September 18, 2024 Hood County Special Called Meeting

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Hood County Commissioners Court held a special called meeting on September 18, 2024, to address budget matters and capital requests ahead of the upcoming fiscal year. Public comments addressed concerns about maintaining a revenue-neutral budget, a requested pay increase for the Sheriff's office secretary, and perspectives on budget management. Commissioners reviewed capital project requests and discussed funding strategy, focusing on the use of excess fund balance to support priority expenditures such as sheriff's vehicles and dispatch console while maintaining policy-compliant emergency reserves. The meeting concluded with commissioners identifying remaining variables needed to finalize the budget, including fund balance draw and tax rate calculations, with plans to reconvene the following morning.

• Call to order and opening remarksThe special called meeting of Hood County Commissioners Court was called to order at 1 p.m. at the EOC in Granbury, followed by invocation and pledges.
• Public comment—revenue-neutral budget requestGreg Harold, Hood County Republican Party chair, urged commissioners to adopt a revenue-neutral or near-revenue-neutral budget given current economic hardship in the county.
• Public comment—Sheriff's office secretary pay increase requestA Highway Patrol captain presented the need for a $5,500 annual pay increase for the Sheriff's office secretary, citing increased workload and desire to retain the newly hired employee.
• Public comment—budget management and sheriff's department funding perspectiveA newly relocated Hood County resident offered perspective on budget management versus defunding concerns, noting the commissioners are managing a budget and the sheriff's department has received increased funding over time.
• Capital requests review and funding discussionCommissioners reviewed a spreadsheet of capital requests submitted by various departments and discussed funding sources and priorities.
• Capital funding strategy using excess fund balanceCommissioners discussed using excess fund balance designated for capital projects to fund sheriff's vehicle and dispatch console while maintaining policy-compliant emergency reserves.
• Fund balance policy and tax rate discussionCommissioners debated the appropriate use of excess fund balance and whether to increase property tax rates or maintain the no-new-revenue rate while spending down reserves above the established policy threshold.
• Current fund balance status and budget calculationCommissioners reviewed current fund balance of approximately $30 million (minus $8 million in liabilities) and discussed how this relates to the $42 million budget and policy-compliant reserves.
• Variables for final budget determinationCommissioners identified the remaining variables needed to finalize the budget: fund balance draw, capital expenditure allocation, and resulting tax rate calculation.
• Tax rate and fund balance policy alignmentCommissioners discussed keeping tax rates low using excess fund balance while maintaining the 3-to-4-month policy reserve, with consideration given to the presidential election cycle.
• Radio maintenance budget relocationCommissioners discussed moving radio maintenance and related costs from the Sheriff's Department budget to Emergency Management to reflect countywide usage.
• AdjournmentThe meeting was adjourned at 3:12 p.m. with notice of reconvening tomorrow at 9 a.m.