS IN OUR MUNICIPALITIES.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, DID I SKIP? DID I GET THIS OUT OF? OH, NO, HERE WE GO.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. DESIGNATION AS A UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK RESOURCE CENTER.
WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING THIS HAPPEN.
WE'LL BE ONE OF TWO PUBLIC LIBRARIES, IF YOU INCLUDE THE STATE LIBRARY IN THE STATE THAT WILL BE A PTRC.
WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING THAT HAPPEN.
PART OF WHAT I'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO AS DIRECTOR IS HELP INCREASE OUR RESOURCES TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR BUSINESSES, SO THIS IS A COMPONENT OF THAT.
[04:40:01]
IMPLEMENTATION OF PASSPORT SERVICES.SO FAR BEAVER CREEK HAS COMPLETED FIVE APPLICATIONS SINCE FEBRUARY.
THIS PROGRAM WAS ACTUALLY A LOT MORE POPULAR THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
WE REQUESTED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE BAGHDAD AND SELIGMAN BE PASSPORT ACCEPTANCE CENTERS ALSO.
BUT ALL THEIR APPLICATION WAS THROWN OUT WITH THE TRANSITION, AND THEY'VE NOT BEEN RECONSIDERED SINCE.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO KEEP PUSHING THAT BECAUSE WE DO KNOW IT'S A VALUABLE SERVICE THAT OUR PUBLIC HAS TAKEN A LIKING TO.
ALSO EXPANSION OF SCHOOL LIBRARY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY.
WE DEVELOPED A MODEL. THE STATE LIKED IT.
THEY CAME ON BOARD AND SUPPORTED US THIS LAST YEAR.
IF THERE'S FUNDING FOR IT, WHICH THERE PROBABLY WON'T BE NEXT YEAR, THE STATE LIBRARY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL BASED ON WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
WE ALSO RECEIVED AN ACO AWARD FOR OUR COUNTY WIDE SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICES.
THE SUPPORT THAT THE BOARD HAS GIVEN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES THROUGH THE LIBRARY DISTRICT HAS SEEN A MASSIVE IMPACT.
OVER DECADES, THERE'S BEEN STORY AFTER STORY, HOW SCHOOL LIBRARIES ARE GOING AWAY.
WE'VE ACTUALLY REVERSED THAT TREND IN THIS COUNTY, AND THEY'RE NOW SEEING MORE SUPPORT FROM THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAN THEY'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.
QUITE FRANKLY, AT VERY LITTLE COST TO US, IT'S HAVING A HUGE IMPACT.
WHEN WE'VE ACTUALLY SET A WORKABLE MODEL THAT COULD BE USED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
SO FAR WE'VE DONE 78 TRAINING SESSIONS WITH 32 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND HOW TO OPERATE THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. VERY EXCITING.
DEPARTMENT GOALS FOR FY 26, EXPANSION OF LIBRARY HOURS AND STAFFING.
WE DID DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE COUNTY WIDE PLAN TO INCREASE LIBRARY HOURS AND MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR LIBRARY SERVICES.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, PEOPLE ARE REALLY USING THEIR LIBRARIES, BUT OUR STAFFING LEVELS HAVE REMAINED THE SAME, WELL, SINCE BEFORE I WAS DIRECTOR.
WITH A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS, WE ADD EXPANDED AT BAGHDAD, ARES, AND PALDEN, BUT ALL THE OTHER LIBRARIES HAVE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT.
I RECOMMENDED, AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET IS LEVELS TO PUT EFFECT INTO ONE QUARTER OF THIS PLAN.
IT'LL BE EXCITING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THAT SHOULD THE BOARD BE SO INCLINED TO DO SO.
ALSO, HOPEFULLY, WE'LL COMPLETE THE COUNTYWIDE LIBRARY SERVICES MASTER PLAN.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON WITH THAT SO FAR.
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC HAVE BEEN POSITIVE.
FACILITIES AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH.
BUT THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST COUNTY WIDE MASTER PLAN ON HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT LIBRARY SERVICES.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHERE THIS IS HEADING.
A DIGITAL LITERACY AND ACCESS PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
WE'RE GOING TO SEEK $250,000 IN BID FUNDING TO HELP DIGITAL LITERACY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THAT PLAN WILL ACTUALLY BE UP FOR BOARD APPROVAL AT THE NEXT MEETING.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THAT WILL GO, SHOULD THE BOARD APPROVE THAT PLAN.
US AND PMA COUNTY WILL HAVE THE ONLY DIGITAL LITERACY AND ACCESS PLANS IN THE STATE.
THAT WILL BE A KEY COMPONENT TO GETTING THAT B DIGITAL EQUITY FUNDING, WHICH WE'RE HOPING TO GET $250,000 FOR.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH AZ STRUT TO GET AN E CYCLING PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING, WHICH WILL ACTUALLY HELP KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL LEARN HOW TO REFURBISH COMPUTERS AND GIVE US THE USE OF THOSE COMPUTERS FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD DEVICES WITH THAT DIGITAL EQUITY INITIATIVE GOING FORWARD AFTER THAT.
NOW I HAVE TO SAY, MY PUBLIC SERVICES LIBRARIAN, C KRISTIE KING HAS PUT IN AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK.
SHE BASICALLY WROTE THE ENTIRE PLAN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE REVIEWING NEXT WEEK, AND SHE JUST KEEPS GOING.
IT'S BEEN EXCITING TO SEE WHAT SHE'S BEEN GETTING DONE.
LASTLY, WE'RE WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING A NEW COUNTY WIDE RFID SYSTEM.
