[00:16:53] JAMES VALADEZ: GOOD MORNING, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE REGULAR MEETING [00:16:59] OF THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO [1. Call to Order] [00:17:03] ORDER THE TIME IS 11:37 AM ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023. [00:17:09] WE'RE CONDUCTING THIS MEETING AT TCAD HEADQUARTERS LOCATED AT 850 [2. Establishment of Quorum] EAST ANDERSON LANE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND A QUORUM IS PRESENT. WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THIS MEETING THROUGH ONLINE BROADCAST AS A COURTESY. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS CITIZENS COMMUNICATION. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO IS SIGN UP TO [3. Citizens Communication] SPEAK? OKAY, WE WILL MOVE ONTO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA WHICH IS ITEM 4. THIS IS CONSENT AGENDA IT INCLUDES THE APPROVAL [4. Consent Agenda] OF MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 6 2023 MEETING, THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES NOVEMBER 10, 2023 MEETING, SECTION 2525 B REPORT, THE ACCOUNTING STATMENTS, BUDGET LINE ITEM TRANSFER. AND PERSONNEL REPORT. I WILL GIVE MEMBERS OF BOARD SOME TIME TO REVIEW THIS ITEMS AND ENTERTAIN EMOTION. YOU CAN ASK THE QUESTION. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ONE ITEM TRANSFER, I NOTED THAT THEIR WAS A TRANSFER FROM THE ATTORNEY'S FEES ABOUT 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS OR SOMETHING MAYBE 27 THOUSAND. BUT I ASSUME THAT IS JUST FROM THAT SPENDING WAS NOT SPEND FOR ATTORNEYS FEES. IS THAT CORRECT? AND IT WAS MOVED OVER TO ATTORNEY'S FEES PERSONNEL WHICH SEEM TO BE THE INTERNAL AND I JUST WONDER WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT? LEANA MANN: SO WE HAVE AN BUDGET SURPLUS IN OUR PEROSNAL ATTORNEY FEES AND SO WE ARE MOVING THAT BUDGET SURPLUS OVER TO THE OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS FEES LINE ITEM. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I SAW THIS VICE FIRST SO COULD WE LOOK AT THAT REAL QUICKLY, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT IN MY MIND. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: BEFORE I MOVE I WANT TO REALLY COMMEND WHOEVER DOCUMENTED THESE MINUTES. JAMES VALADEZ: DOCTOR O, ONE SECOND I THINK SHE HAD A QUESTION THAT SHE WAS GONNA ANSWER. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: OH, I AM SORRY LEANA MANN: IT IS VICEVERSA DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY, SO YOU TRANSFER FROM LEGAL ATTORNEY A SURPLUS OF 27 THOUSAND AND YOU ADD IT TO THE INTERNAL LEGAL AND ATTORNEY 12 THOUSAND AND COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT THE USE OF 12 LEANA MANN: THAT IS FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR HR AND ADMIN RELATED THOUSAND IS? LEGAL COSTS. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THAT IS ALL I NEED, THANK YOU. JAMES VALADEZ: ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON ANY ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? DOCTOR O OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: YEAH, THANK YOU MISTER CHAIRMAN, BEFORE I MOVE TO CONSENT AGENDA, I WANT TO QUICKLY APPRECIATE THE SERVER THAT IS TAKING THIS RECORD, I WENT THROUGH ERROR FREE QUICK DETAILED AND YEAH ERROR FREE. I WANT TO RECOMMENT AND STAND BY TAKING THIS AGENDA. THANK YOU. I, DOCTOR OSEZUA EHIYMAN HEREBY MOVE TO CONSENT TO THE AGENDA FOR THE DAY. JAMES VALADEZ: IT BEEN MOVED BY DR O SECONDED BY MISS MONTOYA. [00:20:01] ANYY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED, THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS OUR REGULAR AGENDA. FIRST ITEM IS DISCUSSION [5. Regular Agenda] AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON TAXPAYER LIAISON REPORT. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. IN YOUR PACKET ARE MY STANDARD REPORTS. AND SO THESE REPORTS GO THROUGH DECEMBER 6, SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF PRESENT THIS AS A YEAR END SUMMARY TO YOU. I WON'T SEE YOU AGAIN BEFORE THAT YEAR ENDS. SO ON THE MONTHLY TABULATION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT I RECEIVED, YOU'LL SEE THAT THROUGH THE SIXTH I'VE RECEIVED 684 I DON'T SUSPECT THAT WE WILL GO OVER THE 700 MARK, LIKE I REPORTED TO YOU LAST MONTH. I'VE ONLY RECEIVED FIVE THIS WEEK, AND THERE WERE ONLY SEVEN THAT FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER. BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THOSE ARE COMMUNICATIONS AND NOT TRANSACTIONS, BECAUSE I AM STILL NOT ABLE TO ANSWER EVERY COMMUNICATION THAT COMES TO ME IN A SINGLE RESPONSE. SO IF YOU TAKE THE PERCENTAGE THAT IT INCREASES THE WORKLOAD, 66% INCREASE, BECAUSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE RESPONSES THAT GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THESE PROPERTY OWNERS OR THE INQUIRIES THAT I GET. SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PIE CHART, YOU'LL STILL SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH I RECATEGORIZED GENERAL INQUIRIES TO TRY AND PARE DOWN THAT GROUP IN MORE DEFINED METHOD, IT STILL IS MY LARGEST CATEGORY. GENERALLY, I CAN ANSWER THOSE GENERAL INQUIRIES WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE CAD THEIR PROCEDURAL QUESTIONS. PROCESS QUESTIONS, YOU MOVE ON AROUND CLOCKWISE, YOU SEE EXEMPTIONS IS 19% THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I REALLY NEED HELP WITH. SO I'M ALMOST A ONE ON ONE COMMUNICATION VERIFYING THE INFORMATION WITH EXEMPTIONS. EXEMPTIONS ARE THE APPRAISED VALUE, THE TAXABLE VALUE. