c. Discussion and Possible Action on Proposed Revisions and Adoption of Board of Directors Operating Policies and Code of Ethics

[f. Discussion and Possible Action on the Appointment of Appraisal Review Board Members for the Two-Year Term Beginning January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026, Conditional on the Acceptable Results of a Criminal Background Check]

[00:55:01]

APPOINTMENT OF APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE TWO YEAR TERM, BUT GETTING JANUARY 1, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 31 2026 I BELIEVE YOU'LL GIVE US AN UPDATE. MS THOMPSON, AND THEN MR. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: YES, THERE ARE NINE MEMBERS HERE. ONE IS A REAPPOINTMENT TO HER THIRD TERM. AND THEN THERE ARE EIGHT NEW APPOINTMENTS AS AUXILIARY MEMBERS, SO YOU HAVE THEIR LIST OF NAMES, I BELIEVE, WITH YOUR RESOLUTION, AND THIS WILL BE PENDING THEIR COMPLETION OF A BACKGROUND CHECK.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ALL RIGHT, MR. WANG, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION ON THIS? SHENGHAO WANG: YES, I MOVE TO ADOPT BOARD RESOLUTION.

20250128, DASH, 7F, ON PAGE 193, OF THE BOARD PACKET. IS THERE A SECOND? DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. LAVINE, SECONDS. THE MOTION TO TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SEE NO OPPOSITION, THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

DICK LAVINE: LET ME JUST ADD WHICH I DID LAST TIME WE HAD SIMILAR ITEM. WHICH IS, I'M PRETTY IMPRESSED BY THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PEOPLE COMING THEIR INTEREST IN PUBLIC SERVICE. THEY REPRESENT MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY, GEOGRAPHICALLY, IN OTHER WAYS. SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REALLY EXCELLENT ARB, AND I WISH I COULD SERVE ON IT.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WELL, IT'S HARD TO DO BOTH, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR THE REVIEW AND THE TIME THAT Y'ALL HAVE TAKEN IN REVIEWING THESE CANDIDATES. IT MAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENCE TO HAVE NO INVOLVED. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS

[g. Discussion and Possible Action on Taxpayer Liaison Report]

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICERS REPORT. MISS THOMPSON.

BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: SO IN KEEPING WITH THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ARB, I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU TURN IN YOUR MEETING MATERIALS TO PAGE 225 THAT'S A SUMMARY THAT MS MARTINEZ HELPS ME KEEP OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED. WE HAVE RECEIVED 76 APPLICATIONS AS OF LAST WEEK. 20% OF THOSE APPLICANTS ARE INELIGIBLE. THEY EITHER DO NOT LIVE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, HAVE NOT RESIDED HERE FOR TWO YEARS. THEY HAVE DELINQUENT TAXES. THEY HAVE WITHDRAWN THEIR APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THEY FOUND A FULL TIME JOB OR FOR HEALTH REASONS. SO WE'RE LOSING ABOUT 20% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY APPLY BEFORE WE EVER GET THEM TO AN INTERVIEW. SO ON DECEMBER 9, YOU HAD APPROVED IT KIND OF MOVED TO THE FAR RIGHT, 47 YOU'VE NOW APPROVED NINE MORE, MAKING A TOTAL OF 56 ARB MEMBERS OF THE 75 THAT WE NEEDED. SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR 19. I DO HAVE THOSE FIVE PENDING APPLICATIONS, WHICH WE WILL GET SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT TIME. BUT WE ARE, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, ABOUT AT 100 MEMBERS. SO AS WE GO FORWARD, WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY AND ADD TO THAT. YOU SEE THAT OUR REFERRAL SOURCE FRIENDS ARE THE NUMBER ONE REFERRAL AT THIS POINT. SO MR. MCBEE IS GOING TO CANVAS THE ARB AND ASK THEM IF THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND YOU KNOW THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THEY ARE ABLE TO EXPRESS TO THEIR OWN COMMUNITY HOW REWARDING THE EXPERIENCE IS, SO WE'RE HOPING TO USE THEM AS RECRUITERS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, KUT IS OUR SECOND SOURCE THAT WE GET MOST OF OUR CANDIDATES FROM.