THIS WAS A REQUEST OF PRESCOTT PUBLIC AND SEDONA PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE THAT WE LOOK INTO A NEW RFID SYSTEM.
WE'RE SPEARHEADING THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS, AND THEY'RE EVALUATING THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE SUBMITTED RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS COULD IMPACT EVERY LIBRARY IN THE COUNTY.
WE FIRST IMPLEMENTED OUR RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM BACK IN 2008, SO IT'S A GOOD TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
CHALLENGES. A BIT OF THIS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SOME OF IT AT THE STUDY SESSION.
INCREASING CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE MAKING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT VERY DIFFICULT.
THE LAST TIME WE TRIED TO DO A MODIFICATION TO THE BLACK CANYON CITY LIBRARY WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT OF THE LIBRARY.
FACILITIES WAS QUOTING $750,000.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO DO JUST SOMETHING WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT.
THAT'S AN INCREASED CHALLENGE BECAUSE THE COSTS ARE NOT GOING TO GO DOWN, AND THE NEED IS ONLY GOING TO GO UP AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE COUNTY.
ALSO AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR LIBRARY SERVICES IS STRAINING CAPACITY,
[04:45:05]
USAGE IS GOING UP ACROSS EVERY STATISTICAL CATEGORY, AND IN MOST CASES, SIGNIFICANTLY GOING UP.INFLATIONARY AND OTHER INCREASES, STRAINING FUNDING COMMITMENTS AND OPERATIONAL CAPACITY.
THE COST OF TECHNOLOGY IS INCREASING, COST OF OUR PRINTER CARTRIDGES ARE COST OF BOOKS ARE INCREASING.
EVERYTHING JUST CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN COSTS, AND IT CONTINUES TO PUT A STRAIN ON OPERATIONAL RESOURCES.
THOSE ARE THE MAJOR CHALLENGES.
OPPORTUNITIES. DEVELOPING A LONG TERM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO ADDRESS LIBRARY INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
OF COURSE, THE MASTER PLAN WILL HOPEFULLY ADDRESS A HUGE CHUNK OF THAT.
EXPANDING SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.
SERVICES ARE CLEARLY IN DEMAND.
WE WANT TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR USAGE WITH OUR INCREASED HOURS, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A START WITH THAT THIS YEAR. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO SHE'S LIKE I'VE HEARD ALL THIS BEFORE.[LAUGHTER]
YES. OPPORTUNITIES EXPANDING SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
IT'S ACTUALLY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CREATES A LOT OF INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES, BECAUSE FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'VE BEEN CONCENTRATED IN THE MAJOR CITIES, THEY CAN PARTNER WITH THE LIBRARIES TO IMPLEMENT SERVICES OUT IN THE BRANCHES ON A PER-NEEDED SESSION BASIS, AND I THINK AS WE LOOK AT OUR MASTER PLAN AND WE LOOK AT HOW WE DESIGN OUR FACILITIES.
HAVING SPACE LIKE THAT AVAILABLE WHERE OUR NEW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR COULD WORK WITH HOPEFULLY OUR NEW TITLE 1 PROVIDER TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUT INTO RURAL AREAS LIKE THAT.
I KNOW NEVADA HAS A HUGE PROGRAM WHERE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'RE ALSO EXPANDING SERVICES TO LIBRARIES, THROUGH THE YAVAPAI LIBRARY NETWORK OF LIBRARIES, RFID CONVERSION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOSTING CLASSROOM SETS.
SCHOOLS, IF YOU'LL RECALL, WHEN EVERYBODY GOT A COPY OF JOHNNY TREMAIN IN SCHOOL AND EVERYBODY HAD TO READ IT TOGETHER.
TURNS OUT OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES ARE KEEPING ALL OF THESE BOOKS MOST OF THE TIME IN BOXES.
THEY'RE IN THE CATALOG, BUT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO BE USED.
WE PUT UP A PLACE, TELL ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT ALL THOSE BOOKS, WE'RE NOT BUYING ANY NEW BOOKS, TELL THEM ALL THEY'RE THERE, AND THEY CAN PLACE THEM ON HOLD FOR THEIR CLASSROOMS AND THOSE BOOKS CAN START GETTING USED AGAIN.
OUR DIGITAL LITERACY INITIATIVES.
THOSE ARE OUR BIG OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE GOING FORWARD.
THIS HAS OUR LIBRARY DISTRICT GENERAL FUND INCORPORATED WITH ALL OF OUR GRANT FUNDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S ALL GLOMMED TOGETHER IN HERE.
IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT SHOULD COVER, I GUESS, WHAT? FIVE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, I THINK ZACH PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.
[OVERLAPPING] LIKE $5.2 MILLION IS $5.6 MILLION.
IN HERE, WHAT THIS IS IS A CONSOLIDATED ACROSS FUNDS.
IN ORDER TO DO IT SIMILARLY ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS, SOME DEPARTMENTS, ACTUALLY, LIBRARY DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE TOO MANY FUNDS, BUT SOME DEPARTMENTS LIKE PUBLIC HEALTH.
I ACTUALLY CONSOLIDATED THEIR FTES BECAUSE THEY MIGHT HAVE 50 FUNDS INDIVIDUALLY, AND SO THIS SHOWS THE TWO MAJOR ONES WILL BE THE ONE, THE LIBRARY DISTRICT, AND THEN THE LIBRARY, AND THEN THE YLN OR YAVAPAI LIBRARY NETWORK.
>> CORRECT. THOSE TWO TOGETHER WOULD BE THE MAJORITY, PLUS THE LIBRARY DISTRICT ALSO HAS A COUPLE OF OTHER FUNDS WITHIN THIS, AS COREY JUST MENTIONED THROUGH.
