* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:02:36] GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER MEETING OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS MEETING. THIS MEETING HAS BEEN APPROPRIATELY NOTICED THROUGH THE CLERK'S OFFICE WITH VERY IMMEDIATE IN THE AREA. WE WILL BEGIN WITH A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, TO THE PLAY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY. I JUSTICE FOR ALL. I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT WE HAVE, UH, FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN ATTENDANCE AND SUPERVISOR KRIEGER GUND DRUM ATTENDING REMOTELY. ITEM TWO ON THE AGENDA IS THE MINUTES OF OUR SEPTEMBER 17TH MEETING. DID ANYONE NOTICE ANY IRREGULARITIES WITH THE MINUTES THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION? IF NOT, THOSE MEETINGS WILL STAND AS PRESENTED. MOVING ON TO, [Call to Order, Roll Call, Affidavit of Posting, A Moment of Silent Prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance] UH, ITEM THREE, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS. ITEM THREE, A [a. Minutes of September 17, 2025] 2025 RESOLUTION APPRECIATION BONUS FOR SALARIED, UM, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES. THIS, UM, RECOMMENDATION OR THIS PROPOSAL RECOMMENDATION WOULD, UH, IF APPROVED, WOULD APPROVE $8,145 AND 13 CENTS OF EXPENSES, UM, WHICH WOULD BE COMPLETE BY REVENUES FROM THE USGA. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR NEWMAN WITH A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR TOMA. [a. 2025 Resolution – Appreciation Bonus for Salaried Sheriff's Office Staff for 80th U.S. Women’s Open] IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ARE ANY OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES. ITEM THREE B IS THE GOVERNMENT CENTER SCREENING POLICY. AND WHO ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO SET THAT TO KICK THAT OFF? I'M ASSUMING IT'S GONNA BE CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY. UH, I CAN. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. UH, I, I KICK IT OFF TODAY. UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF A REMODEL PHASE OF THE MASTER PLAN OF THE JUSTICE CENTER [b. Government Center Screening Policy] AND, UH, THE GOVERNMENT CENTER AND [00:05:01] MOVING OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE BUILDINGS. UH, AND THIS IS A OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION, UH, PREDICATED ON THE FACT THAT THE JUSTICE CENTER DOES NOT ALLOW FOR CONCEALED CARRY OR ANY TYPE OF WEAPONS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. UH, WE DO HAVE A SECURE ENTRANCE TO THAT LOCATION. AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE REMODEL PHASE AND BRINGING OVER OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES OF THE COUNTY CLERK, THE TREASURER, AND THE REGISTER OF DEEDS, THEY'LL BE MOVING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DISCUSSION AND IT'S, UH, IT'S SOMEWHAT TIMELY. AND I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO THE CHIEF OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. SCHMIDT, THAT HE CAN DISCUSS THAT. SO, MR. SCHMIDT, THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION, BY THE WAY, AND, AND WELCOME MR. SCHMIDT. UH, THANK YOU. UH, MY SCREEN IS NUMBER SIX, IF I COULD GET THAT UP ON THE, UP THERE. HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE UP THERE SHORTLY. SEE, NOT COMING THROUGH, TAKES PLACE. OKAY. AS PART OF THE REMODELING EFFORT, UH, AND THIS ONE TO THE, THE BUILDING COMMITTEE, IS THAT THE JUSTICE CENTER ENTRANCE, UH, WHICH IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF OUR BUILDING, WILL BE OUR NEW MAIN ENTRANCE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENTER. UH, AND THAT VESTIBULE, UH, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S, UH, HAD A CHANCE TO WALK DOWN THERE AT SOME POINT. UH, YOU CAN COME INTO THAT VESTIBULE. YOU CAN TAKE A RIGHT TURN, UH, THAT GETS YOU THROUGH SECURITY CHECKPOINT AND GETS YOU INTO THE JUSTICE CENTER. IF YOU GO LEFT, THAT'S WHERE THE CLINIC IS. AND GET DOWN THE HALLWAY TOWARDS THIS BOARDROOM UP. DIFFERENT FLIGHTS OF STAIRS NOT COMING THROUGH. IF YOU USE THE PODIUM, IT SHOULD WORK. OKAY. I DON'T MIND AT ALL. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. AND ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT. SO, LIKE I WAS SAYING THAT ON THE, THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, YOU COME IN THE VESTIBULE RIGHT NOW, UH, YOU CAN TAKE A, I'LL JUST GO UP A TAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN GOING THROUGH SECURITY CHECKPOINT. GO INTO THE JUSTICE CENTER, THE, I'LL CALL IT A, A FENCING, IF YOU WILL. A WALL THAT'S THERE THAT'S NOT THERE. NOW, WE'D BE PUTTING IN THAT, UH, THINK ABOUT LIKE, UH, ON A DECK. YOU GOT A RAILING, MAYBE ABOUT WAIST HIGH, A LITTLE BETTER THAN WAIST HIGH. SO IT'D BE A RAILING PUT IN THIS LOCATION. AND THAT WAY, UH, POST CONSTRUCTION, EVERYONE WOULD ENTER THE VESTIBULE, UH, REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH SECURITY. NOW, THEY CAN FORWARD INTO THE JUSTICE CENTER, UH, THROUGH THE DOOR THAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW. OR WHAT WE'D ALLOW THEM TO DO IS TO GO AND MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AFTER GOING THROUGH SECURITY, ANOTHER LEFT HAND TURN, AND THEN GO DOWN TO, WHICH WOULD BE THE CLERK'S, OFFICE TREASURER, REGISTER, DEEDS, OFFICE, UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE, HR, ALL THE REST, ALL THE BUILDINGS, ALL THE REST OF THE, UM, OFFICES THAT ARE IN THE, THE GOVERNMENT CENTER. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAD SET UP. WE WORKED, UH, THAT WITH THE, UH, BUILDING COMMITTEE THAT, UH, THEY WERE LOOKING AT HAVING WE GOING THROUGH SECURITY TO COME THROUGH THAT POINT. UH, AT THAT MEETING, IT'S PROBABLY TWO OF THE MEETINGS. UH, THERE WAS CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT CAN BE AND CANNOT BE BROUGHT THROUGH SECURITY. UH, ONE OF SUPERVISORS WAS WORRIED ABOUT, UH, WATER, COFFEE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP. UH, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE PART OF THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION. UH, SO RIGHT NOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THAT WITH THAT METAL RAILING BEING FABRICATED, UH, WE NEED TO KNOW BY DECEMBER SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY KNOW TO FABRICATE IT OR NOT. UH, SO THERE'S TWO OPTIONS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HERE. WE'LL GO THROUGH A BUNCH OF THEM OTHER ONES IS THAT, IF WE PUT THAT UP, WHAT THAT'S BASICALLY SAYING, EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH SECURITY AND JUST AS THE PLAN KINDA INDICATED, UH, WE COULD ALSO NOT INSTALL THAT RAILING THAT'S THERE. AND THEN YOU'D HAVE THE SAME SYSTEM THAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW. UH, THE COST MAY BE AROUND A $10,000. YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, WITH THE RAILING BEHIND THE SECURITY, UH, DESK, AND THAT RAILING, IT'S ABOUT 50 FEET OF RAILING. UH, IT'S, UH, THINK ABOUT A, A RAILING. IT'S GOT, UH, SPACING ENOUGH. AND WHY THEY WANTED A RAILING THERE NOT A HALF WALL IS BECAUSE THEY WANT PEOPLE HIDING BEHIND A HALF WALL. UH, I KNOW THAT CHAIRMAN SCHWAB MIGHT REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION. UH, THINK ABOUT A RAILING AGAIN, ABOUT A LITTLE BETTER THAN WAIST HIGH. UH, BUT IT'S ALSO COMING IN ABOUT EIGHT FOOT SECTIONS. SO EVEN IF YOU DECIDE AT THIS POINT THAT, UH, WE WANNA PUT THAT RAILING UP AND EVERYBODY GO THROUGH SECURITY, LATER, BOARDS COULD CERTAINLY SAY, WELL, IT'S JUST A RAILING THAT'S BOLTED TO THE FLOOR. WE COULD TAKE UP AN EIGHT FOOT SECTION OR POTENTIALLY ALL OF IT. AND THEN YOU'RE RIGHT BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY. BUT WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON IT. UH, RIGHT NOW, THAT $10,000 PLUS OR MINUS, UH, IF YOUR DECISION IS, [00:10:01] WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY THAT ARE ENTERING INTO THE GOVERNMENT CENTER. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, IS THAT, THAT STANDPOINT IS, WE'RE KIND OF AT THE DECISION POINT OF, WELL, DO WE HAVE THEM GO AHEAD AND ORDER THAT AND FABRICATE THAT? BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING YOU GO DOWN TO A LOCAL HARDWARE STORE OR HOME, HOME STORE AND JUST PURCHASE AND, AND INSTALL. UH, BUT IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO FABRICATE IT TO MAKE SURE WE GET WHAT WE WANT. IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE MORE HEAVY DUTY. IT'S NOT LIKE ALUMINUM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. RIGHT. THAT IT'S GOT A NICE, UH, WOODEN RAIL ON THE TOP OF IT TO MATCH WHAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. SO, 'CAUSE IT IS OUR MAIN ENTRANCE COMING INTO THE BUILDING, SO I WANNA MAKE IT LOOK, UH, RELATIVELY DECENT. SO, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE BACKGROUND OF WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO GET THAT GOING. UM, AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE ON TO THE, THE COMMUNITY REPORT, DAVE, OR IF YOU WANNA WANNA TAKE THAT BACK. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. SCHMIDT. UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, BEFORE YOU HAVE A COMMITTEE REPORT THAT WAS ELOQUENTLY PUT TOGETHER BY MR. SCHMIDT AND SUMMARIZED, UH, BRIEFLY THERE WITH HIS PRESENTATION IN THE POWERPOINT, UH, THERE'S THREE QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION. UH, I WOULD CERTAINLY SUGGEST THAT WE, UH, HAVE A SUBSEQUENT MEETING NEXT MONTH, UH, TO ALLOW YOU TO RUMINATE OVER ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING, AND TO ALLOW THE CONSTITUENCY AND THE PUBLIC TO ALSO BE MADE AWARE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU'RE ENTERTAINING TODAY. UH, WE DO HAVE SOME CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS HERE TODAY, ONE, MS. RIKER, UH, FROM THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, MR. HANKEY FROM THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, AND MS. UH, ISH FROM THE REGISTER OF DEEDS, IF YOU WOULD BE SO GRACIOUS AS TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND, UH, ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S HERE AS WELL THAT MAY WANT TO, UH, ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE. SO THE COMMITTEE REPORTS BEFORE YOU, HOPEFULLY YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT AND, UH, CONTEMPLATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE BEFORE US TODAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION. UM, MR. SCHMIDT WAS VERY TO THE POINT, AS HE, AS HE OFTEN IS AS AN ENGINEER, WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DECIDE IS WHETHER WE'RE GONNA SPEND THE MONEY ON A RAILING, WHICH IS TRUE, RIGHT? UM, BUT THERE ARE GREATER UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES INVOLVED AS WELL. IT'S THAT PESKY THING OF FREEDOM, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO GET THE INPUT ON. AND, AND WE ARE SETTING A POLICY HERE FOR THE, UM, GOVERNMENT CENTER THAT IN MY MIND, YES, YOU NEED AN ANSWER ON WHETHER TO SPEND THE MONEY, BUT THIS COMMITTEE NEEDS, NEEDS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. AND THE BOARD NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS BUILDING AND, AND WHAT WE WANT FOR SECURITY IN THE BUILDING. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT BACKGROUND. AND YES, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN COMMENTS FROM CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE HERE THIS MORNING. UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT IN, IN A FEW MINUTES. A PIECE I WOULD NOT WANT TO EXTEND TO LIKE 11 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING WITH A LOT OF DISCUSSION. BUT, UH, CERTAINLY DO WANNA HAVE YOUR INPUT. AND FOR THAT LOOKS LIKE, UH, MR. HIN, HE'S READY TO GO. SO THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. UM, I DO NOT WANNA BE HERE TILL 11 O'CLOCK, SO WE HAVE BANKING FOR THE COUNTY TO DO SO. UM, BUT I WANTED ADDRESS THE DECISION THAT IMPACTS EVERY ONE OF US WHO ENTERS THIS BUILDING. UH, THE ARGUMENTS FOR INCREASED SECURITY ARE VERY CLEAR, PROTECTING OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS FROM THREATS AND DANGER AND DETERRING DANGEROUS INCIDENTS ARE SERIOUS AND VITAL CONCERN. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE IS A REALITY, AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS CAN BE A POTENTIAL TARGET, UH, FOR INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO CAUSE HARM. A SCREENING CHECKPOINT, LIKE THE ONE USED IN OUR JUSTICE CENTER, WOULD SERVE AS A VISIBLE DETERRENT AND A MECHANISM FOR PREVENTING WEAPONS FROM ENTERING. IT WOULD ALSO SEND A VERY STRONG MESSAGE THAT SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY. THE THREE QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING ARE, SHOULD, UH, UH, SHOULD WE SCREEN CITIZENS ENTERING COUNTY BUILDINGS? WHO IS A CITIZEN? ME, YOU, THE SHERIFF, COUNTY EXECUTIVE TAXPAYER, A NEWLY MARRIED COUPLE, OR A MOTHER AND A NEWBORN, GETTING A VITAL RECORD AS STATED IN THE JUSTICE CENTER ENTRANCE SCREENING DOCUMENT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET. THE INTENT OF THE SCREENING PROCESS IS TO DETER VIOLENCE BY PREVENTING WEAPONS AND OTHER PROHIBITED ITEMS FROM BEING INTRODUCED INTO THE JUSTICE CENTER. AND BY HAVING LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE CAPABLE OF PREVENTING UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY. HOWEVER, THE SCREENING PROCESS CAN DO VERY LITTLE TO PREVENT WEAPONS OF OPPORTUNITY. THE PURPOSE OF THE SCREENING, ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING EMPLOYEES, IS TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF WEAPONS OF OPPORTUNITY INTO THE CITIZENS BUILDING. QUESTION TWO IS, [00:15:01] WHAT ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE TO BRING INTO THE COUNTY? BUILDINGS ARE ALLOWABLE TO BRING INTO THE COUNTY BUILDINGS. YOU HAVE A LIST, USE IT, ENFORCE IT. SHOULD WE, SHOULD THERE BE EXCEPTIONS? NO, MY FATHER ALWAYS SAID A HOT STOVE HAS NO CONSCIENCE. IT BURNS WHOEVER TOUCHES IT. SO MY POINT IS IN ALL OF THIS IS THAT ALL THAT WE ARE ALL CITIZENS AND EVERYONE GETS SCREENED. THANKS. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME, CODY CLERK. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR, UM, CONSIDERING THIS TODAY. I THINK IT'S, UH, IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS DISCUSSION HAS COME BEFORE US, UM, BEING PROACTIVE AND TALKING ABOUT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING, UH, SECURITY SCREENING FOR ALL IN THIS BUILDING, ALL DEPARTMENTS IN THIS BUILDING, NOT JUST THE JUSTICE CENTER SIDE. UM, IN THE MOVE FOR MY OFFICE, REGISTER OF DEEDS IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, UH, MOVING TO THE JUSTICE CENTER ENTRANCE, UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS WAS BEING PROACTIVE IN SECURITY. UM, IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DID BRING FORWARD THE ADDED COST. AND I KNOW THAT THAT HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AS FAR AS THE BUDGET GOES, UH, FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH COURT SECURITY AND THE POTENTIAL CUT TO COURT SECURITY'S FUNDING. AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST CONCERN TOO, IS, IS TALKING ABOUT THAT AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. UM, MY OFFICE, I CAN SPEAK TO SPECIFICALLY, I HAVE STAFF THAT HAS BEEN CONCERNED THROUGH THE YEARS, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE OUR OFFICE MORE SECURE, SAFER. UM, PEOPLE OFTENTIMES WILL CONFUSE US WITH THE CLERK OF COURTS. UH, WE ALSO HANDLE TAX DEED SALES, WHICH IS THE COUNTY TAKING OF PROPERTIES WHERE EMOTIONS ARE HIGH. UM, AS, AS THOSE ARE THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTIES. EITHER THEY LIVE ON THEM OR THEY MAKE MONEY AT THEM. UM, SO THAT IS, UH, AN AREA OF CONCERN. IN ADDITION, UM, WITH THE, THE HIGH SCRUTINY OF ELECTIONS, UM, AND HIGH EMOTIONS REGARDING THOSE, I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO BE PROACTIVE IN PROTECTING OUR STAFF AND THE CITIZENS THAT ARE COMING INTO THIS BUILDING BY HAVING PEOPLE WALK THROUGH