SO NOW I'LL HAVE YOU FLIP BACK TO PAGE 199, AND THAT STARTS THE GROUP OF REPORTS THAT I'M PROVIDING FOR YOU TODAY. I ACTUALLY HAVE THREE SETS OF REPORTS. THE FIRST ONE, OF COURSE, IS THE ACTIVITY REPORTS THAT YOU GET, AND THEY ARE SORTED IN ESCALATION ORDER. SO ABOUT A THIRD OF THIS REPORT.

THIS IS MY DECEMBER REPORT. IT'S ALMOST A PERFECT 30 DAYS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND IN DECEMBER, ABOUT A THIRD OF THIS REPORT WAS DEDICATED TO OR EFFORT IS DEDICATED TO EXEMPTIONS. IF YOU'RE HERE IN THIS BUILDING AND NOT WORKING EXEMPTIONS, IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE HIDING FROM THE PUBLIC.

EVERYBODY IS WORKING EXEMPTIONS. SO SOME OF THEM ARE STEP ONE QUESTIONS, OR LEVEL ONE, WHICH IS JUST A GENERAL CUSTOMER SERVICE QUESTION, I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE, BECAUSE ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS THAT I CANNOT RESPOND TO WITHOUT AN EXEMPTION SPECIALIST ASSISTANCE, SO I'M TRYING TO TAKE FREE SOME OF THEIR. TIME SO THAT I CAN GET MY

[01:00:01]

COMMUNITY'S RESPONSES DONE. THE NEXT REPORT THAT YOU HAVE IS MY YEAR END REPORT. IT DOES SHOW YOU 2024 OVER 2023 UP ABOUT MORE THAN 35% IN ACTIVITY FROM 2023 TO 2024, OF COURSE, WE ADDED A DEPUTY TLO DURING THE SUMMER TO BE PRESENT DURING THOSE BILINGUAL HEARINGS, BUT SHE WAS ALSO ON SITE FOR QUESTIONS THAT PROPERTY OWNERS MIGHT HAVE THAT EITHER AROSE OR THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM. IT WASN'T PART OF THEIR HEARING, SO SHE WAS DOING THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE WORK. BUT FOR A YEAR REVIEW, 32% OF THIS REPORT SHOWS THAT MY QUESTIONS ARE RELATED TO MARKET VALUE, WHERE PEOPLE JUST STILL DON'T AGREE, EITHER AFTER A HEARING OR AFTER THE PROTEST DEADLINE, THEY STILL JUST DO NOT AGREE THEIR OPINION OF THEIR MARKET VALUE IS DIFFERENT. SO I AM PROVIDING THEM EDUCATION, REFERRING THEM TO WEBINARS, THE VARIOUS SOURCES THAT I HAVE TO EDUCATE THEM ON. WHAT ARE THEIR NEXT STEPS IN THAT PROCESS? AND SOMETIMES IT IS JUST SIMPLY THAT 2025, IS YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL YOUR VALUE. SO OF COURSE, EXEMPTIONS AND THEN FORMAL HEARING COMMUNICATIONS ARE NEXT.

SO THE NEXT SET OF WELL, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE MAP BY ZIP CODE WE TALKED LAST TIME THAT WEST AUSTIN.

SHENGHAO WANG: I'M SORRY. YES, GOOD QUESTION. SO ON PAGE 205, THERE'S THAT PIE CHART. WHAT ARE BPP ISSUES? THE 5% OR BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY.

SHENGHAO WANG: THANK YOU.

BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: SO LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT WEST AUSTIN HAS BECOME AN INCREASING COMMUNITY THAT EDUCATION MIGHT BE NEEDED FOR THEIR TO RESPOND TO THEIR INQUIRIES THERE. SO IT'S JUST THERE IS BASICALLY NO CHANGE FROM THIS, FROM WHAT YOU SAW LAST TIME. THE NEXT SET OF REPORTS IS ABOUT A TWO AND A HALF WEEK REPORT IN JANUARY. IT IS MY ACTIVITY THAT I HAVE DONE THE FIRST THREE WEEKS HERE. ABOUT 50% OF THIS REPORT IS STEP ONE. STEP TO ESCALATE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE QUESTIONS, ALL EXEMPTIONS AGAIN, SO WE HAVE A FEW THAT ARE OF A HIGHER LEVEL, A TIER THREE, WHERE I'VE REFERRED THOSE ARE THE FIRST TWO LINES OF THIS REPORT TO MANAGEMENT, JUST FOR INFORMATION, THEIR COMPLAINTS ABOUT PERSONNEL AND THE WAY THEY'VE BEEN HANDLED HERE AS PROPERTY OWNERS. SO SEE, YOU SHOULD HAVE MY PIE CHART NEXT, WHICH SHOULD SHOW YOU I'M DOING THIS BY MEMORY. I GUESS THAT EXEMPTIONS IS AGAIN THE NUMBER ONE ACTIVITY LEVEL. AND OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST THREE WEEKS INTO THIS MONTH, I DID NOT PREPARE A ZIP CODE REPORT FOR YOU, THEN I AM REQUIRED AS THE TAXPAYER.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MISS THOMPSON. I'M SORRY. QUESTION ON EXEMPTIONS, I ASSUME THEY'RE MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE AUDIT GOING, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK NEXT. DO YOU THINK YOU COULD BREAK DOWN THE REQUEST THAT AREA TO AUDIT QUESTIONS? IN OTHER WORDS, I PERCEIVE THIS LETTER. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? AND VERSUS, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I QUALIFY MY HOMESTEAD, BECAUSE I JUST BOUGHT IT IN FEBRUARY OR SOMETHING. I MEAN BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: VERY LITTLE OR NEVER OF THE SECOND, ALWAYS, BECAUSE DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THIS IS THE AUDIT SITUATION THAT IS PROMPTING ALL OF THE COMMUNICATION.

BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: AND IT CAN BE FROM YOU ASKING ME WHETHER WE HAVE RECEIVED YOUR PAPERWORK, OKAY TO BUT IT'S AUDIT DRIVEN. THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. THAT IS CORRECT.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ALL RIGHT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, MR. HAVENSTRITE AND OTHERS WHO MAYBE DON'T KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE REQUIRED THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS TO DO HOMESTEAD RESIDENTS HOMESTEAD AUDITS FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO WE WILL AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE WENT THROUGH A PRETTY DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS GOING ABOUT SENDING LETTERS TO PEOPLE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT PROVIDED THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE PAST BECAUSE THEY HAD APPLIED IN 1980 FOR THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, THERE'S A PROCESS THAT. HAVE FOR AUDITING, AND IT'S CREATING QUITE A TURMOIL IN

[01:05:04]

THE COMMUNITY, SO BE AWARE OF THAT. AND I WAS JUST INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT MOST OF THE COMMUNICATIONS YOU'RE HAVING AS A RESULT OF THAT AUDIT.

BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: AND A LOT OF THEM ARE HEIRSHIP ISSUES, SO DEEDS, YEAH, THAT THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH PROBATE. SO A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES, I HAVE TO WORK WITH AN EXEMPTION SPECIALIST AND WORK THROUGH WHAT THE PROPERTY OWNER NEEDS TO DO. SO IF I KNOW, I TRY TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. A LOT OF TIMES, THOSE ARE THE MORE COMPLICATED ONES DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THAT THEY NEED LEGAL COUNSEL TO HANDLE.