BUT IN THE NEXT SLIDE, HE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALIZED BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS BECAUSE THERE WERE A COUPLE OF NEW REQUESTS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
>> PART OF WHY THIS LOOKS SO LARGE IS THAT WE HAD TO BUILD IN A LOT OF CAPACITY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO RUN INTO THE SAME PROBLEM THE SCHOOLS DID WHEN THEY GOT A BIG GRANT.
FOR INSTANCE, IF WE GET THIS $250,000 DIGITAL EQUITY GRANT, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND ANYTHING IF WE DON'T GET IT.
BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE THIS PROGRAM CALLED BRING ON THE BOOKS, WHERE WE GET DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, AND THEN WE BUY BOOKS FOR THE SCHOOLS AT A GREATLY DISCOUNTED RATE, WE PROCESS THEM, WE CATALOG THEM, AND WE PUT THEM RIGHT IN THEIR LIBRARY FOR THEM.
WE NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO GET FOR THAT, SO WE PUT IN $1 MILLION.
WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN GIVE US MONEY,
[04:50:02]
AND WE CAN BUY TEXTBOOKS AND LIBRARY BOOKS AT A GREATLY DISCOUNTED RATE FOR THEM.WE DID THAT LAST YEAR FOR HUMBOLDT FOR $125,000 WORTH OF BOOKS.
WE BASICALLY DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF WHAT THAT MONEY WAS WORTH BY US BUYING THOSE BOOKS INSTEAD OF THEM JUST GETTING IT ON THEIR OWN.
A LOT OF THOSE BIG NUMBERS ARE RELATED TO JUST BUILDING IN CAPACITY FOR THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. BUDGET REQUESTS FOR THIS YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW DURING THE STUDY SESSION, I HAD A LOT OF STUFF I PUT IN THERE.
WE HAVE GOTTEN DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE WHAT WAS APPROVED WAS A LIBRARY NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR.
THIS POSITION IS ACTUALLY PRETTY KEY FOR ME BECAUSE I ELIMINATED IT A WHILE AGO BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS.
I JUST COULDN'T FUND EVERYTHING THAT I HAD FUNDED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THIS WAS A CASUALTY OF THAT PROCESS.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE OPERATING ON A RATIO OF ABOUT 12:1 STAFF FOR EACH MANAGEMENT POSITION.
THIS WOULD HELP GET THAT MORE INTO A REASONABLE AREA AND ALLOW FOR INCREASED COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY NETWORK.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES HAVE HAD IS COMMUNICATION WITH THE LIBRARY DISTRICT.
I'M REALLY HOPING THAT THIS POSITION CAN HELP ENHANCE COMMUNICATIONS WITH ALL THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES AND HELP GIVE A MORE DIRECT FUNNEL TO DEALING WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY'RE HAVING WITH THE LIBRARY NETWORK.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO LIBRARY NETWORK STAFF, A SYSTEMS LIBRARIAN, AND WE HAVE A NETWORKING TECHNICIAN, A SPECIALIST THAT SUPPORT THE LIBRARY NETWORK.
WHEN I WAS IN SOUTH DAKOTA IN A SIMILAR POSITION, WE HAD SEVEN PEOPLE SUPPORTING 90 LIBRARIES.
WE'RE A LITTLE UNDER WHERE WE SHOULD BE, AND THIS POSITION WILL HELP GET US TO HELP INCREASE THOSE COMMUNICATIONS.
WE WERE WITHOUT A SYSTEMS LIBRARIAN FOR EIGHT MONTHS AND IT WAS A SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE.
WE'RE EIGHT MONTHS WITHOUT THE RIGHT SUPPORT.
MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WAS DOING A LOT OF THE WORK BECAUSE THERE WAS NOBODY ELSE TO BACKFILL THAT POSITION.
THIS LIBRARY NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR WILL HELP WITH THAT BACKFILL, WILL HELP WITH COMMUNICATION AND HELP WITH OPERATING THE LIBRARY NETWORK ITSELF.
ALSO, A SERVICE EXPANSION IN DEWEY HUMBOLDT, SELIGMAN, BEAVER CREEK, AND BAGHDAD, THIS IS ABOUT $128,000 WORTH OF ASKS HERE, AND IT DOES ACTUALLY INCREASE FTE BY 1.475, THAT'S NOT NOTED IN YOUR FTE NUMBERS, SO THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE ADDED IN THERE.
THE REASON WE SELECTED THESE PARTICULAR LIBRARIES IS BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR HEAVIEST USED.
WE'RE HOPING TO STANDARDIZE HOURS BETWEEN LIBRARY BRANCHES AS AN OVERALL GOAL.
THIS WILL BE A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION, AND WE'RE ALSO HOPING TO INCREASE OVERLAPPING HOURS FOR SAFETY AND FOR SERVICE AND SECURITY, AND THIS IS A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION AS WELL.
DEWEY HUMBOLDT, FOR INSTANCE, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, HAS SEEN 100% INCREASE IN USAGE.
THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
COMPUTER SESSIONS HAVE INCREASED BY 102%.
PROGRAMS HAVE INCREASED BY 314%.
PROGRAM ATTENDANCE HAS INCREASED BY 109%.
REFERENCE QUESTIONS, PEOPLE JUST ASKING QUESTIONS, HAS INCREASED BY 152%.
ALL THESE NUMBERS ARE INCREASING BY A LOT, WHICH IS WHY DEWEY HUMBOLDT WAS SELECTED FOR ONE OF THOSE CHANGES.