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I GET THAT INFORMATION CORRECT, AND THAT WHEN I SEND IT BACK TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, YOU MOVE ON AROUND ON THE PIE CHART, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT 20% ARE FORMAL HEARING CONTACTS. I HATE TO ALWAYS CALL THEM COMPLAINTS, SOME OF THE INQUIRIES THAT REACH ME FOR THE ARB, I DO FILE AS GENERAL INQUIRIES, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABOUT FORMAL HEARINGS. SO WHEN I TAKE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION INTO ACCOUNT, THEY REPRESENT 155 AT THE DECEMBER 6 MARK. SO 155 EMAILS OR PHONE CONTACTS WILL BE WHAT I WILL REPORT TO THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE THAT WILL SATISFY THEIR REQUIREMENTS FOR REPORTING AND THAT I HAD SENT THAT, I THINK, ALONG IN MY HIGHLIGHTS. SO THAT EQUALS 23% SO ONLY 23% OF THE WORK DONE BY THE TLO RELATES TO THE ARB. SO THE ARB, IN ADDRESSING THESE CONTACTS OR THE ACTIVITY THEIR OFFICERS HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE TO ME TO RESEARCH. THERE OFTENTIMES IS A LOT OF RESEARCH. I DON'T THE PROPERTY OWNER OFTEN DOES NOT PAINT THE FULL STORY FOR ME, AND SO I HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER A TIMELINE. BUT SO THE ARB OFFICERS HAVE HELPED ME. BUT I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE A GROUP OF CAD EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN VERY TIMELY. THEY WRITE FOR ME, THEY RESEARCH FOR ME. THEY MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION THAT I GIVE BACK TO THAT PROPERTY OWNER IS ABSOLUTELY AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE. SO THE DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL, RUSSELL LEDBETTER, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCIAL, DESIREE PALENCIA, AND TWO RESIDENTIAL STAFF MEMBERS, ZACHARY DYE, GRETCHEN STEVENS, THEY MADE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE DURING THE ARB HEARING TIME SO THAT I COULD RESPOND TO INQUIRIES. AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE MONTHS ARE MONTHS AUGUST, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, WHERE MY ACTIVITY ALMOST REACHED 100 COMMUNICATIONS. THEN IN THE EXEMPTION SECTION, TAMMY STONE AND BRANDA HAYDEN, THEY HAVE KEPT ME APPRISED OF WHAT WOULD BE GOING ON WITH A PROPERTY RELATED TO AN EXEMPTION INQUIRY, AND I WOULD NOT BE HERE WITHOUT THE DATA MINING CAPABILITIES OF [00:25:04] YOUR COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR CYNTHIA MARTINEZ. SHE RESEARCHES AND CAN PROVIDE ME A TIMELINE. I SECRETLY HOPE THAT SHE WON'T ANSWER ME IN AN HOUR THAT IT WASN'T THAT EASY FOR HER TO FIND AND THAT I COULDN'T FIND IT, BUT SHE HAS BEEN INVALUABLE TO ME DURING THE PROCESS OF THE LAST 10 MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS. SO THESE COMMUNICATIONS COME TO ME VIA EMAILS, PHONE OR IN PERSON, EMAILS, I BEGAN TO REALIZE WHEN I STARTED GETTING EMAILS THAT SAID, ARE YOU THERE? THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS FORWARDING ME EMAILS THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD SAY THE TAXPAYER LIAISONS EMAIL ACCOUNT IS BLOCKED. SO I STARTED WORKING ON WHY THOSE WERE OCCURRING. I FIGURED OUT THAT LIAISON SHOULD BE A CHALLENGE WORD ON ANY SPELLING TEST BECAUSE PROPERTY OWNERS CAN'T SPELL IT. AND SO I ASKED THE DISTRICT, THEY HAVE SET UP AN EMAIL ACCOUNT THAT IS WITH THE MOST FREQUENTLY IN OUR INCORRECT SPELLING, WHICH JUST AUTOMATICALLY THEN FORWARDS TO MY EMAIL BOX, AND THEN I'M CONNECTED SO AND THEN PHONE AND IN PERSON, I GENERALLY I PICKED UP MY PHONE CALLS, I GENERALLY ASK PEOPLE TO EMAIL ME BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ME TO RESEARCH, NOT ON THE FLY AS I'M TALKING TO THEM ON THE PHONE. BUT I'VE LEARNED THAT THEY COME TO ME, THEY WANT ME TO THEY'RE ADVOCATING, AS YOU'VE HEARD IN YEARS PAST, FOR ME TO CHANGE AN ARBS DECISION, OR I END UP INTERPRETING TO THEM THE ANSWER THAT THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN, EITHER BY CUSTOMER SERVICE OR BY THE ARB OR I END UP EDUCATING. EDUCATING EDUCATING IS A LOT OF WHAT I DO. I GIVE THEM THE VIDEOS, THE WEBSITES. I TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO USE A VERY ROBUST WEBSITE THAT THE DISTRICT HAS. THEY HAVE LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAYERS THAT THEY CAN LOOK UP FOR THEMSELVES, SO I END UP TEACHING THEM HOW TO DO THAT. SO ON TO THE MAP THAT YOU HAVE. I HAVE PICKED OUT THE AREAS THAT EXCEEDED 20, AND THIS MAP WILL NEVER ADD UP TO THE 684 THAT I'VE REPORTED TO YOU, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME THEIR PROPERTY. THEY WANT TO ASK ME THEIR PROPERTY ID. THEY WANT TO ASK ME GENERAL QUESTIONS. RATHER THAN IDENTIFY THEIR PROPERTY, I DO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR PROPERTY ID IS, SO THAT I CAN HAVE SOME RELATIONSHIP TO WHETHER THE ANSWER IS APPROPRIATE OR NOT. BUT SO PFLUGERVILLE, I WILL SAY IT'S A PROCESS. THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AND SO THOSE ARE MORE PROCESS QUESTIONS, AS WELL AS MANOR. THE OTHER ONES ARE MORE VALUE ISSUES, BUT THOSE ARE THE 20 AREA I MEAN THE AREAS THAT HAVE EXCEEDED 20 INQUIRIES PER AREA, SO MOST OF MY TIME THIS MONTH HAS BEEN SPENT ASSISTING THE JUDGE'S EFFORT TO APPOINT ARB MEMBERS, AND SO MS MARTINEZ HAS PROVIDED US WITH A DOCUMENT HERE THAT TELLS US WHAT THE COST AND THE SUCCESS IS OF THE VARIOUS PLACES THAT WE'VE ADVERTISED. SO I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE STAND. YOUR RESOLUTION WAS TO INCREASE THE ARB TO 100 MEMBERS. THAT MEANT THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR 41 NEW APPOINTMENTS. WE HAVE DONE ALL OF THE CURRENT SERVING RE-APPOINTMENT LETTERS OR THE JUDGE HAS, AND THAT WAS 20. I'M GLAD TO REPORT THAT YOUR CHAIR, THE CHAIR AND THE SECRETARY OF THE ARB, WERE APPOINTED FOR ANOTHER YEAR, THEIR SIXTH YEAR ON SERVING ON THE ARB. SO THEY WILL BE AGAIN THE CHAIR AND THE SECRETARY IN 2025, SO ON 11:30 AND 12-1, THE JUDGE INTERVIEWED 21 NEW CANDIDATES. SHE HAS NINE NEW CANDIDATES TO BE INTERVIEWED TOMORROW. THAT MAKES US I DID RECEIVE ONE APPLICATION TODAY. THAT MAKES US STILL LOOKING FOR EIGHT NEW APPLICANTS TO COMPLETE THE STAFFING LEVEL AT 100 FOR THE ARB. SO I THINK THAT THAT CONCLUDES WHAT I HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY. YOU DO HAVE MY ACTIVITY LOG, WHICH IS THE INDIVIDUAL CONTACTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND [00:30:04] DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.? THANK YOU FOR THIS REPORT. FIRST QUESTION I HAVE HAS TO DO WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF INQUIRIES OR RESPONSES YOU'VE HAD DEALING WITH THE ARB, WHICH I'M PLEASED TO HEAR. DID YOU SAY 23%? HOW DOES DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT COMPARES WITH OTHER TAXPAYER LIES ON ACTIVITIES, WHETHER IT'S MORE MORE ARB INVOLVEMENT THAN OTHER THINGS, OR DO YOU HAVE A CLUE? BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: NO, I DON'T HAVE AN IDEA, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T CANVASSED ANY OTHER COUNTIES. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: DO YOU MIND CANVASSING DALLAS, HARRIS, AND BEXAR, JUST TO SEE HOW THEY COMPARE, AS FAR AS THE PERCENTAGE OF ARB QUESTIONS THAT THEY THAT YELLOW DEALS WITH THE ARB BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: DEBBIE, I WOULD ADD, WILLIAMSON COUNTY. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WILLIAMSON, OKAY, SO WILLIAMSON, TARRANT, DALLAS, BEXAR, AND HARRIS WOULD BE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW WE COMPARE TO THEM. AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THE VERY GOOD WEBSITE THAT THE DISTRICT HAS, AND I THINK THE COMPTROLLER ALSO HAS REGARDING EXEMPTIONS. WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND EXEMPTIONS? A LITTLE BIT MORE? SHOULD WE BE DOING? I KNOW THAT THE CHIEF APPRAISER HAS PUBLIC OUTREACH ACTIVITIES FROM TIME TO TIME. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THE EXEMPTION STRUCTURE? BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: THE ONLY ONE ITEM THAT I KNOW THAT I REALLY HAVE TO RELY UPON THE DISTRICT IS ON A NEW BUILD, THE PERCENT COMPLETE ON A NEW BUILD, AND THEN THE APPRAISED VALUE BASED UPON THAT. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ONLY 75% COMPLETE IN 2022 AND 2023 WHEN YOU MOVE TO 100% COMPLETE, THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION VALUE IS GOING TO GO ON TO YOUR APPRAISED VALUE, AS WELL AS ANY INCREASE THAT MIGHT BE ALLOWED UP TO THE 10% LIMITATION. I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, AND SO I DON'T KNOW. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I'VE YET HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH THE DISTRICT. HOW CAN WE PRESENT THAT INFORMATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: PERHAPS YOU CAN WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND PARTICULARLY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ABOUT EFFORTS. MAYBE THERE'S A SHEET OF PAPER THAT COULD GO OUT FAR TO NEW HOMEOWNERS WHO BUY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. I DON'T KNOW BUT, BUT THAT IS CONFUSING. I MYSELF HAVE TROUBLE DEALING WITH THAT FROM GETTING ADVICE. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: ONE WAY TO APPROACH IT, I KNOW CYNTHIA MARTINEZ HAS TRIED, IS TO SOMEHOW HAVE THE OTHER TITLE COMPANIES HELP US AT EVERY CLOSING THAT THEY CAN GIVE OUT WHAT THE EXEMPTIONS ARE DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND WILL, PERHAPS GIVE A SPECIAL PIECE OF PAPER IF THEY'RE BUYING IT IN THE MIDDLE AT THE END OF YEAR, WE'RE NOT GOING TO QUALIFY UNTIL MID YEAR THE NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: AND THEY TRY TO DO A GOOD JOB, BUT IT SOMEHOW WE CAN GET ALL THE TITLE COMPANIES TO DO THIS. IT WOULD REALLY HELP THE LIAISONS WITH EXEMPTION QUESTIONS, MARYA CRIGLER: AND I KNOW CYNTHIA HAS PUT TOGETHER A NEW HOMEOWNER TOOLKIT THAT WE GIVE OUT TO THE TITLE COMPANIES THAT THEY CAN USE. WE CAN HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT NEW CONSTRUCTION AND HOW THAT WILL AFFECT THE LIMITATIONS IN FUTURE YEARS IN THAT TOOLKIT, BUT JUST ENCOURAGING THEM TO USE THAT TOOLKIT AS THEY'RE DOING THEIR CLOSINGS. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO THE TLO ALSO TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT PIECE OF PAPER TO TAXPAYER WHO CALLS IN. I MEAN, RATHER THAN HAVING TO EXPLAIN IT YOURSELF ON THE FLY, I MEAN TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD SHARE. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: WELL, I USUALLY REFER THEM TO THE EXEMPTION WEBINAR, BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT THAT VERY THING, AND IT'S A GOOD EXPLANATION. SO I DO TRY AND USE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SAVES ME TIME. I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT. IT'S THE INFORMATION IS THERE AND IN THIS WEBINAR AND IS EXPLAINED IN DETAIL, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND YOU SERVE YOUR EDUCATIONAL FUNCTION VERY WELL, AND THANK YOU FOR FOR DOING THAT. I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A BOARD APPRECIATE. THAT YOU DO. DO YOU GET QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS? BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: VERY FEW I GET MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY IF I'M NOT HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU? WELL, I'M HERE TO EDUCATE YOU. IS MY ANSWER, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND THAT'S THE CORRECT ANSWER. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR THIS 2024 PROTEST SEASON RECRUITMENT REVIEW THAT YOU PROVIDED TO US. I. MY I WAS [00:35:01] NOTICING WHERE MOST OF THE CONTACTS OR THE REFERRALS COME, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS FOR THIS, DID YOU SAY THERE ARE EIGHT MORE THAT NEED TO TO BE ADDED? MAYBE WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO CIVIC GROUPS SUCH AS THE ROTARY CLUB, THE LIONS CLUB, MAJOR CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THAT, TO SEE IF THEY CAN ASK THEIR MEMBERS WHETHER THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME TO OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE ON THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD. AND I KNOW IN SOME APPRAISAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE MUCH SMALLER THAN TRAVIS, THAT IS THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF CONTACT. THEY THEY USE IT AS A CIVIC INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITY. AND PERHAPS, SINCE WE HAVE A FEW LEFT, WE CAN USE THOSE, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. AND HAVE WE HAD ANY FEEDBACK FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS? I KNOW THAT WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO SEE ABOUT GETTING TEACHERS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SUMMER WORK. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE WORKING FOR A TAXING ENTITY LEANA MANN: THAT BILL DID NOT GET SIGNED SO DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I'M SORRY, LEANA MANN: WE HAD A BILL FOR THE TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE ARB, AND THAT WAS NOT SIGNED. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: IT WAS VETOED. I'M SORRY. I KNEW IT HAD PASSED. MARYA CRIGLER: AND, YEAH, IT PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS, BUT IT GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE CONTROVERSY ENDING THE FIRST SESSION AND GOT VETOED. GOT IT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A PLEDGE TO REFILE IT, AND THE COMMITMENT FROM SENATOR BETANCOURT TO THANK YOU FOR DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THANKS FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT. BUT I DO THINK WE SHOULD REACH OUT TO THE ROTARY CORPS, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THESE LAST FEW NOT BE ABLE TO GET SOME HELP THERE. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: IN ADDITION, I THINK YOU SHOULD REACH OUT TO THE HISPANIC CHAMBER AND TO AN ORGANIZATION CALLED HABLA AND MAY REP, AND I CAN TELL YOU MORE INFO ON IT AFTER THE MEETING. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I THINK SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS THAT THEIR MEMBERS HAVE TO TO ACHIEVE, AS FAR AS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY FEEL RESPONSIBLE TO DO THOSE THINGS, AND SO THIS MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO TO PARTICIPATE. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. FROM YOUR TABLE HERE UNDER RESULTS IS THERE SINCE AUGUST, SINCE AUGUST 1, 2023, 57 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND SUBMITTED TO THE TAXPAYER LIAISONOFFICER, THE 232, OF THOSE APPLICANTS ARE POTENTIAL NEW A ARB. WHY ABOUT THE BALANCE 25 WHEREBY THE OTHER 25 APPLICANTS, WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM? I'M SORRY, THE 25 APPLICANTS OUT OF THE 57 WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM? TO THE APPLICATIONS BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: TO THE 20 MARYA CRIGLER: THOSE ARE OUR CURRENT MEMBERS THAT WERE ASKING TO BE RENEWED, AND IT WAS 32 THAT WOULD BE BRAND NEW. SO OF THE 57 APPLICANTS, 2025, THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO OUR MEMBERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, THAT ARE UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT OR RENEWAL BY THE JUDGE, AND ALSO THEY'RE ALREADY SERVING. THEY'RE ALREADY SERVING, AND THEY CAN BE REAPPOINTED FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM. AND SO THEY SUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATION FOR ADDITIONAL TERMS. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: ARB MEMBERS ARE TERM LIMITED TO THREE TERMS, AND THEY'RE APPOINTED IN TWO YEAR TERMS, SO THEY MAY BE APPOINTED THREE TIMES OKAY AND SERVE SIX YEARS TOTAL, BUT THREE TERMS, OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: OKAY, JUST FOR EASIER UNDERSTANDING, I THINK THAT ALSO SHOULD REFLECT MORE EXPLICIT. MIGHT BE BECOME A RESEARCHER THAT ALSO SHOULD REFLECT IN YOUR RESULTS, OKAY, IS TOO NARROWED, SO YOUR RESULTS, REFLECT IT, BREAK IT DOWN MORE PROPERLY FOR EASY UNDERSTANDING. THANK YOU. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANKS. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5B OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD CHAIRMAN REPORT. CRAIG PHIFER, ARB CHAIR: CRAIG PHIFER, CHAIRMAN OF THE ARB AND CONGRATULATIONS, MR. BUCKLE, FOR YOUR SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION TO THE JONESTOWN CITY COUNCIL. I NOTICED THAT ON THE BALLOT. I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO REPORT. I CERTAINLY HAVE NOTHING CONFLICTING OR ANY CAUSES TODAY, JUST WE'VE BEEN RUNNING PRETTY SMOOTHLY. RIGHT NOW. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ANSWERING AND RESPONDING TO FOLKS WHO WANT TO PROTEST FOR 2023 AND DON'T [00:40:05] REALIZE THAT THEY ARE LATE TO THE PARTY. WE ALSO THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING CORRECTION MOTIONS, AND SO WE'RE PROCESSING THOSE I WOULD I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT OUR INQUIRIES BY EMAIL TO US TO THE ARB ARE WAY DOWN THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN PAST. SO I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD INDICATION OF OUR LEGISLATORS MADE SOME PROPERTY OWNERS HAPPY. WE HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES COMMUNICATING WITH THE JUDGE EARLIER THIS YEAR, TRYING TO GET THE HONORABLE JUDGE MEACHAM AMY CLARK, MEACHAM, TO UNDERSTAND HER ROLE IN APPOINTMENTS AND THAT THERE WAS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE AND THE BOARD TO BE SET BY JANUARY ONE. ROY ARMSTRONG, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AND I HAD A ZOOM CONVERSATION ABOUT THE TIME SHE MADE THE REALIZATION AS WELL. SO SHE'S BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD WITH MISS THOMPSON HERE TO MAKE THESE APPOINTMENTS