YEAH, BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: GENERALLY, I HAVE SAID THAT. WELL, THAT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: GETS VERY COMPLICATED, SO, YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: SO OUR FINAL REPORT AS TLO, I'M REQUIRED TO TURN OVER TO THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE VERBATIM COMMUNICATIONS THAT I'VE RECEIVED REGARDING FORMAL HEARING PROCESS. SO I'VE GIVEN YOU THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT THEY GIVE TO US, AND THEN YOU HAVE MY ANALYSIS. IF YOU LOOK BACK TO MY YEAR OVER YEAR, REPORT THOSE TWO NUMBERS DON'T MATCH, AND SO I WROTE, THEN REALIZED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY VERBATIM COMMUNICATIONS, WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS TO GIVE TO THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE FROM THE DEPUTIES WORK. SHE HAD OVER 100 CONTACTS DURING THE SUMMERTIME. SO THESE 94 COMMUNICATIONS THAT I HAVE COVID WERE STRICTLY MINE, AND SO SHE HAD HER OWN SET OF REPORTS, WHICH I GAVE TO YOU AT THE TIME. BUT OF WHAT WAS REPORTED, THE THINGS THAT I REMOVED WERE COMMUNICATIONS THAT DEALT WITH PROTEST DENIALS, MISSED FORMAL HEARINGS, REQUESTS TO RESCHEDULE NEXT STEPS TO THE FORMAL HEARING, APPEAL PROCESS AND THE COST OF BINDING ARBITRATION. SO OF THE ONES THAT I TURNED IN, 35% WERE RELATED TO THE FORMAL HEARING PROCEDURES, 49% TO EFFICIENCY, AND 16% TO FAIRNESS. SO GENERALLY, FAIRNESS WAS NOT THE NUMBER ONE, WHICH I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE, BUT PEOPLE WERE COMMUNICATING WITH ME ABOUT THE PROCEDURES THAT THEY ARE BE FOLLOWED, AND I HAVE MODIFIED WHAT I TURN INTO THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, JUST SO THAT YOU HAVE A DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPLAINT AND THEN MY RESPONSE THAT YOU WEREN'T GIVEN JUST PAGES OF PAGES OF VERBATIM EMAILS. SO THERE ARE 55 AND SO THAT'S ABOUT 5% OF MY TOTAL ACTIVITY OF 900 PLUS COMMUNICATIONS LAST YEAR. THAT IS FAR LESS THAN I TURNED IN LAST YEAR. THE CHANGE IS SOMEWHAT WITHIN MYSELF. I REALIZE THAT YOU'RE NOT REALLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FORMAL HEARING PROCESS, YOU'RE STILL COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE MARKET VALUE. SO I HAVE BETTER CATEGORIZED WHY YOU ARE WRITING ME SO AND THAT'S ANY QUESTIONS. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: OKAY DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AS FAR AS ARB PROCEDURES, THAT IS THE NATURE OF THE COMPLAINT. IS IT THE FIVE THE TIME LIMITATION THAT THEY HAVE, PRIMARILY? BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: TIME LIMITATIONS AND THE WAY THEY HAVE FELT ABOUT PRESENTING THEIR EVIDENCE THAT THEY AND THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THE ARB PLACED A HIGHER LEVEL OF VALUE IN THE DISTRICT'S PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE. AND OF COURSE, SOME PROPERTY OWNERS ARE JUST NOT PREPARED TO SEE THE SOPHISTICATED DATA THAT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT PRODUCES IN THEIR GRIDS, AND THEY ARE GIVEN THAT DATA BEFORE THEY COME TO THE HEARING. BUT I THINK OFTENTIMES THEY FAIL TO HAVE STUDIED THAT IN THE DETAIL THAT THEY PERHAPS NEED TO.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. HANNAH, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY, IT IS DIFFICULT. BLANCA JUST COMMENTED THAT IT'S DIFFICULT FOR HOMEOWNERS TO UNDERSTAND THOSE GRIDS. IT'S MORE THAN DIFFICULT. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I'VE DEALT WITH THEM FOR YEARS, AND I FIND THEM IMPOSSIBLE, SO I THINK THEY NEED TO BE MUCH SIMPLER, BUT THAT'S THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE

[01:10:02]

ALTOGETHER.

BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: AND ONE OF THE NEWEST WEBINARS THAT WE ADDED WAS HOW TO READ YOUR FIELD CARD. SO WE'RE TRYING TO TEACH A PROPERTY OWNER HOW TO LOOK AT THAT EVIDENCE AND BE ABLE TO BE PREPARED IN THEIR HEARING.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: AND I KNOW YOU GUYS TRY SO, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO EVEN TRY TO GET THERE. BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

IS THE BOARD'S TAXPAYER LIASION OFFICER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A REPORT FROM OUR APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD CHAIRMAN, MR. MCBEE.

[h. Discussion and Possible Action on Appraisal Review Board Chairman Report]

BARRY MCBEE: THANK YOU MISS CARTWRIGHT, MEMBERS THE BOARD.

LET ME FIRST BEGIN BY NOW IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY, BEING ABLE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. I'LL EXTEND THAT ON BEHALF ALSO MEL BROOKS AND BYRON GIFFORD, WHO ARE OUR SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY. IT IS AN HONOR TO STEP FROM OUR ROLE AS PANEL MEMBERS INTO THIS JOB, AND WE ENDEAVOR HAVE, AS WE HAVE IN OUR FIRST 28 DAYS, TO DO OUR BEST. AND IT'S BEEN IT'S QUITE A LEARNING CURVE ALREADY. I REALIZE YOU DO HAVE A NUMBER OF MATTERS ON YOUR AGENDA. SO I WILL BE BRIEF MY WRITTEN REPORT, SHORT WRITTEN REPORT, YOU CAN FIND AT PAGE 231, OF THE AGENDA.

FIRST, I WILL THANK THE ARB SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THE NEW MEMBERS AGAIN WE'VE RECEIVED TODAY AND THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY JOINED US ALONG THE WAY. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR ORIENTATION AND MEETING THOSE NEW MEMBERS IN PERSON ON FEBRUARY 12, LOOKING FORWARD AS WELL TO OUR FIRST HEARINGS OF 2025 THESE WOULD BE CORRECTION HEARINGS, FOR THE MOST PART. IT WILL BE HELD IN LATE FEBRUARY. AS NOTED IN MY OFFICIAL IS MY WRITTEN REPORT.

OUR GREAT EMPHASIS IS ON ENHANCING THE TRAINING IN MY INTERVIEW WITH THE PANEL, I THINK, AND THEY HEARD THAT PROBABLY FROM ALL OF THE CANDIDATES FOR CHAIR AND SECRETARY, THAT WAS THE ONE PLACE I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON COMMERCIAL TRAINING. WE'VE GOT A COMMERCIAL APPRAISER COMING IN IN MAY TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THOSE WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMERCIAL HEARINGS, SO WE DO HAVE A BETTER GRASP OF THE WIDE BREADTH OF THE KINDS OF PROPERTIES, THE DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES THAT ARE USED THAT WILL INCLUDE BUSINESS, PERSONAL PROPERTY, WHICH WE ARE INCREASINGLY SEEING AS A MATTER OF HEARING REQUESTS AND QUESTIONS BEFORE US. WE BENEFITED UNDER MR. PHIFER. HE HAD THE LAST TWO SEASONS, BROUGHT IN THE JUDICIAL OFFICIAL. IT WAS INTERESTING TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S A JUDGE COME AND TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO BE AT LEAST A QUASI JUDGE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO INVITE BACK.