ALSO, SELIGMAN HAS SEEN COMPUTER SESSIONS 83%, PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 310% INCREASE, REFERENCE QUESTIONS 505% INCREASE, PART OF THE REASON THEY WERE SELECTED AS WELL.
PLUS SELIGMAN, A HUGE CHUNK OF ALL THOSE NOTARIES ARE PROCESSED IN SELIGMAN, BECAUSE THE COURT IS RIGHT THERE.
WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU'RE DEDICATING 10-20 MINUTES ON THAT NOTARY.
IF YOU JUST HAVE ONE PERSON AT THAT LIBRARY, IT MEANS EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TO WAIT WHILE THAT TRANSACTION OCCURS.
HELPING WITH THAT DOUBLE COVERAGE WILL MEAN SOMEBODY CAN WORK ON THE NOTARY, AND THEN THE REST OF THE PUBLIC CAN CONTINUE TO BE SERVED.
BECAUSE MOST OF THESE LIBRARIES JUST HAVE TWO PEOPLE WORKING PART TIME IN THEM OR ONE PERSON WORKING FULL TIME, OR IN THE CASE OF CROWN KING, ONE PERSON WORKING PART TIME.
BEAVER CREEK IS ANOTHER AREA, 28% USAGE IN VISITS 11,000 TO 14,000, AND THESE NUMBERS ARE STILL HIGH, BUT THEY'RE NOT AS HIGH BECAUSE BEAVER CREEK IS ALREADY AT CAPACITY.
THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE THEY CAN DO WITH WHAT THEY HAVE GIVEN THAT THEY'RE SERVING THE SCHOOL, AND THEY'RE ALSO SERVING THE PUBLIC.
[04:55:02]
THESE NUMBERS ARE LOWER BECAUSE THEY'RE AT CAPACITY.BUT 36% FOR COMPUTER SESSIONS, PROGRAMS INCREASED BY 13%, SO THEY'VE SEEN SOME PRETTY HEAVY USAGE AS WELL.
IT'S ALSO MY MOST WELL STAFFED LIBRARY AS BEAVER CREEK.
BAGHDAD, 120% INCREASE IN NOTARIES.
THERE ARE NUMBER ONE USAGE OF NOTARIES NOW AS BAGHDAD.
PRESUMABLY, THE MINE HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT, BUT PUBLIC PROGRAMS UP BY 35%, LIBRARY VISITS 55%, ETC.
HEAVY USAGE WITH THOSE FOUR BRANCHES, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE PUTTING THEM AS THE NUMBER ONE BENEFICIARIES OF A BUDGET ENHANCEMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR AFFILIATE CONTRIBUTION INCREASE.
AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, THERE WAS A 475,000 REDUCTION THAT TOOK PLACE TWO YEARS AGO.
THAT'S NOT INCLUDING CHARLOTTE HALL, WHICH I THINK WAS LIKE ANOTHER 15,000 OR SOMETHING.
THIS GOES PART OF THE WAY OF REINSTATING SOME OF THOSE FUNDS THAT WERE TAKEN BACK TO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT.
>> CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ON THAT?
>> DO YOU HAVE THE SPREAD YET FOR THIS YEAR THAT YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IS GOING TO GO TO EACH OF THOSE AFFILIATE LIBRARIES? I KNOW IT WAS VERY PAINFUL CONVERSATION MANY OF US HAD DURING THAT TIME SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE CAN GAIN SOME OF IT BACK.
BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS MUNICIPALITIES USE THAT INFORMATION TO FULFILL THEIR BUDGET.
>> YES. WHAT I HAVE DONE PRELIMINARILY IS I GAVE THEM THE NUMBER THAT WAS THE SAME AMOUNT FROM WHAT THEY GOT THIS YEAR, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE BOARD DETERMINES HOW MUCH THAT IS.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. THEY NEED SOMETHING TO BASE IT OFF OF.
I GAVE THEM AN INITIAL NUMBER.
THEN ONCE THE BOARD APPROVES AN OFFICIAL NUMBER, I'LL UPDATE THEM WITH THAT INFORMATION.
>> I WASN'T QUITE SURE WHAT THE PROCESS WAS. THANK YOU.
>> MADAM CHAIR, DO I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS BUDGET REFLECTS A FLATTENING OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT TAX RATE? THEN WE HAD HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IN THE FUNDING FORMULA FOR THE AFFILIATE LIBRARIES.
IS THIS THE BASE FUNDING ADJUSTMENT OR DOES IT FIT IN SOMEWHERE ELSE WITHIN THE FORMULA?
>> WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS RIGHT NOW, THE BASE AMOUNT THAT WE PUT THROUGH THE FORMULA IS $1.2 MILLION.
WE WOULD ADD $120,000 INTO THAT AMOUNT.
NOW IT WOULD BE $1.34 MILLION OR WHATEVER IT IS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT WOULD GO INTO IT.
IT WOULD ROUGHLY INCREASE THEIR FUNDING BY ABOUT 10%.
>> I'M SORRY. IT'S A 10% INCREASE, AND IT WOULD GO TO YES, JUST RIGHT ABOUT 1.3.
>> SORRY. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO FRAME THAT.
IT ALSO RESTORES 25% OF THE TOTAL THAT'S BEEN CUT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
>> THAT IS AN ATTORNEY ANSWER. SORRY.
>> CONGRATULATIONS. THAT WAS FANTASTIC.
>> I'LL JUST CLARIFY WHY I WAS ASKING THAT IN CASE IT CHANGES IS BECAUSE THE SIZE AND USE OF OUR LIBRARIES VARIES GREATLY.