AND GET THEM, GET THEM BROUGHT ON. SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF OF DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL TRAINING. WE DIDN'T REALLY LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO NEW APPOINTEE TRAINING. SO WE'RE REVAMPING THOSE BRINGING ALONG. SO WE'LL BRING THOSE PEOPLE. WE HAD NINE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE APPOINTED THIS YEAR ONCE THE JUDGE REALIZED THAT SHE COULD RESCIND APPOINTMENTS THAT DIDN'T WORK, THAT DIDN'T SHOW UP WHERE THEY WERE SCHEDULED. SO WE HAD THOSE PEOPLE SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED, OPENED UP SPOTS, GOT NINE APPOINTMENTS. OF THOSE NINE, SEVEN PARTICIPATED TWO OR WE'RE GETTING HAVING THOSE REMOVED, AS I SPEAK, HOPEFULLY, SO WE FREE UP AND WE CAN HAVE 100 WORKING WITH 74 ANY GIVEN TIME. WE UNDERSTAND OUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, AND THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED TIME OFF. THEY YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THEIR LIVES. THEY HAVE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, GRANDKIDS, ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT COME WITH BEING AN ADULT AND AND THIS OLDER GENERATION, THE HEALTH CONCERNS THAT COMES WITH IT, IT GIVES THEM, GIVES US FLEXIBILITY TO WORK AROUND THEIR SCHEDULES. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THOSE SEVEN PEOPLE THAT WE BROUGHT ON. WE DID GIVE THEM TRAINING, COMPRESSED TRAINING, DURING THE SUMMER, AND THEY GOT THEM OJT DURING THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, SO THEY WERE IN PANELS WITHIN A WEEK OF GOING THROUGH ALL THE NECESSARY TRAINING. AND WE WERE ABLE, EVEN THOUGH THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE TRAINING WAS SUSPENDED AT THAT POINT, NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED. WE STILL HAD THEM GO THROUGH IT, AND WE GOT THEM CERTIFIED. WE ARE GOING TO ASK THEM TO GO THROUGH TRAINING WITH THE NEWLY APPOINTED FOLKS THIS SPRING AS WELL. WHAT AGAIN? SO THEY WILL GET A LARGER, LOW, LESS COMPRESSED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT THEY'RE BETTER PREPARED, BECAUSE THIS YEAR, WE SAW A HIGHER EFFICIENCY RATE IN OUR PANELS. WE WERE FINALLY GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO WORK QUICKLY AND LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TESTIMONY BY ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED, INCLUDING THEMSELVES. YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE TO TALK AS MUCH AS THEY THINK THEY NEED TO. SO WITH THAT, WE WERE MUCH WE WERE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT. WE WERE HEARING. WE'VE REPORTED PREVIOUSLY WHAT OUR AVERAGE TIME WAS, BUT IT WAS WELL UNDER THE UNDER 20 MINUTES. IT WAS BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MINUTES ON AN AVERAGE. WE HAD PANELS THAT WERE DOING FOUR MINUTE HEARINGS AT SOME POINT. SO WE WILL BE MORE EFFICIENT, I HOPE, GOING INTO THE NEXT PROTEST SEASON. AND I CAN SAY THAT BECAUSE I DID GET MY REAPPOINTMENT. SO YOU WILL HAVE ME ONE MORE YEAR. THIS WILL BE MY FINAL YEAR. MY SIX YEARS ARE UP. I CAN GO BACK TO DOING MY HEDONISTIC ACTIVITIES AT HOME, TAKING CARE OF MYSELF. SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MISS MANN. CONGRATULATIONS TO MS. CRIGLER FOR HER NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL YEARS. I CAN'T DREAM WHAT 2012 YOU CAME UP. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR LEADERS. UP IN SUPPORT OF THE [00:45:01] ARB. I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH WITH THAT. I REALLY HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY OTHER THAN APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP TOO. MR. VALADEZ, OKAY, AND ONCE A NIGHT, ALWAYS A NIGHT, JAMES VALADEZ: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. PHIFER, OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS 5C DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON FISCAL YEAR 2023, BUDGET AMENDMENT. LEANA MANN: WE ARE EXPECTING A BUDGET SURPLUS OF AROUND HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, APPRAISAL DISTRICTS HAVE TO EITHER CREDIT OR REFUND THOSE FUNDS BACK TO THE TAXING ENTITIES OR DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO TRANSFER THOSE TO RESERVES. SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO TRANSFER ANY SURPLUS TO THE RESERVE FOR LITIGATION. I INCLUDED SOME NUMBERS ON THE LETTER ON PAGE 55 IN EACH TAXING ENTITY RECEIVED A LETTER THERE, WE HAD A 691% INCREASE. IN THE NUMBER OF LAWSUITS FILED IN THE PAST DECADE. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE VALUE UNDER LITIGATION, THAT'S EVEN MORE STAMMERING. SO WE HAVE USED OUR RESERVES FOR LITIGATION TO COVER SOME OF THESE INCREASED EXPENSES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. WE NEED TO START REPLENISHING THOSE. UNKNOWN: WHAT? I'M SORRY, SORRY, A QUICK QUESTION, DO WE HAVE A RESERVE POLICY? AND IF SO, WHAT LEVELS, WHAT PERCENTAGES WILL THAT PUT US IN TERMS OF OPERATING RESERVES? LEANA MANN: SO OUR POLICY IS 25% OF OPERATING BUDGET, AND WE'RE WELL BELOW THAT RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE ABOUT AN EXACT AMOUNT MARYA CRIGLER: AND WE MAY WANT TO REALLY MAKE A DEDICATED EFFORT MOVING FORWARD TO REPLENISH OUR LITIGATION RESERVES. WE'VE USED QUITE A BIT OUT OF OUR RESERVES TO PAY FOR INCREASED LITIGATION, BUT WE'RE FACING A RECORD YEAR IN TERMS OF TOTAL VOLUME OF LITIGATION. DUSTY, HOW MANY LAWSUITS DID WE HAVE THIS YEAR? DUSTIN BANKS: WE HAVE ABOUT WE'RE HITTING 24 MARYA CRIGLER: WE'RE ALMOST AT 2400 LAWSUITS THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. DUSTIN BANKS: AND WE WE HAVE SOME THAT DATA TO PRESENT YOU IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, UNKNOWN: AND I'LL AFFORD IF WE'RE UNDER OUR RESERVE POLICY. BUT ALSO WANT TO, SORT OF, IF WE WANT TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT REPLENISHING IT, WOULD LOVE TO SORT OF SEE WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHAT OUR MULTI YEAR GOALS ARE TO REPLENISH IT. LEANA MANN: I THINK WE'LL INCLUDE SOME REPLENISHMENT IN OUR BUDGET. EACH YEAR, AT OUR HEIGHT, WE HAD OVER $4 MILLION IN OUR RESERVE FOR LITIGATION, AND WE'RE JUST UNDER A MILLION NOW. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: SO CHAIRMAN, ALTHOUGH SHE SHE JUST GAVE US A SUMMARY OF HER REPORTS, I WANT TO FIND OUT FROM DUSTING BANKS, PLEASE. YOU SAY YOU HAVE MORE LAWSUIT THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR? YES? WHY? WHAT HAPPENED? DUSTIN BANKS: IT'S BEEN A GROWING TREND YEAR OVER YEAR FOR THE LAST DECADE OR SO, LEGISLATIVE JAMES VALADEZ: DUSTY, I THINK WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE RECEIVING SOME I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE COVERED IN ANOTHER ITEM RIGHT FURTHER DOWN THAT WE'LL GET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: MR. CHAIRMAN, I DIDN'T WANT US TO JUST KEEP IT FROM HERE, BECAUSE I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT. JAMES VALADEZ: OKAY, WELL, DUSTY. DUSTIN BANKS: CAN YOU AT LEAST THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND I BRIEF EVERYTHING, AND THAT MAY GIVE YOU, YOU KNOW MORE INFORMATION TO MOVE FORWARD ON WHAT THE REQUEST IS FOR ITEM 5C OKAY, SOUNDS GREAT. JAMES VALADEZ: WE'LL MOVE ON. OR ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON 5C WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5D WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CHIEF APPRAISERS REPORT TO INCLUDE 2024 CALENDAR, 2024 FIELD WORK AND TAXPAYER OUTREACH PROGRAMS. MARYA CRIGLER: AND I'M GOING TO LET OUR INCOMING CHIEF APPRAISER GIVE YOU THE OUTLOOK FOR 2024 LEANA MANN: WE MET EARLIER IN THE MONTH AND DISCUSSED OUR 2024 CALENDAR. SO WE WILL BE SENDING NOTICES OF APPRAISED VALUE MID APRIL, AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, FORMAL HEARINGS. WE PLAN TO BEGIN AROUND THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE. WE'LL START WITH OUR PRIOR YEAR HEARINGS, AND THEN ROLL INTO OUR CURRENT YEAR HEARINGS. OUR PLAN IS TO CERTIFY OR SEND CERTIFIED ESTIMATES ON JULY 25 AND OUR GOAL IS TO END ALL FORMAL HEARINGS BY AUGUST 31 THAT WOULD ALLOW US MORE TIME IN THE FIELD AND THEN BETTER EVALUATION. SO WE NEED TO BE DONE WITH FORMAL HEARINGS SOONER. OUR FIELD WORK FOR 2024 FOR RESIDENTIAL THEY ARE ABOUT 38% COMPLETE. WE HAD 26,000 NEW BUILDING PERMITS TO CHECK. THIS YEAR, THEY ARE ON TRACK TO FINISH BY THE END OF JANUARY. [00:50:03] COMMERCIAL HAD ABOUT 5000 PERMITS TO REVIEW, AND ARE ABOUT HALFWAY DONE. THEY ARE WILL ALSO BE DONE AT THE END OF JANUARY AND THEN BPP, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 12,000 FIELD CHECKS TO COMPLETE, AND THEY'RE ON TRACK TO FINISH MID FEBRUARY. THE TAXPAYER OUTREACH EVENTS THAT WE DID SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER. WE DID THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SENIOR AFFORDABILITY FAIR, THE COUNCIL MEMBER VANESSA FUENTES, COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, CITY OF AUSTIN, ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, SEMINAR FOR SENIORS, THE LATINO HEALTH CARE FORUMS, DIA DE LOS MUERTOS FAIR AND THE DEL VALLET DEL VALLEY COMMUNITY COALITIONS GROUP TWICE. SO WE'VE HAD AN ACTIVE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT NEW PARTNERSHIPS COMING UP FOR THE NEW YEAR. THE DEL VALLEY COMMUNITY COALITION, WE HAVE A ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM THAT WILL BE WORKING ON MORE EVENTS, THE EAST AUSTIN CONSERVANCY AND THEN THE ECONOMIC GROWTH BUSINESS INCUBATOR. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. CHAIRMAN, DO WE HAVE THAT IN WRITING SOMEPLACE? IT'S NOT IN OUR IT'S NOT IN OUR FOLDERS. LEANA MANN: I CAN GIVE YOU SOME NOTES. THERE WASN'T ANYTHING IN THE BOOK, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY? LEANA MANN: THESE WERE JUST MY MY HAND NOTES. BUT YES, I CAN PROVIDE DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: SOME OF US ARE VISUAL PEOPLE, RATHER THAN JUST LISTENING. SO IF YOU COULD PROVIDE IT IN WRITING, WE APPRECIATE IT OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: PLEASE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I FEEL MOVING FORWARD. THIS A BOARD I THINK THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR A BOARD MEETING SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW THROUGH WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU JUST READ THAT PAPER. I COULD NOT ASSIMILATE ANYTHING IN OUR PLACE. IF A COPY CAN BE SENT TO US, I WILL APPRECIATE IT SO I CAN GO THROUGH WHAT YOU JUST SAID BEFORE I CONSENT TO WHATEVER WE ARE SAYING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. JAMES VALADEZ: DOES THAT INCLUDE THE OR DOES THAT CONCLUDE THE REPORT FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER. LEANA MANN: IT DOES JAMES VALADEZ: OKAY. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WELL, AND I'VE GOT A LITTLE SIDETRACKED IN MY HEARING TO DR. O, SO COULD YOU GO OVER ONE MORE TIME THE LAST PART, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING IN DIFFERENT AREAS? COULD YOU GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN? PLEASE? LEANA MANN: YEAH, WE HAVE SOME NEW PARTNERSHIPS. SO THE DEL VALLE COMMUNITY COALITION, WE'VE MET WITH THEM. WE DID TWO EVENTS IN DECEMBER, AND WE HAVE MORE PLANNED INTO THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. AND THEN WE'RE WORKING WITH THE EAST AUSTIN CONSERVANCY FOR SOME EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS IN 2024 AND THEN THE ECONOMIC GROWTH BUSINESS INCUBATOR DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I MIGHT ADD, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE TLO IN THE PAST THAT WE SHE GETS A LOT OF INQUIRIES FROM THE PFLUGERVILLE AREA AND EAST THE NORTH EASTERN QUADRANT OF THE COUNTY. SO IF YOU COULD ADD A COUPLE OF OUTREACH EFFORTS UP THERE, IT WOULD SEEM LIKE IT MIGHT BE USEFUL. IF YOU DON'T MIND, I RECOGNIZE DEL VALLE SO FAST GROWING AREA AND THE COALITIONS THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE VERY IMPORTANT. BUT IF YOU COULD ADD A COUPLE IN THE NORTH PART OF THE COUNTY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE USEFUL. JAMES VALADEZ: JUST TO KIND OF PIGGY BACK OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: MR. CHAIRMAN, PLEASE. CAN I HAVE A COPY OF THE REPORT OF 2024 CALENDAR SO THAT I CAN SPEAK TO IT, PLEASE. I'M NOT FOLLOWING WHAT YOU HAVE JUST READ. I'M CONFUSED. LEANA MANN: THESE ARE JUST MY NOTES. I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU OUT A LIST OF ALL THE ACTIVITIES WE HAVE PLANNED. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: NO FOR TODAY'S MEETING. WHAT YOU JUST READ, PLEASE? CAN I HAVE A COPY? LEANA MANN: I CAN SEND IT TO YOU AS SOON AS THE MEETING IS OVER, BUT I HAVE NOTES ON HERE. JAMES VALADEZ: JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON YOUR COMMENTS, DEBBIE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE MAPPING TOOL THAT THE TLO HAS USED, BECAUSE I THINK THAT REALLY INFORMS HOW WE CAN BEST DEPLOY RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. AND SO I THINK REALLY LEANING INTO THOSE RESOURCES IN THE MAPPING SO THAT WE CAN ALLOCATE RESOURCES ACCORDINGLY TO WHERE WE'RE SEEING NEED. I THINK SPECIFICALLY OUT IN DEL VALLE AND PFLUGERVILLE, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION ROLL INTO SO KIND OF TIED INTO WHAT WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING PRIOR. I THINK, YOU KNOW, GETTING AHEAD OF IT, EVEN BEFORE WE TRY AND TACKLE ANYTHING WITH TITLE COMPANIES OR ANYTHING TO THAT NATURE, WE COULD REALLY ALLOCATE THOSE RESOURCES UPSTREAM. AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME AND RESOURCES THAT STAFF HAS PUT INTO THAT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE TAXPAYER THE CHIEF APPRAISER'S REPORT? DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THAT THE NOSES OF PRICE VALUE WILL GO OUT IN APRIL. IS CUSTOMARY. I HOPE THAT OUR EARLY MEETING AND NEXT YEAR WILL GET A GOOD REPORT OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE FIELD, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE DECIDED TO REAPPRAISE FOR 2024 BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE THE MARKET IS PERHAPS MOVING DOWN A LITTLE BIT. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING. UH, AND IF YOU [00:55:01] COULD GIVE US THAT KIND OF REPORTED OUR FIRST MEETING IN 2024 I'D APPRECIATE IT. LEANA MANN: YES, WE CAN INCLUDE THAT. MARYA CRIGLER: I THINK THAT WE WILL, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE WAITING FOR FOURTH QUARTER. 2023 DATA TO COME IN. THAT'LL BE A REPORT THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU IN MARCH, AFTER WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO GET THE DATA IN AND ANALYZE IT TO SEE WHAT, WHERE IT'S COMING OUT. AND 2024, WILL BE A PROPERTY VALUE STUDY YEAR FOR US AS WELL. SO IT'LL BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REAPPRAISE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE FOR THE STUDY. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL KIND OF SCREW THE SALES VALUE OR THE OTHER SALES PRICES, IS THAT RIGHT NOW, THE LAST THREE MONTHS, BUILDERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A LOT OF MONEY TO BUYERS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 20 TO 25,000 I WAS THIS MORNING, I HAD, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A BUILDER, AND THEY'RE REALLY COMING DOWN. IT'S NOT REFLECTED IN THE SALES PRICE. MARYA CRIGLER: IT'S THE INCENTIVES THAT THEY'RE GIVING, INCENTIVES JAMES VALADEZ: INTEREST RATE BUY DOWNS AS WELL WOULD BE A CATALYST. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: YES, RIGHT. SO FYI, JAMES VALADEZ: THAT CONCLUDES 5D WE'LL MOVE ON TO 5E WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RENEWAL OF CONTRACT FOR THIRD PARTY APPRAISAL SERVICES THROUGH CAPITAL APPRAISAL GROUP. LEANA MANN: WE CURRENTLY USE CAPITAL APPRAISAL GROUP FOR A HANDFUL OF COMMERCIAL, COMMERCIAL REAL PROPERTY ACCOUNTS THAT THEY APPRAISE AND THEN A LOT OF OUR BPP ACCOUNTS WE HAVE OVER TELECOM, ANY SOLAR, VARIOUS BPP ACCOUNTS. AND THIS IS OUR RENEWAL FOR 2024 AND 2025. THE ONLY ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTS WE'VE ADDED ARE ADDITIONAL TELECOM ACCOUNTS. JAMES VALADEZ: CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE LONGEVITY OF THE COMPANY OR THE CONTRACT IN PRIOR YEARS? ANYTHING THAT, ANY OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, LEANA MANN: WE'VE USED THEM FOR AT LEAST THE PAST 12 YEARS, PROBABLY BEFORE THAT, BUT JUST DURING MY TENURE, I KNOW WE'VE HAD THEM THE ENTIRE TIME. THEY WERE RECENTLY BOUGHT OUT BY HARRIS GOVERN, WHICH IS A LARGE NATIONAL CORPORATION, BUT OUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES HAVE STAYED VERY ACTIVE WITH THE COMPANY. WE'VE HAD GOOD SUCCESS. THEY'RE EASY TO WORK WITH AND DO A GOOD JOB ON THE APPRAISAL WORK. JAMES VALADEZ: ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON 5E UNKNOWN: AND WE'RE JUST RENEWING THE CONTRACT? WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A SOLICITATION, OR WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE WORK, LEANA MANN: IT WOULD FALL UNDER THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE EXCEPTION. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. CHAIR, OF COURSE, WE DON'T HAVE TO BID IT BECAUSE OF THAT, BUT WE COULD IF WE WANTED TO. AND SINCE IT'S BEEN BOUGHT OUT BY ANOTHER COMPANY, AND THIS IS KIND OF A NEW, NEW REGIME, PERHAPS AT THE END OF THIS TERM, WE SHOULD CONSIDER GOING OUT FOR COMPETITIVE BIDDING ON IT. JAMES VALADEZ: I LIKE THAT. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: YOUR PAGE, 62, IS REAL COMPLIANCE. IS IT JUST A CLARIFICATION THE COMPANY SOLIDIFIES, I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS. LEANA MANN: THAT'S A REQUIREMENT OF ALL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: NO, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHETHER IT IS CORRECT, RIGHT? THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE THEIR CONTRACT, OKAY, I KNOW. THANK YOU. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON 5E HEARING NONE, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY BLANCA AND SECONDED BY MR. BUCKLE, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEMS 5F, G, H, I AND J OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA, WHICH ARE AS FOLLOWS, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON REPORT FROM THE CHIEF APPRAISER SEARCH COMMITTEE. 5G DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AND DUTIES RELATED TO THE POSITION OF CHIEF APPRAISER. 5H DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PERFORMANCE REVIEW, COMPENSATION AND CONTRACT FOR THE CURRENT CHIEF APPRAISER DURING TRANSITION. FIVE I, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON LITIGATION AND APPEALS RELATED TO PENDING AND ANTICIPATED LAWSUITS. 5J DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE ATTORNEYS FEES ORDERED TO BE PAID BY THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD AND [01:00:02] CAUSE. D, 1G, GN1, 8007116, LIKE. CHURCH. VT, CAN WE WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION CITING SECTION 551071, OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, AND SECTION 551074, OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. THANK YOU. WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ALL THOSE ITEMS. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MS CARTWRIGHT AND SECONDED BY [02:23:05] CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS BACK FROM [02:23:07] EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS 5C [02:23:14] DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON FISCAL YEAR 2023, BUDGET [02:23:18] AMENDMENT. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THAT ITEM. [02:23:23] NICOLE CONLEY: YES, GOOD AFTERNOON. I MOVE APPROVAL OF [02:23:27] THE PROPOSED FY 23 THREE BUDGET AMENDMENT. [02:23:31] JAMES VALADEZ: IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MS CONLEY, SECONDED BY MS [02:23:34] MONTOYA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING? NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE [02:23:38] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES [02:23:42] UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5G DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE [02:23:47] ACTION ON APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, CONTRACT AND DUTIES [02:23:50] RELATED TO THE POSITION OF CHIEF APPRAISER. I WILL ENTERTAIN A [02:23:54] MOTION. [02:23:55] TOM BUCKLE: YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE BOARD'S CONSIDERED THE [02:23:59] LETTER OR IN A CONTRACT RECOMMENDED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE [02:24:05] ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF LEANA MANN AS CHIEF APPRAISER. AND I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THAT CONTRACT AS THE ACTION OF THE BOARD. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN: IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. BUCKLE AND SECONDED BY BLANCA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING? NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5H OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PERFORMANCE REVIEW COMPENSATION AND CONTRACT FOR CURRENT CHIEF APPRAISER DURING TRANSITION, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN AND THE HOUSE I DOCTOR EHIYMEN OSEZUA, I HEREBY MOVE A MOTION FOR THE EXTENSION DOCUMENT OF OUR CURRENT CHIEF [02:25:02] APPRAISAL OFFICER DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD TO FEBRUARY 29 2024 I HEREBY MOVE JAMES VALADEZ: THAT'S BEEN MOVED BY DR O SECONDED BY MS MONTOYA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING? NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5J, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE ATTORNEYS FEES ORDERED TO BE PAID BY THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD IN CAUSE. D1, GN, 18007116, LIKE HILLS CHURCH, VT, CAD, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE APPROVAL OF A DRAFT LETTER TO ARMSTRONG AND ARMSTRONG RESPONSE TO A LETTER DATED OCTOBER 9, 2023, FROM THAT LAW FIRM, WITH THE AMENDMENT OF REMOVING THE LAST TWO SENTENCES OF THE DRAFT LETTER. OKAY, JAMES VALADEZ: IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MS CARTWRIGHT, SECONDED BY MR. BUCKLE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING? NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5K OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADD ITEMS TO FUTURE AGENDAS. DO ANY BOARD MEMBERS OR STAFF HAVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO APPEAR ON OUR NEXT MEETING? MARYA CRIGLER: THE TAAD ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS COMING UP IN FEBRUARY, AND IF ANY OF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING WITH SOME OF THE BOARD AGENDA ITEMS, WE CAN SEND YOU A COPY OF WHAT THE AGENDA IS, AND JUST LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE, AND WE'LL GET YOU REGISTERED FOR THE CONFERENCE. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND I BELIEVE THE DATES FOR FEBRUARY 18 THROUGH THE 21ST YES, JUST FOR CLARITY, STARTS ON A SUNDAY AND ENDS ON WEDNESDAY. SO IN HOUSTON. MARYA CRIGLER: IN HOUSTON, OKAY. JAMES VALADEZ: NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS 5F ADJOURNMENT. I NEED [6. Adjourn] A MOTION TO ADJOURN, MOVED BY DR MOVED BY DR O, SECONDED BY MS MONTOYA AT 148 THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTOR STANDS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.