THIS WAS A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DOWN IN HAYS COUNTY. WE ARE INSTEAD GOING TO WE HAVE FOUND A FORMER STATE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A COMPARABLE ROLE THAT WE PLAY WITH THEM, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ARB, AND SO HE'S GOING TO COME IN AND I THINK, EARLY MAY, AND KIND OF SPEND A DAY JUST TALKING ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES WE HAVE AS A JUDGE AND HOW ONE CONDUCTS THEMSELVES AS A MEMBER OF A JUDICIAL PANEL, PARTICULARLY WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. SO WITH THAT, I THINK THAT'LL BE VERY BENEFICIAL AS WELL. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A NUMBER OF REFRESHER SESSIONS FOR RETURNING MEMBERS ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WELL PREPARED WHEN WE START THE SEASON IN JUNE. FOR US THREE IN THE OFFICE ON A DAILY BASIS, WE ARE JUST DEALING WITH THE RAFT OF EMAIL REQUESTS FOR HEARINGS AND PROTESTS AND QUESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS THAT COME IN EACH DAY. INTERESTINGLY, MR. WANG, A NUMBER OF THOSE RELATE TO BUSINESS, PERSONAL PROPERTY, OFTENTIMES A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE SAYS, YOU KNOW, I SOLD MY BUSINESS A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND I'M STILL RECEIVING A TAX BILL. WE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DISTRICT TO RESOLVE THOSE MATTERS WE ARE ALSO RECEIVING, AND I HAVE NO BASE FOR COMPARISON NOT HAVING BEEN IN THE OFFICE LAST JANUARY, BUT I THINK JUST SIMPLY A NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION, NOT BECAUSE EVALUATIONS HAVE CHANGED, BUT BECAUSE TAX BILLS HAVE GONE UP, NOT BECAUSE AND SOME OF THAT IS TAX INCREASES FROM TAXING JURISDICTION. SOME OF THAT ARE NEW TAXES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED, WHETHER THAT LEADS TO MORE PROTESTS BEING FILED OVER THE COURSE OF THE SPRING, WE WILL SEE COLLECTIVELY, IF THAT, IF THERE'S A SORT OF A FALLOUT FROM THOSE DECISIONS THAT WE AS VOTERS MADE. IN FACT, BACK IN NOVEMBER, I'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH A NUMBER OF MY COLLEAGUES, MORE RETURNING COLLEAGUES, AND A NUMBER OF ISSUES ABOUT SORT OF WORKING CONDITIONS AND PROCESSES. MS. MANN AND I ARE WORKING ON THOSE AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THOSE. I'VE BEGUN TO MEET WITH AT LEAST THE MAJOR TAX AGENTS, MORE AS IN AS AN INTRODUCTORY MEETING, JUST TO SORT OF INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THEM. WE'LL COME BACK AND COME BACK TO THEM AND TALK TO THEM LATER IN THE SPRING ABOUT THE SCHEDULING DIRECTIVE THAT IS ISSUED IN IN MARCH OR APRIL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE. AND SET OURSELVES UP FOR A SUCCESSFUL AND

[01:15:02]

PRODUCTIVE AND EFFICIENT SEASON. I WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY LEGAL PRESCRIPTIONS, PERMITTING TO COME AND VISIT WITH EACH ONE OF YOU PERSONALLY AND ACCORDING TO YOUR SCHEDULES, OBVIOUSLY, JUST HAVE JUST TO SIT ON THAT SAME KIND OF INTRODUCTION, SO I CAN GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER, AND YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THE ARB, SO WE CAN HAVE YOUR INPUT AS WE GO INTO THE SEASON. MR. LAVINE, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MEMBERS OF TCAD BOARD COME AND SIT IN ON SOME HEARINGS. IF WE CAN ARRANGE THAT SOMETIME. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, I THINK, JUST TO HAVE EXPOSURE MUTUALLY TO WHAT WE DO ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS AND WHAT YOU DO ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, THAT'S MY DAY 28 REPORT. I'LL BE BACK IN MARCH. IT SOUNDS LIKE TO GIVE YOU MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THOROUGH AND INFORMED REPORT.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: YEAH, WE APPRECIATE VERY MUCH YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND WE HOPE WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE INPUT THAT YOU GAVE TO THE CHIEF APPRAISER REGARDING THE BOARD POLICIES AS IT RELATES TO THE ARB, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE BRINGING RECOMMENDATIONS TO US AS YOU SEE THEM DURING THE GREAT THANK YOU ALL THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER SEVEN, I ON OUR AGENDA DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON

[i. Discussion and Possible Action on Annual Review and Adoption of Investment Policy]

THE ANNUAL REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF AN INVESTMENT POLICY. AND I BELIEVE THE CHIEF APPRAISER IS GOING TO MAKE THAT REPORT.

LEANA MANN: SO GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 2256 WHICH IS THE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC FUNDS, IN FROM INVESTMENT ACT, IT REQUIRES THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE INVESTMENT POLICY AND STRATEGIES OF THE DISTRICT EVERY YEAR. SO THIS IS OUR ANNUAL ADOPTION. THERE ARE VERY FEW CHANGES. WE DID SEND THIS OUT TO OUR INVESTMENT ADVISORY FIRM. THEY'VE REVIEWED AND PROVIDED A FEW SUGGESTIONS. AND AS A REMINDER, WE ALSO SUBMIT THIS TO THE GOVERNMENT TREASURER'S ORGANIZATION OF TEXAS FOR THEIR INVESTMENT POLICY CERTIFICATION, WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. SO THE CHANGES, THERE WAS A SMALL CHANGE TO SECTION EIGHT, SUITABLE AND AUTHORIZED INVESTMENTS, AND IT JUST CHANGED THE LANGUAGE REGARDING NO LOAD MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS, AND THIS IS JUST IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S ANY CHANGE TO THE PFIA THAT THE INVESTMENT POLICY POLICY WOULD NOT NEED TO BE AMENDED. IT WOULD COVER ANY CHANGE UNDER LAW.

THERE'S ALSO A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT TREASURER'S ORGANIZATION OF TEXAS, THROUGH OUR LAST REVIEW, THAT THIS BE UPDATED IN THE POLICY, THERE WAS AN UPDATE TO THE SUITABLE AND AUTHORIZED INVESTMENTS, AND JUST SOME LANGUAGE CHANGE AROUND THE AUTHORIZATION OF CDS. AND THIS WAS ALSO A RECOMMENDATION OF THE GOVERNMENT TREASURER'S ORGANIZATION OF TEXAS. AND THEN ON EXHIBIT A OF THE POLICY WE UPDATED TO REMOVE THE PAST CHIEF APPRAISER, MARYA CRIGLER AS AN AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL AND THEN EXHIBIT B, WE UPDATED THE BROKER DEALER LIST PROVIDED FROM OUR INVESTMENT ADVISORY FIRM.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: NICOLE.

NICOLE CONLEY: MADAM, CHAIRMAN, CHAIRWOMAN, I WILL BE ABSTAINING FROM THIS VOTE. WHILE THE POLICY CHANGES ARE COMPLETELY FINE, I WILL ABSTAIN FROM THIS VOTE. THANK YOU.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: PLEASE SHOW NICOLE CONLEY IS ABSTAINING FROM A MOTION OR APPROVAL ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, OR IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THESE POLICIES OR THE PROPOSED SHENGHAO WANG: I HAVE ONE. DANIEL WANG, JUST FOR MY CHANGES? EDIFICATION, WHAT IS A NO LOAD MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUND? LEANA MANN: IT WOULD JUST BE A MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUND, BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE INVESTMENTS IN ANY OF THEM.

SHENGHAO WANG: OKAY LEANA MANN: WE WE PRIMARILY INVEST IN A CASH ACCOUNT THAT TRANSFERS NIGHTLY INTO INVESTMENTS, AND THEN BACK TO OUR CHECKING ACCOUNT AND THEN THE INVESTMENT POOL. THOSE HAVE BEEN OUR ONLY TWO INVESTMENTS FOR THE 12 YEARS THAT I'VE MANAGED THEM.