THE WAY THAT COTTONWOOD VERSUS SEDONA VERSUS ANYWHERE ELSE THAT'S AN AFFILIATE LIBRARY SEES USE.
I KNOW THERE'S ASPECTS OF THE FORMULA THAT'S LIKE HOW MANY BOOKS ARE CHECKED OUT AND THIS AND THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HADN'T CHANGED SINCE OUR CONVERSATION.
>> YES, YOU ARE CORRECT. THE FORMULA HAS REMAINED THE SAME.
THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC HASN'T REALLY BEEN ADDRESSED.
>> I'M SORRY. I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT SINCE THE LAST DISCUSSION OF THIS MATTER WITH THE BOARD, WE'VE HAD A MEETING, ACTUALLY, I ATTENDED WITH THE NETWORK WHERE ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES WERE PRESENT, AND WE DISCUSSED THE FORMULA.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THERE WAS REALLY A GREAT DEAL OF DISSATISFACTION EXPRESSED TOWARD THE FORMULA, AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
IT WAS REALLY ABOUT RESTORING THE CONTRIBUTION, AND THIS IS STEP, OBVIOUSLY IN THAT DIRECTION.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING THAT.
>> THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THEIR 25% INCREASE?
>> THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF THE 25% INCREASE UNTIL THE BOARD TAKES ACTION.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF NOW'S QUITE THE TIME TO ASK IT, BUT I DO NOTICE HERE AND THEN IN ALSO MANY OF THE OTHER BUDGETS, WHAT'S REQUESTED IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN WHAT'S RECOMMENDED.
I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT'S THE CASE HERE WITH
[05:00:03]
THE LIBRARY NETWORK POSITION THAT THEY'VE REQUESTED 136,000 SOMETHING, AND YOU'RE RECOMMENDING 139,000.I'M JUST WONDERING SOME INSIGHTS THERE.
>> IF YOU MENTIONED THE EXACT LINE, I'LL TRY TO SPEAK TO THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, AND THEN I CAN SPEAK MORE BROADLY.
>> PERFECT. GREAT QUESTION ABOUT THAT SUPERVISOR CHECK.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE DEPARTMENTS, WHEN THEY RECOMMEND THEIR BUDGET, THEY'LL MOVE FORWARD WHAT THEY THINK THE ESTIMATED COSTS ARE.
ESPECIALLY WITH POSITIONS, THEY'RE USUALLY DIFFERENTIAL BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BUILT INTO THE COST MODEL YET.
ONCE WE RUN THROUGH THE COST MODEL, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE EXACT STARTING DATE FOR COLA AND MERIT, THAT NUMBER WILL SHIFT A LITTLE BIT.
FOR ALL POSITIONS, USUALLY, THERE'S A DIFFERENTIAL THERE.
>> SOMETIMES THEY GO DOWN THOUGH, AS WELL.
>> CORRECT. IN THAT CASE, IF IT'S A POSITION COST, IT COULD BE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WITH THE RECORDER'S OFFICE, IT MIGHT BE INITIALLY THE ADDITION OF A POSITION, AND THEN WE TALKED WITH THEM AND SAY, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE UP A CERTAIN POSITION IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS FORWARD? IN THAT CASE, IT MIGHT CHANGE THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS WELL.
IT CAN GO BIDIRECTIONALLY, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REQUEST AND ACTUALLY WHAT'S FUNDED.
SOMETIMES IT'S A TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT.
IN THIS CASE, IT'S A TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT, OR IN OTHER CASES, WE MIGHT SWAP IN AND OUT OF POSITION, OR I GUESS A THIRD CASE WOULD BE, IT JUST THERE'S NOT FUNDING AVAILABLE.
INSTEAD OF, SAY, FOUR VEHICLES, ONE VEHICLE MOVES FORWARD.
>> BUT IF I CAN, I THINK, TO ADDRESS YOUR BASE QUESTION, THE DEPARTMENT'S DOING THEIR BEST TO MAKE AN ESTIMATE ON THE COST.
ONCE IT GETS SUBMITTED, THEN STAFF RUN IT THROUGH AS ZACH SAID, THE FORMULA AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ADD THE APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COLA AND THE MERIT.
THEN THE ERES, THEY MIGHT BE OFF A LITTLE BIT ON THOSE, CALCULATE THE FICA TAX, THE HEALTH INSURANCE, ALL OF THOSE FINAL CALCULATIONS.
>> THEY COULD BE ESTIMATING A LITTLE HIGHER OR A LITTLE LOWER, BUT THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST TO GET IT AS CLOSE AS THEY CAN, AND THEN WE PROVIDE THE FINAL NUMBER.
>> I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING THE JOB MARKETPLACE, THAT YOU CAN'T HIRE SOMEBODY FOR $136,000, AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT RIGHT?
>> ACTUALLY, IN THIS CASE, IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION OF ONE, HOW DO WE GET TO THE COST OF THE POSITION? MOST OF THE TIME, THE DEPARTMENTS ALREADY UTILIZING A POSITION WE HAVE A MARKET AND RANGE FOR.
IN SOME CASES, IT MAY BE A PLACEMENT OF WHEN THE DEPARTMENT SUBMITS IT, ARE THEY SUBMITTING AT THE MAXIMUM OF THE POSITION, THE MIN, OR THE MIDDLE RANGE OF THE POSITION, SO THAT COULD BE PART OF THE ADJUSTMENT AS WELL.
WE DO. BUT REALLY, ONE OF THE OTHER ASPECTS IS IS WE DO POSITION BUDGETING, BUT DEPARTMENTS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT POSITION DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO A POSITION BUDGETING THIS YEAR.