SECURITY. UM, I KNOW THAT OUR OFFICES REGISTER OF THESE TREASURERS, MY, MY OFFICE, UM, WE ARE OPEN SEVEN TO FIVE 30, SO THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL. AND THAT DOES ADD A COST, WHICH IS WHAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BUILDING COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS. UM, AND ALSO OUR QUARTERLY SATURDAYS, IN ADDITION TO THE TWO ADDITIONAL SATURDAYS WE ADDED FOR THE SUMMER. UM, I WILL SAY THAT THOSE HOURS ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT FOR US AS FAR AS HOW MANY PEOPLE WE SERVE. SPECIFICALLY IN MY OFFICE, I WOULD SAY ALMOST HALF OR MORE OF ALL OF OUR APPOINTMENTS ARE OUTSIDE OF NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS. SO SEVEN TO EIGHT, UM, AND THEN 3 30, 3 30 TO FIVE 30, OR FOUR TO FIVE 30. UM, WE ARE SERVING EVEN NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE SATURDAYS, ALMOST HALF OF ALL OF OUR CITIZENS DURING THAT TIME, IN ADDITION TO THE SATURDAYS WHERE QUARTERLY AND THEN THE TWO ADDITIONAL, AND SUMMER, WE WERE SERVING 12 TO 15 APPOINTMENTS A SATURDAY, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS I HAD WORKING, WHICH WOULD BE MYSELF AND ONE OTHER PERSON TYPICALLY. UM, AND SO THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 30 APPOINTMENTS, DEPENDING IF IT WAS PASSPORTS OR MARRIAGE LICENSES. AND SO WE ARE MAKING REVENUE DOING THAT, AND SIGNIFICANTLY PRAISED AMONG, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE STATE FOR OUR PUBLIC SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS AND THOSE EVEN OUTSIDE OF OUR, OUR COUNTY, BECAUSE WE, UM, WITH THE STATEWIDE ISSUANCE FOR MARRIAGE LICENSES AND THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR A PASSPORT ANYWHERE IN THE STATE, PEOPLE ARE COMING TO US FROM AN HOUR AWAY, HOURS AWAY IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO TAKE OFF OF WORK DURING THE WEEK AND NEED TO COME IN, UH, IN THE EVENING OR ON THE WEEKEND. UM, SO I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE PROACTIVE IN THIS SITUATION, THAT YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. I, AGAIN, UNDERSTAND AND AM AWARE THAT THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT I DO FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE CITIZENS THAT ARE GETTING SERVICES FROM US. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEP. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME REGISTERED DEEDS. THANK YOU. SO MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS ON THIS ARE YOU HAVE PEOPLE GOING THROUGH SECURITY RIGHT NOW TO GO INTO THE JUSTICE CENTER SIDE? ON THE JUSTICE CENTER SIDE, THERE IS NO ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC. IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE [00:20:01] DA'S OFFICE, YOU ARE IN A SEPARATE ROOM BEFORE YOU GET INTO THEIR OFFICE. IF YOU GO TO THE CLERK OF COURTS, THEY HAVE, UM, BARS AND SHIELDS UP. IF YOU GO INTO CHILD SUPPORT, ANY OF THE, ANY OF THESE OFFICES ON THE JUSTICE CENTER SIDE HAVE NO WAY TO GET TO THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE OFFICE RIGHT NOW. AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SECURITY AND OUR SIDE OF THE OFFICE, THERE'S NOTHING. THESE PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY HAVE WHATEVER, THERE WAS A WOMAN WALKING AROUND WITH A SUITCASE ONE DAY, WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS IN IT, AND HAD TO GO TO SECURITY AND SAY, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GUYS WATCHING HER? WHAT'S GOING ON? UM, SO IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S ALARMING SOMETIMES TO MY, UM, MY EMPLOYEES THAT THEY DON'T FEEL AS VALUED AS THE PEOPLE ON THE JUSTICE CENTER SIDE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO ANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SPOKE? SUPERVISOR TOMA? I HAVE ONE. I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE VOTING HERE. WHERE DO THEY COME IN? ARE THEY ALL GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY? KAYLA, CAN YOU TURN MY, MY, OH, YOUR, UH, MICROPHONE IS HIDDEN BY YOUR COMPUTER SUPERVISOR, SUPERVISOR TOMA. I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU. OKAY. UH, WE PREVIOUSLY DID HAVE VOTING FOR, I BELIEVE IT WAS DISTRICT SIX IN THIS BUILDING FOR THE CITY OF WEST BEND, AND THEN DISTRICT FIVE AT THE PAC. UM, THE CITY OF WEST BEND IS MOVING BOTH VOTING LOCATIONS TO MARINE PARK. UM, AND THEY'RE HAVING A CONSOLIDATED POLLING LOCATION, I BELIEVE, FOR THREE DISTRICTS AT MARINE PARK IN THEIR NEW EDITION, WHICH ACTUALLY WILL SERVICE, UH, THE RESIDENTS BETTER. OKAY. THANK YOU. I I HAVE ONE MORE ON THE, THE, UM, THE, THE LAYOUT WHERE EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH SECURITY AND THEN ON THAT EXIT, WHAT'S STOPPING PEOPLE FROM COMING IN THAT EXIT? WE'RE NOT ADDING AN O UH, SECURITY OFFICE HERE, ARE WE? WE'RE WE'RE JUST ADDING EXTRA HOURS FOR 'EM? NO, THE, THE, WHAT THAT IS, IS THAT, UH, THE EXIT DOORS, UH, SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING IN, THEY'RE, THAT VEST IS BEING EXPANDED JUST A LITTLE BIT. THE DOORS WON'T HAVE HANDLES FROM THE INSIDE. SO IF YOU'RE COMING IN THE DOOR, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE DIRECTED TO SAY, ENTER HERE, EXIT ONLY TYPE THING. UH, AND THAT PEOPLE DO DECIDE TO SHORT CIRCUIT IT AND TRY TO GO LEFT. LET'S SAY SOMEONE'S COMING OUT AND THEY WANNA HOLD THE DOOR FOR SOMEONE COMING IN. THE DEPUTIES ARE HOPEFULLY AT THEIR SECURITY DESK WATCHING. THAT'S WHY IT'S ALL OPEN. IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, IT'S THE VESTIBULE IS ALL GLASS SO THEY CAN SEE PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE COMING IN AND GOING THROUGH SECURITY. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT ON THE HONOR SYSTEM. UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, TRAINING PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN A LITTLE BIT MORE OFTEN. BUT BASICALLY WHAT THE FRONT DOOR IS SAYING, IF YOU'RE COMING IN THE FIRST SET OF DOORS, YOU'RE JUST GOING STRAIGHT IN, TYPICALLY SPEAKING, NOT MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. SO WITH SIGNAGE, WE'LL MAKE THAT AS OBVIOUS, NOT HAVING HANDLES ON THOSE DOORS. UH, BUT YES, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO HOLD A DOOR OPEN AND SOMEONE GET AROUND? YES. UH, BUT THEN AGAIN, THE, THE DEPUTIES ARE RIGHT NEAR THERE AT THE SECURITY DESK. I MEAN, THESE DEPUTIES ARE OVER 40 FEET AWAY, AND IF YOU GET A CROWD OF PEOPLE 36 OR WHATEVER IN LINE COMING THROUGH, I COULD SEE WHERE THAT WOULD BE A, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, THAT WOULD BE A FLAW ON IT. IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. WE TALKED ABOUT DOING TURNSTILES AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT, UH, ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO EXIT THE BUILDING IN, IN A TIMELY MANNER AS WELL. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND ONE OF THEIR SECURITY, UH, O OFFICERS THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE INVOLVED IN SECURITY. UH, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS OUTSIDE TOO, SO THEY CAN SEE THAT IF THEY SEE A LARGE GROUP COMING IN, THEY CAN RESPOND TO THAT. UH, WE'RE DOING PLANT TREES IN FRONT OF THAT AND ALL THAT STUFF. THEY CAN, UH, HOPEFULLY HAVE A BETTER, QUICKER RESPONSE. AND IF THEY SEE 40 PEOPLE COMING TOWARDS THE BUILDING, UH, THEY WON'T HAVE JUST ONE OFFICER THERE. I'M, I'M ASSUMING A CALL WILL GO OUT FOR ADDITIONAL HELP, RIGHT? YES. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, SUPERVISOR? NEWMAN? I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY ON THIS. WE ARE NOT. OKAY. I DO, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. I'M NOT SURE WHO TO ASK. I CAN, I'LL ADMIT I DON'T GO TO OTHER JUSTICE CENTERS OR GOVERNMENT CENTERS. IS THIS NORMAL BECOMING THE NORMAL TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF SCREENING FOR EVERYBODY? I, I CAN SPEAK TO WAUKESHA COUNTY AND OZAKI COUNTY IN PARTICULAR, THAT IN THOSE TWO COUNTIES, UH, IT IS SECURITY FOR ALL ANYONE COMING INTO THOSE BUILDINGS. OKAY. AND THEN THERE WAS A DISCUSSION IN THE REPORT ABOUT, UM, EXEMPTIONS FOR, OR EXCEPTIONS FOR COUNTY STAFF OR ELECTED OFFICIALS IS THE IDEA MOST ARE GONNA COME THROUGH THE EMPLOYEE ENTRANCE. YEAH, I, I THINK A A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, ONE OF THE COMMENTS IS RIGHT NOW AS WE HAVE IT CURRENTLY LAID OUT, IS THAT ON ALL THREE FLOORS, THERE ARE, UH, DOORS TO GET IN. I'LL CALL AN EMPLOYEE SIDE ONLY. FOR INSTANCE, THERE'LL BE A SET OF DOORS RIGHT OUT THE HALLWAY HERE THAT THE DOOR THAT [00:25:01] IS, UH, BEHIND YOU ON THE LEFT AS I LOOK AT IT, WOULD BE BASICALLY THE SUPERVISOR WOULD PARK IN THE PARKING LOT ON THE WEST SIDE, WHERE YOU CURRENTLY DO RIGHT NOW, YOU'D COME IN THOSE DOORS COME IN THAT DOOR, THAT WOULD BE THE EMPLOYEE ENTRANCE. SAME THING WITH, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HR. AND EVERY OTHER EMPLOYEE WOULD COME IN THROUGH THAT ENTRANCE, UH, THROUGH NOT GOING THROUGH SECURITY COMING TO THAT ENTRANCE. THE PUBLIC THEN WOULD BE STOPPED AT THAT SET OF DOORS. THEY OBVIOUSLY GET TO, EXCUSE ME, UH, THE, THE BOARDROOM. BUT THAT WOULD BE THE, THE SEPARATION POINT WOULD BE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE ACCESS TO ONLY CERTAIN LOCATIONS, THE BUILDING, THE PUBLIC WOULD, AND THEN THE EMPLOYEE SIDE WOULD BE THE OPPOSITE SIDE. AGAIN, NOT GOING THROUGH SECURITY ON THE EMPLOYEE SIDE. OKAY. AND THEN THAT ANSWER IT, I THINK THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION, UH, COST OF THE 33,000, IS, WOULD THAT BE IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BUDGET OR, YES, THAT WOULD COME FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THEY PROVIDE THE SECURITY THERE. OKAY. SO I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE DECISION'S GONNA BE MADE ON THAT. IS THAT MONEY BUDGETED IN THE BUDGET THAT'S COMING TO US? IT IS CURRENTLY NOT BUDGETED. OKAY. UH, I GUESS ONE MORE QUESTION. I USUALLY, THE REPORTS COME WITH A RECOMMENDATION AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ON THERE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS PURPOSEFULLY DONE, OR THE REASON WHY THERE'S NO RECOMMENDATION IS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO, TO HAVE A TWO, UH, MEETINGS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. OKAY. AND TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU, THERE MAY NOT BE A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU. THIS IS GONNA BE A DECISION, A POLICY DECISION FROM THE, FROM THE COMMITTEE AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE BOARD. OKAY. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. YES. IN THAT REGARD, UM, YEAH, THIS, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT THIS COMMITTEE NEEDS TO WRESTLE WITH, THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO WRESTLE WITH, WHICH IS WHY WE SPECIFICALLY SET IT UP FOR TWO MEETINGS. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE WALK IN AND MAKE A SNAP DECISION. LIKE, LIKE, UH, SOMETIMES HAPPENS. THERE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER HERE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE EMPHASIZE FREEDOM IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, THAT FREEDOM COMES AT A COST. SOMETIMES IN THE CASE OF WAR, IT COMES AT A COST OF BLOOD. SOMETIMES. IN THIS CASE, IF WE WANT TO HAVE THE ADDITIONAL FREEDOM, IT WILL COME IN A, IN A DOLLAR COST. WE MAY NEED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DEPUTIES. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT. ARE WE GOING TO SAY NOBODY GETS IN UNLESS THEY'RE SCREENED? OR MAYBE THE ANSWER IS TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL DEPUTY ON STANDBY IN THE HALL ALL THE TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT ANSWER IS. UM, I THINK ALL OF US ARE COMMITTED TO DOING WHAT IT TAKES BOTH TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES SAFE AND FUNCTIONAL, AND AT THE SAME TIME PRESERVE FREEDOM. THAT'S WHAT WE GOTTA WRESTLE WITH. THAT'S A, THAT'S A TOUGH, IT'S A LOT TO FIGURE OUT, RIGHT? MM-HMM . AND WE'RE NOT THERE. AND, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE THAT OUT THIS MORNING, BUT THAT IS THE TASK BEFORE US. SUPER. UH, EXCUSE ME, MRS. YES, I HAVE, UH, A FEW MORE COMMENTS. UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO, TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO ALL THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS GIVING YOU THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS AND THEIR DAILY EXPERIENCE HERE AT THE COUNTY. UH, SECONDLY, I WOULD, UH, I WOULD SEEK, UH, FOR, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY STERN TO PROVIDE SOME INPUT. AS WE HAVE INDICATED, IT WILL BE A TWO MEETING DISCUSSION, BUT ON THE FRONT END OF THIS PARTICULAR INITIAL MEETING REGARDING THIS, THAT HE WOULD PROVIDE SOME LEGAL EXPERTISE, UH, PREDICATED ON THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A 2011 RESOLUTION THAT YOU WOULD BE WRESTLING WITH, UH, WHETHER YOU WANT TO CHANGE THINGS KEEPING THE SAME OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, BE IT A RESOLUTION ORDINANCE CHANGE, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. AND, UH, SECONDLY, UH, IN HIS LEGAL EXPERTISE TOO, AS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM A STATUTORY STATUTORILY SITUATION. BEING THAT THE JUSTICE CENTER IS THE JUSTICE CENTER, WE'RE MOVING EVERYTHING OVER TO THE JUSTICE CENTER. IS IT ALL ONE BUILDING? IS IT? SO HIS LEGAL EXPERTISE WOULD PROVIDE, UH, DIRECTION ON THAT AS WELL. AND, UH, IN, IN AN EFFORT TO TRY AND HAVE A, A ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT EVERYTHING, UH, WE DO HAVE CHIEF OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, UH, OFFICER MS. JULIE DRISCOLL HERE TODAY, UH, GRACING US WITH HER PRESENCE AND, AND WHAT SHE MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE IN HER AMAZING OPPORTUNITY SELF. THANK YOU GUYS. I SAW YOUR MICROPHONE WAS RED THERE, SO YOU ARE GONNA BE THE NEXT PERSON. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO, I'M NOT PROVIDING AN OPINION TODAY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ADD IN SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UM, AS YOU WRESTLE WITH THIS DECISION, UM, OVER AT THE PUBLIC AGENCY CENTER. UM, AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE [00:30:01] HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES OVER IN THAT BUILDING WHERE WE SERVE, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY COMING THROUGH THE MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC, UM, COMING TO THE CHILD WELFARE AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT, UM, DIVISIONS. UM, RIGHT NOW ALSO YOU HAVE LAND USE AND PLANNING. THEY ARE ALSO MOVING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET. SO IN THE FUTURE, THEIR, UM, SERVICES WILL BE TAKEN OFF THE TABLE AT THE PUBLIC AGENCY CENTER. WE HAVE TWO ENTRANCES TO THAT BUILDING EVERY SINGLE DAY, I FIND PEOPLE WANDERING AROUND THAT BUILDING LOST, UH, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT REMEMBER WHERE THEY PARK. UM, WE, THERE IS NO SECURITY PEOPLE CAN COME INTO THAT BUILDING, UM, AND THEY CAN WANDER AROUND THAT BUILDING AND COME TO THE FIRST FLOOR, THE SECOND FLOOR, THE THIRD FLOOR. UM, AND SO AS YOU MAKE THIS DECISION, AND ANY DECISION, OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS HAS A, YOU KNOW, A DOMINO EFFECT, UM, YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT THEN WHAT THE DECISION WILL BE FOR THE PUBLIC AGENCY, UM, CENTER CURRENTLY. AND THEN IN ITS FUTURE ITERATION, UM, IN A, IN A FEW YEARS WHEN WE BUILD A NEW BUILDING, UM, WE FOLLOW TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE PRINCIPLES BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME AND SEEK SERVICES WITH US. UM, SO WE TRY NOT TO PUT UP TOO MANY BARRIERS THAT WOULD, UM, MAKE PEOPLE NOT WANNA COME TO OUR BUILDING. THE LOOK, THE FEEL, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW THEY, UM, HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT COMING INTO THE BUILDING AND SEEKING THOSE TYPE OF SERVICES. IT'S COMPLE IT'S A COMPLEX, AND CERTAINLY THERE'S A LOT OF OPINIONS ABOUT IT. UM, SOME OF MY