Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Notes from Presidio County Commissioners Court Meeting 3/23/2016 9:30 AM, Presidio County Annex Food Pantry Building, Presidio TX

Presidio County Commissioners Court Special Meeting March 23rd, 2016, 9:30 AM, Presidio County Annex Food Pantry Building, Presidio, TX

Present: Jim White, Loretto Vasquez, Eloy Aranda, Cinderela Guevara, Lorenzo Hernandez

Called to order at 9:43 AM

Public comments:
None

Judge and commissioners announcements:
Judge Guevara says that Larry Lunsford came to her after meeting to apologize for springing the purchase of the golf course on them. Says investors would like to meet directly with Judge. Says that they would build casitas on the property if land was sold to them. Housing shortage.
Aranda says that property would have to be auctioned, bids, etc. Get the County Attorney involved. If property is to be sold, the County needs to get a professional appraisal of the golf course. Golf course was built by hand by people in Marfa, we need to be really careful. Judge says that he is right, we need to be sure we protect the County first and look very carefully. There has been at least one other person interested in redoing the golf course. All this will have to be put out for bid, and we will have to be very careful. Commissioner Vasquez says he has gotten a lot of calls against sale of land. 
Jim White says that he has gotten complaints about children running around the Marfa airport, all along the runways et al, and commissioners court will need to deal with this. 
Hernandez says that we have heard about this before and done nothing, it is time for us to do something. White agrees, we really do not want to get anyone hurt. That is the main issue. Judge says that she can call them into her office and tell the kids themselves. Offers to take care of this with Chase today. Agreed between Chase and Judge that they will speak to the kids tomorrow and take care of this. 

Item 6- 2015 TCDBG proposals. Commissioners have had packets to rank and score. Tabled for a bit while Commissioner Vasquez completes his survey.

Issue with tape recorder. It turned off. Virgie resets it. 

Item 7- 
Maximum lodging and meal rates for Presidio County Employees (training sessions, etc)
Patty Roach explained that we are currently at $42, maximum is $46. After that it is taxable to the County. Katie Sanchez gives clarity on advances versus reimbursements. This is for advances. Reimbursements can be made on real receipts. Hernandez recommends reimbursements only, that would solve this issue. Katie agrees. Reimbursements do not include tips or alcohol. Katie says some people need advances, cannot rely on reimbursements. Aranda says advances are good. White says that receipts need to be required either way. Judge says that if you get an advance and you spend more, then you can be reimbursed the difference. France's Garcia agrees that it is. Katie says though that if you spend less, you do not have to reimburse the County. White says there is nothing wrong with paying taxes. Hernandez says that when he attends a conference, he would at least like to have the lodging paid in advance. Ketzia says that II is all up to the commissioners. She knows that we have given advances before and a few people need to reimburse the County for money that was not spent. Aranda talks about going up to $46. White says he prefers to encourage people to just rely on bringing receipts back. Judge asks if they really want to eliminate advances. Virgie says that some employees cannot afford to go somewhere without an advance. More discussion. 
Aranda talks about requiring receipts, if people do not spend the money would have to bring the receipts back and refund any excess. 
Wants to bring it up to $46, still allow advances, allow for extra reimbursement if employee goes over. Receipts required. Maximum meal per dime would be $46. 
Katie says that they need to clarify if it's for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Hernandez asks if they would have to bring back receipts if they go over or regardless. Wants to retire receipts regardless. Vasquez says he is against reimbursement if meals go over $46. Hernandez agrees. Does not apply for hotel fees, just meals. No receipts would be required. White agrees that reimbursement over $46 leaves room for abuse. Discussion about receipt requirements. 
Some questions about fairness. Agreed that reimbursement rate and advance rate will both be set at $46 maximum. Special trips to places like Washington DC could be considered on an as needed basis. Judge says that sometimes those important trips come up at the last minute and there would not be time to schedule. Katie says that they could go by the GSA recommendations and guidelines on that. Judge says that she really believes this should be studied more, and that maybe to day just raise it up $4 and come to revisit this. Hernandez says he agrees, but would rather not even raise it today. Instead come back and tackle it all at once. White says we could do trips on a more open ended deal based on where the trip would be. Chase says why not go with the GSA rates. White says we don't yet know those rates. More general discussion.
Aranda wants to study this more. White agrees. 
Judge says she doesn't see anything wrong with the $4 increase today. Vasquez agrees. Judge makes motion. Aranda seconded. Lunch is now $14 instead of ten. Approved.

Item 8- Surplus equipment: attached list. (I do not have the list, but Aranda supplied it)
Aranda says it is mostly old equipment in the way, taking up yard space. 
Ruben Carrasco presents. He and Chase went through equipment.
Made a list and where it all is
Half ton Chevy pickup, Marfa airport, very old. Trash in the back
Lots of parts, materials, been there for a long time.
Some of these things are on the RCI asset list.
Oil tank at golf course
More
Hernandez moves to approve the list.
White seconds. Unanimous

Item 6- TXCDBG
Admin and engineering services for Block Grant. Redford Water Supply
Scored applicants.
Katie Sanchez has tallied the points.
Will be posted on County website
Grantworks: Admin, beat out Grant Management
Engineering: Kleinman engineering beats out Frank Spencer and two others. 
Motions follow to adopt as recommended. 
Unanimous
Barbara Baskin has two questions. Who got this information together for the RFPs 
Also, why is the scoring the way it is, unclear as to whether it has been done before. Hernandez says that the engineer we chose as most qualified will be price negotiated with first. Baskin wants to be sure everything is covered, water has not been up to standards for quite a while. White recommends she reads the proposals. She says she has never seen that, wants to know if the contract award have anything to do with the specs of this project. Jerry Carvahal says that the grant proposal is designed around prior engineering findings (by Ramon Carrasco of Kleinman). Baskin protests a bit that the information from prior projects has never been disclosed. End of discussion.

Item 9- line item transfers
Operating supplies to uniforms for Sheriff's Dept. correction from last time, more uniform pants. Approved

Item 10-
Bills and expenses
White makes motion to accept. Seconded by Hernandez. 
Unanimous

Item 11- Adjourn
Adjourned at 10:41 AM




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