THEY DO THE CALCULATIONS OFFLINE, AND AFTERWARDS, WE RUN IT THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING INTO LATER TO TRY TO HAVE THEM SUBMIT IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM, AND THERE'S SOME TRAINING AND OTHER PIECES TO IT.
IT JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR US THIS YEAR TO DO TO HAVE MORE CLARITY BETWEEN THE TWO.
>> YES, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS EARLIER, SINCE THIS IS THE LAST PRESENTATION FOR TODAY.
BUT ON THESE POSITIONS, ARE THEY ALL CALCULATED FULL YEAR, OR DO YOU CALCULATE THE ACTUAL WHEN YOU ANTICIPATE HIRING THEM BECAUSE THAT'S THE PRACTICE THAT I'M USED TO, BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME.
ARE THESE ALL PUT IN FOR A FULL YEAR?
ALL THE POSITIONS WILL BE CALCULATED ON THE FULLY ANNUALIZED COST OF IT, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDED PRACTICE WITH THE IDEA THAT IF WE WERE TO FUND THIS HALFWAY, EVEN IF THE INTENT IS TO HIRE SOMEONE MIDWAY BETWEEN THE YEAR, NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE TO MAKE UP THAT SECONDARY AMOUNT, SO THERE IS THE EXPECTATION OF A FULLY FUNDED POSITION WHEN IT MOVES FORWARD.
>> FOR THIS YEAR, THOUGH, YOU MAY COME IN UNDER BUDGET BECAUSE THE PERSON MAY NOT BE THERE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CUSHION YOU HAVE FOR OTHER THINGS THAT MAY OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> I KNOW THAT THE NEXT YEAR WOULD BE THE FULL YEAR.
WE'RE GETTING THE PICTURE OF THE LONG TERM IMPACT TO THE ORGANIZATION. YES.
>> CORRECT. JUST ONE OTHER SMALL NOTE, WE DON'T CURRENTLY TAKE OUT VACANCY SAVINGS FOR, SAY, A THREE MONTH HIRING PROCESS.
BUT THERE IS THE UNDERSTANDING WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION THAT THE POSITION COSTS DO NOT CROSS OVER TO THE NON POSITION COSTS FOR ANY AVAILABLE SAVINGS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
>> I NOTICED THAT ONE THING YOU DIDN'T GET WAS A NEW VEHICLE, WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING WHERE ONE OF THE HAND ME DOWNS OR TWO OF THE HAND ME DOWNS CAN GO TO THE LIBRARY? I KNOW WE JUST SENT THAT VAN AWAY TO ANOTHER COUNTY FOR 3,500 BUCKS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'D BE INTERESTED IN GETTING?
>> WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST.
IT DOES HELP US ON THE COST OF THE VEHICLE.
BUT WHEN THE NEW VEHICLE, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO PAY THE VEHICLE USAGE FEE TO
[05:05:01]
GO WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE A SPECIAL DISTRICT, STUFF LIKE VEHICLE USAGE FEES OR RENT FOR OUR LOCATION AT TRIPLE C OR JANITORIAL SERVICES, WE HAVE TO REIMBURSE THE COUNTY FOR ALL THOSE EXPENSES.WE WOULD STILL SEE SOME INCREASED COST, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD NOT SEE THE COST OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE COUNTY WOULD, PRESUMABLY JUST LET US USE ONE OF THEIR ONES IN THE FLEET POOL THAT WAS GOING TO GO TO AUCTION. I ANSWER THAT RIGHT.
>> JUST LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I MEAN, REMEMBER, RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE SETTING WITH A DIFFERENT HAT ON.
YOU'RE A DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT, SEPARATE TAXING DISTRICT.
>> WELL, I'M JUST LOOKING TO STICK IT TO THE COUNTY AND GET [LAUGHTER] ONE OF THEIR CHECKS.
GOING BACK ABOUT 10 MINUTES AGO, SO, I THINK PRESCOTT WAS FEELING LIKE THEY WEREN'T GETTING THEIR FAIR CUT.
ARE THEY BETTER NOW KNOWING THAT THIS 25% MIGHT BE RESTORED OR NO? SHOULD I STAY AWAY FROM THAT ONE? [OVERLAPPING]
>> CAN WE PASS RIGHT NOW, SUPERVISOR.
>> I CANNOT SPEAK TO PRESCOTT IN PARTICULAR, BUT I CAN SPEAK TO SOME OTHER AFFILIATE LIBRARIES THAT ANYTHING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION IS DEFINITELY RESTORING A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP, SO.
>> IN REFERENCE TO THE MEETING THAT MR. BRENNAN MENTIONED, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE WILL OF THE BOARD WOULD BE AT THE TIME, AND, YOU KNOW, STILL WON'T AFTER THIS.
I THINK THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT, BUT IT WAS CLEAR THAT 1.2 MILLION WAS THE PLACE WHERE THEY WANTED TO WORK RATHER THAN SAY THE FORMULA FOR ITSELF OR OTHER AREAS.
>> AND FOR CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE I THINK YESTERDAY THREW OUT A NUMBER, AND I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CORRECT.
BUT WITH THE FLATTENING OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT TAX, WHAT IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT INCREASE? WE'LL HAVE TO JUSTIFY IN THE TRUTH AND TAXATION COMPONENT, SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS? I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE AWARE BECAUSE THE ELECTEDS ARE REALLY THE ONES THAT TAKE THE HEAT ON IT.
>> GREAT QUESTION THERE. THE BUDGET IS CURRENTLY BUILT WITH AT A FLAT TAX RATE.