STAFF, UM, DEFINITELY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY, UM, AND WE TRY TO WORK THAT THROUGH WITH THEM. UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE AS WE MAKE A DECISION AROUND ONE BUILDING, UM, YOU CERTAINLY THEN ARE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER BUILDING THAT DOESN'T HAVE, UM, PERHAPS SOME OF THE SAME, UM, OP OPPORTUNITIES FOR SECURITY. AND SO IF, EXCUSE ME, IF WE WERE TO MAKE AN ADDITIONAL DECISION ABOUT THE PUBLIC AGENCY CENTER IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD COME WITH ADDITIONAL COSTS, ADDITIONAL MEASURES, THAT TYPE OF THING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. DRISCOLL, IF NONE FROM THE COMMITTEE? UM, ARE THERE, HAVE, THIS IS A TOUGH QUESTION. I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO BE AN, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT AT THIS POINT. UM, ARE THERE INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED THE HELP OF THE AGENCIES THAT YOU SUPERVISE, UM, ARE TRIGGERED OR WOULD, WOULD TURN AWAY BECAUSE OF HAVING TO GO THROUGH SECURITY? ARE, ARE, ARE THERE DOCUMENTED EXAMPLES OF THAT OR ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF FROM DEALING WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR POSITION THROUGHOUT THE STATE? SO WE, UM, WE RECENTLY, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS REMODELED OUR, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CLINIC RECEPTION. UM, AND WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH, UM, AND AROUND, UM, WHAT IT IS LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SEEK OUR SERVICES. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED IT TO HAVE A LOOK IN A FEEL LIKE A DOCTOR'S OFFICE. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE UNINSURED OR ON MEDICAID AND YOU NEED SERVICES FROM THE COUNTY AND YOU NEED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FROM THE COUNTY, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE IF YOU WENT OUT INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND WALKED INTO YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE, UM, AND WAS ABLE TO GET, UM, SERVICES THERE. THERE ARE OTHER, THERE ARE COUNTIES WHO HAVE MADE THE SAME DECISION AS US, AND THERE ARE COUNTIES WHO HAVE MADE DIFFERENT DECISIONS. UM, WHAT I KNOW FROM A HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STANDPOINT, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY COUNTY THAT HAS SECURITY AS FAR AS, UM, WHERE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH METAL DETECTORS AND THAT THERE'S, UM, POLICE OFFICERS. UM, BUT THERE IS USUALLY A SORT OF A STOP GAP WHERE YOU COME IN AND THERE'S MAYBE A VESTI BOWL, AND THEN YOU GET LET IN SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T JUST WA, YOU KNOW, COMING IN AND WANDERING AROUND THE BUILDING. UM, AND SO, SO SOME COUNTIES HAVE THAT, THAT OPTION, UM, TO GET TO THE, LIKE THE, SORT OF THE MEAT OF YOUR QUESTION, DOES IT PRECLUDE PEOPLE FROM ENTERING? I THINK IT DEPENDS ON, UM, HOW IT IS SET UP, THE LOOK AND FEEL. AS I SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THEY SEEK SERVICES WITH US. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THEY DON'T WANNA HAVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE. UM, ON THE, ON THE FLIP SIDE, CERTAINLY, UM, RIGHT NOW, WEST BEND PD, BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, IS OUR RESPONSE, UM, TO ANY NEEDS THAT WE HAVE. AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO CALL THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A COUPLE OF TIMES A MONTH, RIGHT? UM, WHEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S OVERLY AGITATED AND WE CANNOT DEESCALATE THEM. UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE, WELL, THIS SPECIFICALLY, BUT THAT'S SORT OF LIKE, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A VERY COMPLEX, MORE OF A, UM, SORT OF SOCIOLOGY PERSPECTIVE OF IT. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM [00:35:01] THE COMMITTEE SUPERVISOR? I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. UM, THE, THE COST, UH, ESTIMATE OF 33,000, IS THAT JUST ABSORBED THROUGH ADDITIONAL HOURS OF COUNTY STAFF, OR IS THAT CONTRACTED SECURITY, OR HOW IS THAT, UH, IF, UH, THE CHAIRMAN WOULD BE SO GRACIOUS AS TO ALLOW, UH, SHERIFF SICE TO SPEAK TO THAT DIRECTLY? I WAS GONNA FOLLOW UP WITH SHERIFF AND LET HIM HAVE THE FINAL WORD, IF YOU'RE OPEN TO THAT. NOT, MAYBE NOT THE FINAL WORD, BUT ADDITIONALLY INFORMATION. SO I APOLOGIZE. I WAS TALKING TO DAVE, SO I DID NOT HEAR THE QUESTION DIRECTLY. I HEARD COSTS. SURE. SO THE, THE 33,000 IN ADDITIONAL COSTS, I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW THAT WAS CALCULATED. IS THAT, UH, UM, DEPUTIES ABSORBING THE EXTRA HOURS PROPOSED, OR IS THAT CONTRACTED SECURITY, OR HOW IS THAT? THAT WOULD BE THE PART-TIME DEPUTIES THAT WORK THE SCREENING STATION FOR THE EXTENDED HOURS FOR THE, THE, JUST THE, THE GOVERNMENT CENTER HAS, UH, DIFFERENT HOURS THAN, UH, MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY HOURS, UH, AND THEN SOME SATURDAY HOURS THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THAT. AND YOUR STAFFING WOULD BE ABLE TO ABSORB THE EXTRA HOURS OR, UM, I LEVEL DOES STAFFING. I HOPE SO. YES, I WILL. WE WILL, WE WILL MAKE IT WORK. UM, SO THAT, THAT KIND OF LEADS ME INTO WHAT I WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY ADDRESS IS THAT I THINK THIS IS A VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PUBLIC POLICY DECISION YOU GUYS ARE MAKING. I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS TRANSPARENTLY OUT IN THE PUBLIC, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENTING WHATEVER PUBLIC POLICY YOU GUYS DECIDE ON. UH, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT, UH, UM, IF WE DECIDE TO GO THE SCREENING ROUTE, UH, THAT WE DO IT RIGHT AND THAT WE DO IT, UM, THE SAME WAY THAT WE DO WITH THE JUSTICE CENTER, UM, THAT WE DON'T, UH, UH, KINDA DO IT, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, UH, UH, THE HOURS THAT THE, THE GOVERNMENT CENTER ARE, ARE OPEN, WE SHOULD BE SCREENING, UM, WHETHER IT'S SATURDAYS OR AFTER HOUR AFTER NORMAL HOURS, OR BEGINNING OF NORMAL HOURS. UM, THE, I JUST DO HAVE TWO DATA POINTS THAT I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS WERE AWARE OF. ONE IS OBJECTIVE AND ONE IS A LITTLE MORE SUBJECTIVE. SO IN 2024, UM, THE SCREENING STATION JUST FOR THE JUSTICE CENTER INTERCEPTED 895 WEAPONS OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS SPOKE OF HERE, MAYBE PEOPLE DIDN'T INTENTIONALLY INTEND TO BRING THOSE WEAPONS IN. UM, BUT THAT'S NOT JUST CONTRABAND, THAT'S 895 WEAPONS THAT WERE STOPPED, UH, AS OF ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. THE YEAR TO DATE, I THINK WE'RE AT ABOUT 619, 620 IN THAT AREA. UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE OBJECTIVE DATA SET. UM, THE OTHER KIND OF MORE SUBJECTIVE ONE IS, UH, IN THE GOVERNMENT CENTER, UH, WE'RE HAVING AN INCREASING NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE DEAL WITH THAT, UH, ARE, UH, I'LL SAY, UM, NOT PRO-GOVERNMENT, UM, SOVEREIGN CITIZENS TYPE INDIVIDUALS. AND, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, UH, COULD POSE A, A, A DIFFERENT TYPE OF RISK. WE'VE BEEN PRETTY LUCKY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY THUS FAR. UM, BUT, UH, IT'S KIND OF A UNIQUE, UH, UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS TYPICALLY AREN'T COMING TO THE, THE JUSTICE CENTER SIDE OF, UH, COUNTY BUSINESS. THEY'RE COMING TO THE GOVERNMENT SIDE. IT'S, UH, UM, THAT'S A LITTLE CONCERNING TO ME. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT, THAT POINT. THAT WAS ONE I HAD NOT THOUGHT OF. SO APPRECIATE THAT SUPERVISOR TOMA RIGHT NOW, UM, THE SECURITY OFFICERS, WHAT'S THEIR NORMAL SHIFT? SO THEY OI THINK THEY, I WANNA SAY THAT THEY OP THEY, UH, THEY'RE THERE MAYBE 20 MINUTES OR, UH, HALF HOUR BEFORE THE CENTER OPENS. UM, AND THEN UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT, THE JUSTICE CENTER IS, IS DONE. SO IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE COURT CALENDAR. UH, SOMETIMES THEY RUN BEYOND FOUR 30, SO I WOULD SAY BASICALLY MAYBE, UH, UM, SEVEN 30 TO, TO, UH, 4 30, 5 O'CLOCK IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IF THEY RUN AN EIGHT HOUR SHIFT, THEY WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY PICKING UP OVERTIME. UM, PART-TIME EMPLOYEE STAFFING WORKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, UM, BECAUSE THEY, UH, THEY, THEY DON'T WORK 40, TYPICALLY 40 HOURS. WE HAVE A POOL OF, UH, LIKE 21 PART-TIME OFFICERS. UM, SO TYPICALLY THEY DON'T ACCUMULATE 40 HOURS IN A, UM, A PAY PERIOD. IS THERE CERTAIN TIMES OF THE MONTH, MAYBE LIKE THE FIRST PART WHERE THE JUSTICE CENTER JUST GETS FLOODED WITH PEOPLE? UH, YES. THERE ARE CERTAINLY DAYS THAT ARE BUSIER THAN NOT. UM, I THINK LAST YEAR, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I THINK WE HAD AROUND 40,000, 35 TO 40,000 INDIVIDUALS. I CAME THROUGH THE SCREEN SCREENING STATION JUST FOR THE JUSTICE CENTER LAST YEAR. OKAY. MY, I GUESS THE, THE MAIN QUESTION I HAVE IS, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT WITH THE SAME OFFICERS, THE FLOOD OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH FOR THE GOVERNMENT CENTER AS WELL? SO THAT, THAT'S A QUESTION I, THE, I, THEY'VE EXPANDED KIND OF THAT CORRAL SYSTEM. I, I WOULD SAY, UM, BUT, UH, UM, THERE IS TIMES WHEN IT GETS BUSY JUST FOR THE JUSTICE CENTER, UM, THAT, UH, I GUESS WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, [00:40:01] UH, HOW MUCH BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, IF WE COMBINE BOTH SIDES INTO ONE SCREENING STATION. THE, THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT, I GUESS I'M NOT ENTIRELY CERTAIN OF, WE, WE THINK THAT IT'LL, WE'LL HANDLE IT. THERE MIGHT BE SOME DELAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET IN. UH, I GUESS I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, PLEASE. HOW UPDATED IS OUR SECURITY SYSTEM THROUGH, UH, METAL DETECTOR AND ALL OF THAT? THAT, THAT I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE. UH, UH, IT'S TESTED REGULARLY. UM, AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S MAINTAINED. SO, UM, I I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT IN THE EQUIPMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, DON'T GO AWAY YET. UM, CHAIRMAN'S LIFE HAD A QUESTION AS WELL. I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COUPLE COMMENTS. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL START WITH A COMMENT. UM, THE, THE BREWER GAME LAST NIGHT, THE NIGHT BEFORE, EVERYBODY THERE WENT THROUGH METAL DETECTORS. UM, IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE PART OF OUR LIVES. YOU GO TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU DON'T THINK TWICE. SO, UH, I'M STILL ON THE FENCE, BUT I'M NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT THAT. MY BIGGER WORRY IS THAT, UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT DO CONCEALED CARRY AND IT'S LEGAL. THEY'RE TRAINED THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. AND I, I WOULD ASK THE SHERIFF, I THINK THOSE PEOPLE PROVIDE A, A LEVEL OF SECURITY TO SOME MEASURE. AND I KNOW IN CERTAIN OFFICES WHERE THEY KNOW SOMEONE CARRIES, THEY FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR DAILY WORK. SO THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THIS POLICY THING THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS OR WHATEVER. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT OR NOT? ? YEAH. YEAH. IN, IN GENERAL, I THINK, UH, UM, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ACTUALLY VERY USED TO DEALING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE CARRYING, UH, WEAPONS JUST BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LEGAL. IT, IT'S, UH, UH, WHEN PEOPLE ARE LEGALLY CARRYING, UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. UM, THEY'RE NORMALLY VETTED, HAVE TRAINING. UM, THE, THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM THAT YOU COULD RUN INTO IS THAT, UH, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE EMOTIONS THAT, THAT COME IN INTO PLAY WHILE YOU'RE CARRYING, UH, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, WHY WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE CARRYING IN, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE JUSTICE CENTER BECAUSE OF THOSE, THOSE HIGH EMOTIONS. SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK THERE IS SOME MERIT TO, UH, TO THAT AS WELL. I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CONCEALED CARRY. WE'VE, UH, WE'VE ADAPTED VERY WELL TO IT AND, AND UNDERSTAND IT, WOULD IT, THIS IS GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES, BUT WOULD IT HELP YOUR DEPARTMENT IF WE KNEW THE PEOPLE THAT WERE CONCEALED CARRY IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENED? THAT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR ME. , UM, UH, FREEDOMS. YEAH, THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME CRIMINAL RAMIFICATIONS FOR US JUST RANDOMLY, UH, CHECKING IF PEOPLE ARE CONCEALED CARRY. SO I, I, I GUESS I DON'T WANT TO EVEN SPEAK TO THAT PART OF IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR SHERIFF SCHULTE? IF NOT, UM, THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING YOUR QUES OUR QUESTIONS, AND, UH, THANK YOU. IF WE HAVE ANY MORE, WE'LL BE SURE TO CALL YOU BACK. UM, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. UM, COUNTY ATTORNEY STERN, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN SHARE AT THIS POINT? ANY, ANY PARTICULAR CONCERNS? UM, OR WOULD, WOULD YOU CARE, WOULD YOU PREFER TO DEFER TO A FUTURE TIME? WELL, I ALWAYS, UH, AM AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE COMMITTEE. ANYTIME YOU NEED A, A LEGAL OPINION IN WRITING OR OTHERWISE, I'M HAPPY TO HELP RESEARCH ANY ISSUES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT COMES TO MIND IS, IS I THINK, UM, MR. SEGER RAISED IT BEFORE IS, UH, THERE WAS A, A RESOLUTION, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, I THINK MORE THAN A DECADE AGO OR AT THAT TIME WHEN CONCEALED CARRY BECAME THE LAW, THE, THE COUNTY BOARD AT THAT TIME DECIDED IT WAS GOING TO ALLOW CONCEALED CARRY IN THE, UH, GOVERNMENT CENTER. UM, WHAT THE LAW SAYS CURRENTLY IS THAT YOU CANNOT CARRY A FIREARM LEGALLY IN ANY PORTION OF A BUILDING THAT IS A COURTHOUSE. AND SO THAT'S WHY THROUGH THE YEARS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ALLOW CONCEALED CARRY IN THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, BUT NOT ON THE, UH, THE COURTHOUSE SIDE. SO THAT'S THE STATE OF THE LAW. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT COMES TO MIND AS I THINK ABOUT IT IS, UM, THE ATRIUM ITSELF, WHERE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE COMING THROUGH THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT COURTHOUSE? IS THAT GOVERNMENT CENTER? IS IT IT NEUTRAL? THE SIGN ABOVE THE DOOR WHEN YOU WALK UP THE STEPS SAYS WASHINGTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE WHEN YOU COME IN. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THAT'S COURTHOUSE SPACE, AND I'M, I'M NOT HERE TO DECIDE THAT OR TELL YOU WHETHER IT IS OR ISN'T. I'M JUST PUTTING IT ON THE TABLE AS ANOTHER CONSIDERATION THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE. YOU CAN'T EVEN CARRY A GUN THEN THROUGH THERE TO GET TO THE GOVERNMENT CENTER IF YOU EVEN WANNA ALLOW CONCEALED CARRY IN THE GOVERNMENT SIDE OF THINGS. SO WE NEED TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT SPACE IS AND HOW IT'S TO BE USED AND HOW WE [00:45:01] CONSIDER THAT. SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION. I THINK WE, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT. AND, UH, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING I CAN, I CAN CONDUCT A LITTLE BIT OF LEGAL RESEARCH INTO, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, THE, THE STATE OF THE LAW IS IF THAT'S COURTHOUSE, YOU CAN'T CARRY THROUGH THERE, UM, EVEN IF YOU'RE JUST PASSING THROUGH. SO, ANOTHER WRINKLE I HAVE TO THROW AT YOU THIS MORNING, UNFORTUNATELY. UM, BUT I AM, UH, UM, ABLE TO, AT ANY POINT IN TIME TO ASSIST THE COMMITTEE, AND IF THERE'S ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, YOU NEED RESEARCH IN TERMS OF THIS ISSUE, HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. BUT THAT'S THE STATE OF THE LAW CURRENTLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. YES. UM, AGAIN, A LOT OF US ON THIS COMMITTEE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT, THAT COMES UP FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT WITH US. SURE. AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING WHAT YOU DID. UM, ONE THING THAT I MIGHT ASK, UH, DIRECTOR OF, UH, PUBLIC WORKS SCHMIDT TO RESEARCH IS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ANY PART OF A BUILDING, HOW FAR DO WE GO WITH THE DEFINITION OF A BUILDING? IS THERE A FIREWALL BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, FROM A CONSTRUCTION POINT OF VIEW, BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS? UM, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AS WELL. UM, AND I'M NOT SURE OF THAT CONSTRUCTION. I DON'T EXPECT AN ANSWER TODAY, BUT, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THAT MINUTIAE OF DETAIL, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO CONSIDER AS WELL. WHERE, WHERE IS THE BUILDING SEPARATION? WE, WE HAVE A, A MENTAL, UM, PERHAPS A COMMON SEPARATION BETWEEN THE JUSTICE CENTER AND THE, UH, GOVERNMENT CENTER. BUT IS, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE FROM A CONSTRUCTION POINT OF VIEW THAT THAT MIGHT ADD LEGAL INFORMATION AS WELL? SOMETHING ELSE WE GET TO THINK ABOUT. MR. SAGER? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, IN REFERENCE TO THE COMMITTEE REPORT, UH, JUST SEEKING SOME, UH, DIRECTION AS WELL, JUST AS YOU GAVE TO, UH, UH, MR. SCHMIDT, UH, REGARDING THE CONSTRUCTION AND WHATNOT. BUT REFERENCING THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND THE THREE POLICY QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU SEEKING ANY DIRECTION, UH, FROM YOU OR ANY OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, GOING FORWARD INTO NEXT MONTH, THAT YOU NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION OR, UH, TESTIMONY OR DIRECTION THAT YOU WOULD BE SEEKING FROM MY OFFICE? I THINK AT THIS POINT, AS I STATED EARLIER, WE, WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS ON, IN A, IN A VERY LOW LEVEL WAY. BUT I THINK NOW THAT, UH, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT MORE, WE PROBABLY WILL NEED MORE INFORMATION. I WOULD REQUEST THAT IN THE INTEREST OF GIVING STAFF AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO RESEARCH THINGS, THAT, UM, IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, WE SHOULD HAVE THOSE FORWARDED, UM, THROUGH KAYLA TO DAVE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE OTHER, UH, STAFF NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31ST. I, I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE THEM A COUPLE WEEKS TO COME UP WITH OPINIONS AND, AND DO RESEARCH IF THEY'RE, IF SOME IS NEEDED. UM, I HOPE THAT'S FAIR. I, I I WOULD NOT WANT TO, UM, PUT DOWN ANY BURDENS ON EITHER, EITHER FROM THE COMMITTEE OR FROM STAFF TO, TO LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT. SO IF, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL GO WITH. IF ANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE FORWARD THEM THROUGH CALEB BY OCTOBER 31ST. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE SHOULD BE COVERING THIS MORNING THAT, THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF? WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE THIS MORNING, AND, UH, TYPICALLY WE DON'T GO TO THE GALLERY FOR QUESTIONS, BUT IF, IF WE HAVE A RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS HERE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT, THAT WE'VE OVERLOOKED, PLEASE SPEAK UP. ALRIGHT, WE GOT A LOT ON OUR PLATE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM THEN. ITEM THREE C, I ADDED THIS ITEM TO THE BUDGET. I, UM, JUST TO EXPLAIN, UM, MY THOUGHTS AND, AND BY STATE LAW, WE AS A COMMITTEE CAN'T TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS OUTSIDE OF A MEETING. AND AT THE SAME, BY THE SAME TOKEN, UM, WE DON'T OFTEN TAKE THE TIME TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET AS PROPERLY AS WE SHOULD. UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE IN A, AT A MUNICIPAL LEVEL, WHAT HAPPENS IS THE [c. 2026-2027 Biennium Budget] BUDGET'S PRESENTED, PEOPLE VOTE UP OR DOWN WITHOUT REALLY HAVING MUCH DISCUSSION. I WILL ADMIT THAT WHEN THE, UM, COUNTY EXECUTIVE PRESENTED ITS BUDGET, I DID HAVE SOME GRAVE CONCERNS. I'LL ALSO TELL YOU THAT I SPENT ABOUT THREE AND A HALF HOURS TALKING TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND TO STAFF AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, WHERE WE SHOULD GO, WHAT WE SHOULD DO. UM, I WAS WRESTLING WITH WHETHER OR NOT I WOULD SUBMIT AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT I WON'T. AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, UM, WE HAVE A TWO YEAR BUDGET. WE HAVE CHANGES THAT, THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE BUDGET, [00:50:01] THAT HAVE RAISED CONCERNS WITH SOME OF OUR MEMBERS. BUT THE BEAUTY OF A TWO YEAR BUDGET IS, UM, WE CAN MAKE AN AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR IF WE NEED TO. THERE'S ALWAYS TIME LATER TO CONFISCATE MORE MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYERS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, RIGHT? WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT THIS YEAR. AND IN TALKING WITH COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS STAFF, UM, IN TALKING WITH VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS AND, AND THE, UM, CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COMMITTEE, THERE ARE SOME AVENUES THAT WE HAVE FOR COMING UP WITH FUNDS TO ENSURE THAT COURTHOUSE SECURITY CONTINUES PER THE STATUS QUO, RIGHT? WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES, WE WOULD HAVE TO INVESTIGATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS, BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M SATISFIED WITH THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED, AND I DO NOT PLAN TO, UM, SUBMIT AN AMENDMENT. I HAD CONSIDERED IT, BUT I, I JUST DON'T THINK THERE'S A NEED FOR IT. ARE THERE ANY THAT'S MY OPINION. THIS IS, THIS IS DISCUSSION. YOU'RE CERTAINLY ALL FREE TO SPEAK UP. UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE DO. I THINK THAT LAST MONTH, UM, WE WENT THROUGH, WE HEARD THE SHERIFF TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT COURTHOUSE SECURITY IS TO HIM. SO MUCH SO, UH, THAT HE SAID HE WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A, UH, DEPUTY OFF THE ROAD, UH, AND PUT IT INTO THE COURTHOUSE SECURITY BECAUSE HE THINKS THAT WOULD BE A BETTER USE OF HIS STAFF. UM, WE ALSO TALKED LAST MONTH ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UM, OUR TAX RATE IS REMAINING. I THINK THE COMMENT WAS MADE BY, UH, SUPERVISOR NEWMAN THAT THE TAX RATE IS REMAINING FLAT. IN FACT, IT'S NOT REMAINING FLAT. IT'S, UM, GOING DOWN IN BOTH YEARS, UH, AS IT DID IN 23, 24, 25, AND 26. SO I THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR US TO ADD BACK THAT ONE PERSON, UH, AND MAYBE EVEN, UH, THE ADDITIONAL PAY FOR THE, UM, PART-TIME POOL, UM, WITHOUT IT AFFECTING, UH, THE TAX RATE IN A, IN A HUGE WAY. UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IN 2020, WE WERE, WE, WE WERE FACED WITH THE REFERENDUM OF INCREASING THE, UH, DEBT, UH, UH, LEVY LIMIT. AND AT THAT TIME, I THINK, UM, MOST EVERYBODY, I THINK ALL OF YOU ON THIS COMMITTEE VOTED TO DO THAT. AND THE TAX RATE WAS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE SECURITY, UH, UH, AND PUBLIC SAFETY. SO I, I'M WONDERING WHAT HAS HAPPENED, UH, THAT SO MANY, SO MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO VOTED TO INCREASE OUR LEVY LIMIT ARE NOW PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH NOT PERFECTLY HAPPY. I, I KNOW THERE'S, IT, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT, UH, UH, TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GONNA TAX THE TAXPAYERS? UM, BUT I'M WONDERING WHAT, WHAT HAS CHANGED WHERE WE'VE GONE SO FAR AWAY FROM, FROM