THE FY 25 TAX RATE IS 0.1346, AND THE RECOMMENDED TAX RATE WOULD BE 0.1346 AGAIN, WITH AN INCREASE OF 296,000.
[BACKGROUND] JUST AT ALMOST AT 300.
>> THE 296 INCLUDES NEW CONSTRUCTION, RIGHT?
>> THAT WOULD BE THE T&T PLUS THE MEANING, IT WOULD BE A FLAT TAX RATE, CORRECT?
>> THE DIFFERENTIAL IS A LITTLE UNDER 180,000.
THAT'S THE AMOUNT BEING ACTUALLY RAISED.
>> CORRECT THE END THE DIFFERENTIAL IS 180,000 COUNTYWIDE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A NOTE THAT AS YOU MENTIONED, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WE ARE THE BOARD OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT NOW.
OUR RURAL LIBRARIES DO NEED OUR ATTENTION.
I'VE BEEN HERE AND I'VE BEEN PART OF THIS FOR COREY WHEN HE'S ALWAYS WANTED TO GET MORE MONEY, AND WE'VE ALL THE FIRST BOARD IN 2019 SAID, NO, THE NEXT TERM OF THAT BOARD SAID, NO, SO THAT WAS FOUR YEARS, SIX YEARS AND NOW, WE'RE ROLLING INTO THIS.
THERE'S HARD DECISIONS COMING FORWARD.
BUT MOST OF I THINK ALL OF YOU DO.
I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR RULE LIBRARIES THAT ARE ALL IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT SERVE MULTI USES FOR THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO AND FOR OUR DIRECTOR BECAUSE SEVEN YEARS HE'S ASKED AND SEVEN YEARS.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU WE SHUT HIM DOWN EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
HIS TIME IS REALLY, I THINK NOW.
JUST GOT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
>> BUT, EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING TIES IN TOGETHER, NO MATTER WHAT HAT WE'RE WEARING.
I MEAN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH FACILITIES, WHERE HE SAYS, DO WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THIS FROM A LITTLE VILLAGE STANDPOINT WHEN WE DO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS? I THINK WATER USAGE AT THE SELIGMAN LIBRARY WILL GO DOWN ONCE WE BUILD THIS OTHER BUILDING, BECAUSE YOUR TOILETS WON'T BE GETTING USED AS MUCH. IT ALL DOES.
BUT, WHEN YOU, REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, IT ALL TIES IN TOGETHER, AND WE'RE ALL SERVING AND TAXING THE SAME PEOPLE,
[05:10:02]
BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT HAT WE'RE WEARING, IT'S THE SAME CITIZEN THAT'S PAYING EVERY ONE OF THOSE TAX BILLS.>> YOU BET ONE LAST ITEM, RFID TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S ACTUALLY 65,000 I'M ASKING FOR IN THE LIBRARY DISTRICT LEVIED PART OF THE BUDGET.
THE REMAINDER OF IT COMES FROM OUR LIBRARY NETWORK MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNT, AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE LIBRARY NETWORK MEMBERSHIP BEFORE IT CAN BE EXPENDED.
THEN, THESE ARE ALL ONE TIME PURCHASES, $20,000 FOR CAMERAS.
WE HAVE A REPLACEMENT CYCLE PLAN.
WE HAVE A REPLACEMENT PLAN FOR ALL OF OUR TECHNOLOGY.
THESE ARE JUST UP FOR REPLACEMENT.
>> I JUST HAD ONE WITH OUR COUNTY HAT ON.
WE HAD A $370,000 SAVINGS ON THAT ROOF, WHICH WAS EXCELLENT AND THEN YOU TRANSFERRED DIFFERENT FACILITIES OVER TO HEALTH TO FUND THAT POSITION, CORRECT?
>> IS ONE RECOMMENDED. NO, I'M SORRY.
>> FOR THE MODULAR. HOW MUCH OF THAT 370 IS ANY OF IT BEEN USED? IT WAS JUST USED FOR THE MODULAR, CORRECT?
>> WELL, IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU HAVE SAVINGS LIKE THAT, I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE MAY HAVE HAD SAVINGS, AND WE MAY WANT TO DIRECT IT, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST ON THAT 370, WE GOT 220 LEFT OVER, AND THAT'S 2.2 YEARS OF SUPERVISOR KING'S REQUEST.
THE MONEY IS SITTING THERE AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
NOW I KNOW YOU HAVE THE MONEY, SO I APPRECIATE IT.
>> I'M STILL LOOKING FOR THAT 2.2 MILLION DOLLAR.
>> BUT YOU GET MY POINT. I WOULD JUST THE BOARD COULD COLLECTIVELY MAKE A DECISION WHERE THESE EXTRA FUNDS ARE.
>> WE WEREN'T NOTIFIED OF IT UNTIL JUST NOW.
I WOULD LIKE A LIST OF WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE SO WE COULD MAYBE DECIDE AS A BOARD, HEY, WE GOT AN EXTRA MILLION DOLLAR, NOT THERE'S GOING TO BE 1 MILLION, BUT YOU UNDERSTAND MAR.
>> YES. [OVERLAPPING]. THAT 370 IS ALL THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED SO FAR.
AGAIN, YOU HEARD THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO COVER THE 150.
AGAIN, THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION. I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> I JUST HEARD THE 150 WAS, BUT THERE WAS AN EXTRA 226.
>> I HAVE TO SAY, WE HAVE SO MUCH NEEDS.
IT IS OVERWHELMING ON THE MONEY WE HAVE.
WE'RE BARELY MAKING IT RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT BALANCES.
ARE WE OFFERING THINGS THAT MAYBE WE'RE OFFERING TOO MUCH? I HAD A LADY COME UP TO ME AND SAY, DO YOU HAVE MUCH WASTEFUL SPENDING IN THE COUNTY? WELL, I DON'T FEEL THAT WE DO AT ALL.
BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SERVICES DO WE KEEP OFFERING THE EVALUATION OF SERVICES TO FUNDING.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO KEEP GOING WITH THE SERVICES, AND THAT'S TO HAVE TO RAISE THE FUNDING, WHICH WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
THAT'S ANOTHER HARD QUESTION I BELIEVE WE'RE AT.
WHERE ARE THE SERVICES? WHAT IS THE NECESSITY ARE WE WILLING TO LOOK AT MORE FUNDING OR BRINGING, MORE MONEY IN OR ARE WE LOOKING AT EVALUATING WHAT SERVICES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT? I GET A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT GROWING ANY MORE SERVICES BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW LOOKING AT ALL THIS AND WE STILL HAVE TOMORROW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT AT THE RATE WE'RE GOING.
>> MADAM CHAIR, MAY I KNOW WE'RE IN OUR WRAP UP PHASE, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON PROCESS THAT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE HEARING FROM OUR DIRECTORS AS MUCH AS WE HAVE.
A LOT OF ITS INFORMATION THAT A LOT OF US ALREADY KNOW, AND WHAT I SEE MISSING IN THIS PROCESS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME MAYBE TO TALK COMPREHENSIVELY ABOUT, WHAT WE'VE HEARD.
I DON'T KNOW HOW QUICKLY THINGS WILL GO TOMORROW, BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF SETTING, ANOTHER HALF DAY ASIDE TO ACTUALLY TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE POSSIBILITIES.
THIS CLEARLY ISN'T A RUBBER STAMP BUDGET YEAR.
I THINK WE MAY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO PROCESS THOSE OPTIONS AND FLESH OUT WHAT THE BOARD'S DESIRE TRULY IS AT THE END OF ALL THESE, CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN A [NOISE] LOT OF ENERGY TO TO DIGEST, IF YOU WILL.
>> THANK YOU, IF I CAN RESPOND, CHAIR.
HOPEFULLY, I'D START WITH NO YEARS THAT OF
[05:15:02]
RUBBER STAMP [LAUGHTER] ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.SEE, THAT'S STAFF'S JOB TO BRING FORWARD A PROPOSAL BASED ON WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, GAUGING WHERE WE ARE AS A ORGANIZATION.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, ULTIMATELY, THAT'S THE BOARD'S DECISION TO MAKE ON HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE THE LAST TWO DAYS HAVING A SIMILAR THOUGHT.
I THINK WE'RE LIKELY GOING TO NEED TO SCHEDULE SOME ADDITIONAL TIME, JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW AT THE END OF YESTERDAY, AND WE'LL DO AT THE END OF THE DAY, STAFF HUDDLE UP AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD, WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS? HOW DO WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR TOMORROW? I INTEND TO START THINKING ABOUT THAT TODAY. WE STILL HAVE TOMORROW.
WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THEN WE'VE GOT SOME TIME ON THE SCHEDULE FOR WRAP UP.
HOPEFULLY, FOR YOU ALL TO GIVE US SOME DIRECTION ABOUT WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
BUT AGAIN, SUPERVISOR CHECK, I PERSONALLY WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO SCHEDULE, MAYBE AT LEAST ONE MORE DAY.
TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE SOME CONVERSATION.
BUT BACK TO YOUR COMMENT, CHAIR, I THINK YOU'RE SEEING WHAT STAFF SAW AND TRYING TO BRING FORTH THIS RECOMMENDATION.
AGAIN, THIS WAS BUILT ON A FLAT TAX RATE.
IF THE BOARD OPTS NOT TO DO THAT, SUPERVISOR CHECK HAS POINTED OUT, WE GOT TO GO BACK AND CUT 2.2 MILLION DOLLAR OUT OF THIS.
IN MY SENSE AND WATCHING YOU AS YOU HEARD THE REPORTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, THAT YOU ALSO SAW A LOT OF NEED THERE, AND YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF NEED THAT I'M PROPOSING THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO DO IT EVEN AT THE FLAT TAX RATE.
>> I'VE BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF THINGS I DON'T MIND LETTING GO OF ALSO.
>> THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO STAFF TODAY TALK ABOUT A PROCESS FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TOGETHER THAT AND PULL ALL THAT TOGETHER.
HEAR FROM YOU, YOUR INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTS ON WHERE WE NEED TO GO.
>> I AGREE WITH SUPERVISOR CHECK, THOUGH.
I THINK WE NEED AT LEAST ANOTHER DAY, POSSIBLY, TOO.
I MEAN, THERE MIGHT BE A DAY OF DISCUSSION AND THEN A DAY OF DIRECTION.
>> YES. DON'T WE HAVE A WELL, BOARD MEETING NEXT WEEK?
>> YES, BUT ALL KIDDING ASIDE.
WE'VE GOT SOME TIME FRAMES THAT WE'VE GOT TO HIT HERE, SO WE'RE GOT TO STAY AT THIS, AND GET IT DONE.
>> I DON'T KNOW. WELL, WHAT YOU TELL US AND WE'LL SHOW UP FOR THE PARTY.
>> WELL, IF EVERYBODY IS GOOD, THEN, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND RECONVINE TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00.
WE WON'T BE STARTING LATE BECAUSE WE COMPLETED TODAY'S TASK, AND I'LL BE SURE TO GET LUNCH ON TIME AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO FIND OUT WHAT TIME THAT IS CAUSE I DIDN'T GET THAT TODAY. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.