THAT, UH, IDEA OF INCREASING THE LEVY LIMIT. AND NOW WE'RE TO THE POINT WHERE I, I, I THINK IF YOU LOOKED AT THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS, WE'RE GOING FROM 1.512 DOWN TO 1.400, AND THEN IN 2026, UH, UM, LEVY YEAR DOWN TO 1.33. SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR US TO DO IT. I THINK THE TAXPAYERS WOULD UNDERSTAND IT, AND I DON'T THINK, I THINK THAT THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND IF WE STAYED FLAT AS OPPOSED TO LOWERING ALL THE TIME. AND I THINK THAT IF YOU CONTINUE TO LOWER, AND I, I THINK SUPERVISOR NEWMAN BROUGHT UP THIS, UH, SAID THIS IN A WAY, YOU KNOW, HOW, AT WHAT POINT ARE WE, UH, UH, NOT ABLE TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF WHAT, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. SO IF YOU KEEP GOING DOWN AT SOME POINT, JUST BECAUSE, UH, UH, INCREASES IN, UH, INFLATION, UH, PAY RAISES, UH, WHICH THE SHERIFF BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION LAST MONTH, HE SAID MOST OF HIS BUDGET IS JUST OUT OF HIS CONTROL BECAUSE THEY AUTOMATICALLY INCREASE. SO, UH, TO, TO, UH, KEEP SAYING TO THE TAX PAYERS, WE'RE LOWERING, UH, YOUR TAX RATE. UM, THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING. I'M, I'M A CONS, VERY CONSERVATIVE PERSON. [00:55:01] I BELIEVE IN SMALLER GOVERNMENT, BUT I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SMARTER GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AT THIS POINT, IT'S, IT'S A CUT. IT'S NOT AN INCREASE. IT'S AN ACTUAL CUT. UH, I'M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT. UM, AND, AND I, UH, HOPE THAT THE COUNTY BOARD WILL RECONSIDER THAT. UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HEARING THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE THAT MEETS THIS AFTERNOON. SO, UH, IT, IT, IT, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT UNFORTUNATE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I STAND. I, I THINK THE SHERIFF WAS VERY, VERY CLEAR, UM, THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT HE FELT WAS TRULY IMPORTANT. UH, AND I DO ALSO THINK THAT THE, UH, RATE INCREASE FOR THOSE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES IS JUST AS IMPORTANT. I KNOW THAT AT THE COUNTY BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK, I, I ATTEMPTED TO LOOK FOR, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR WAYS, WHAT CAN WE CUT SO WE CAN ADD SOMETHING ELSE? UM, UH, I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN, IN MY COMMENTS AND, AND, UH, THE VOTE WENT AGAINST IT. UM, BUT I, I THINK THIS PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN AFTER HEARING, UH, OUR, OUR COUNTY CLERK SAY THAT SHE'S CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, AS, AS ALL AS IT SEEMS, THEY ALL ARE ABOUT THEIR SAFETY ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, UM, WE REALLY SHOULD NOT MAKE THIS CUT, UH, AT THIS TIME. AND SO THAT'S WHERE I AM. I, I, I COULD RAMBLE ON . THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANYONE ELSE? SUPERVISOR NEWMAN? SO, UH, JUST KIND OF TO REPEAT WHAT I SAID BEFORE IS THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE THE WAY WE KEEP GOING HERE, YOU KNOW, THE COST THAT WE HAVE, THE INCREASED COST, UH, THE ONE THING I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF IS SHARED SERVICES, BUT AT WHAT POINT DO THE SHARED SERVICES AFFECT THE COUNTY SERVICES? AND THIS COULD BE RELATED IN MULTIPLE WAYS, YOU KNOW, THIS NOT A BIG DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT, BUT I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED MOVING FORWARD. IS WHAT, AT WHAT EXPENSE ARE WE, UM, CUTTING OUR CONSISTENT COUNTY SERVICES OR OUR CURRENT COUNTY SERVICES TO ADD MORE SHARED SERVICES. YOU KNOW, THOSE SHARED SERVICES ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY BENEFIT THE COUNTY. THERE'S A BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY AS WELL, UM, WITH PROVIDING DEPUTIES THROUGH TOWNSHIPS AND PAYING A PORTION, YOU KNOW, PUTS ANOTHER DEPUTY IN THE COUNTY TOO, AT THE SHERIFF'S DISPOSAL. BUT I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS SUSTAINABLE TO, TO KEEP THE LEVY FLAT OR LOWER THE LEVY WHEN COSTS KEEP GOING UP AND UP AND UP. SO THERE, THERE'S NO TRIMMING THE FAT ANYMORE. IT'S A LEAN MACHINE. THERE'S, THERE'S JUST NOTHING TO CUT ANYMORE. SO IT DOES CONCERN ME AS WELL. AND, AND I THINK THERE IS PLENTY OF OTHER SUPERVISORS THAT FEEL THE SAME WAY. AND IT'S, SO THAT'S MY 2 CENTS. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. I'M GONNA, UH, RESPOND TO YOU AND, AND, UH, SUPERVISOR KRIEGER, GUND EXPRESSED SOME THINGS IN, IN A SIMILAR VEIN, AND THOSE WERE PRECISELY THE CONCERNS THAT I, THAT I SPOKE WITH, WITH, UM, SPOKE ABOUT WITH COUNTY EXECUTIVE. YEAH. I, I WAS CONCERNED THAT AS WE KEEP THE LEVY FLAT OR, OR AS OPPORTUNITY ARISES, DECREASE IT, HOW DID WE DECIDE IT THAT THE 2008 LEVEL WAS THE APPROPRIATE TIME? AND HE DID EXPLAIN TO ME THAT, YEAH, IN 2008 THERE WAS A LOT OF STUFF THAT COULD BE CUT. AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO CUT COURTHOUSE SECURITY, BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONSIDER THAT THAT CUT DOESN'T GO INTO EFFECT IN 2026 THAT GOES INTO 2020, UH, 2027. AND SO THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT. UM, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVINGS AS WE DEAL WITH APPEARANCES IN COURT IN A DIFFERENT WAY, ARE THERE, UM, SAVINGS THAT WE CAN GENERATE BY LOOKING AT TRANSPORTATION COSTS IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT? THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT. AND BECAUSE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNTY BOARD HAVE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB IN THE PAST OF BEING FRUGAL OF, UM, SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR SAVINGS AND RESERVES, WE CAN EASILY MAKE THOSE CHANGES IN 2027. AS I SAID EARLIER, WE DON'T NEED TO CONFISCATE THAT MONEY NOW. WE CAN ALWAYS DO IT LATER. UM, SO YES, I ABSOLUTELY SHARE YOUR CONCERNS. I ABSOLUTELY THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, DIFFICULT [01:00:01] DECISIONS TO MAKE GOING FORWARD, BUT I ALSO THINK THERE'S AVENUES THAT WE CAN EXPLORE TO MAKE THIS WORK IN A WAY THAT WILL NOT, UM, CAUSE A REDUCTION IN SERVICE FOR THE 2026 YEAR. OKAY. SUPERVISOR TOMA, YOU, YOU'RE SAYING THAT, UH, FROM THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT IS THAT WE COULD DO THIS IN 27. ARE WE GONNA BE TOO LATE? I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET CUT. I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED IT IN 26 INSTEAD OF WAITING TILL 27. THAT, UM, AND I'M RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, I, I COULDN'T SEE, OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, THE ONE THAT I FEEL WE NEED THE MOST WOULD BE CUT. SO CAN WE WAIT TILL 2027 OR, UH, SO I, I'M THINKING THAT THERE SHOULD BE A, AN AMENDMENT MADE THAT COVERS THAT THIS YEAR, THAT ADDRESSES IT THIS YEAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANYONE ELSE? UH, I HAVE A QUESTION. YES, MA'AM. IS, IS, IS IT APPROPRIATE, UH, IN THIS MEETING TO, UM, MAKE A MOTION REGARDING THE BUDGET, UM, IF YOU HAVE AND, AND AN, AND AN ENDORSEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AN AMENDMENT FROM THE FLOOR? WE, WE'VE ALREADY ISSUED THE MEMO ON HOW AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET SHOULD BE MADE, AND WE WILL FOLLOW THAT, UM, PROCEDURE, RIGHT? THAT WAS PLACED AT EVERYONE'S, UM, SEAT AT THE LAST COUNTY BOARD MEETING THAT IS PROCEDURE WILL FOLLOW TO CIRCUMVENT THAT PROCEDURE, IN MY OPINION, WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE. UH, UNDERSTOOD IT. I, I, UM, I DO RECALL, I THINK THAT IN PAST YEARS WE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AMENDMENTS, UH, BY COMMITTEE. UM, BUT UH, THERE WAS A, A DECISION THAT WAS MADE. I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, BUT, SO IT IS WHAT IT IS. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS. OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 19TH, AT 20, UM, AT 7:00 AM WE ARE ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.