JETT HANNA: ANOTHER, JUST FOR MY EDUCATION, QUESTION, HOW, HOW IS OUR INVESTMENT ADVISOR PAID? IS IT? IS IT ON A COMMISSION BASIS OR ON A FLAT FEE PER YEAR? LEANA MANN: IT'S A FLAT FEE CONSULTING ANNUAL CONTRACT.

JETT HANNA: THANK YOU.

SHENGHAO WANG: AND JUST MAKE SURE I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY. SO ON THE SECTION EIGHT, AMENDMENTS ARE JUST TO KIND OF STREAMLINE SO THAT IF AMENDMENTS ARE MADE TO THE STATUTE, THAT THEY JUST KIND OF FLOW THROUGH TO THAT.

LEANA MANN: THERE'S ALWAYS SMALL CHANGES TO THE PFIA EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO JUST ALLOWS US TO NOT HAVE TO COME BACK AND AMEND.

SHENGHAO WANG: TOTALLY UNDERSTOOD ON REMOVING MARYA CRIGLER, WHO IS A RETIRED, AND THEN IS IT NECESSARY THAT THE

[01:20:03]

BOARD HAS TO APPROVE, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THE AUTHORIZED BROKER DEALERS? LEANA MANN: YES, IT IS SHENGHAO WANG: BY STATUTE, I'M GUESSING.

LEANA MANN: YES.

SHENGHAO WANG: OKAY DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WOULD YOU SAY MS. MANN, THAT WE HAVE A REAL CONSERVATIVE INVESTMENT POLICY? LEANA MANN: WE HAVE AN EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE INVESTMENT POLICY.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I THINK WE TAKE THAT ROLE VERY SERIOUSLY AS FAR AS BEING FIDUCIARIES FOR THE PUBLIC. AND SO YES, I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THAT'S THE CASE. MR. LAVINE.

DICK LAVINE: BUT DESPITE THE SAFETY OF ALL THIS, DID I SEE SOMEWHERE ELSE, THE YIELDS ABOUT 4.5% LEANA MANN: IT IS DICK LAVINE: VERY REASONABLE. SO WE'RE EARNING MONEY ON OUR MONEY WITHOUT RISKING IT.

LEANA MANN: YES DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT. IS THERE A...

LEANA MANN: THANK YOU. SO WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE INVESTMENT POLICY AS RECOMMENDED WITH THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES BY THE CHIEF APPRAISER? MR. LAVINE THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE TRANSPARENCY STARS PROGRAM. THEY IS MAKING THE MOTION. MR. HANNAH, AND SECOND IN THE MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE, THOSE OPPOSED, SEEING NO OPPOSITION. IT IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM 7J DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CHIEF

[j. Discussion and Possible Action on Chief Appraiser Report]

APPRAISAL REPORT TO INCLUDE 2025 FIELD WORK, HOMESTEAD VERIFICATION PROGRAM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE, HAVE MULTIPLE TRANSPARENCY STARS THAT ORGANIZATIONS CAN OBTAIN.

SNAPSHOT AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATE. MS. MANN AND WE HAVE OBTAINED OUR FIRST, WHICH IS THE OPEN GOVERNMENT AND COMPLIANCE TRANSPARENCY STAR, AND WE WERE AWARDED THIS THIS PAST MONTH. WE'LL CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THERE'S, I THINK, A TOTAL OF SEVEN, NOT ALL APPLY TO APPRAISAL DISTRICTS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND OBTAIN ALL THE ONES THAT DO APPLY TO APPRAISAL SHENGHAO WANG: THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM? TRANSPARENCY STARS.

DISTRICTS.

LEANA MANN: IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE. WELL, CYNTHIA ACTUALLY TOLD ME ABOUT IT, AND I LET HER LOOSE TO GO AND DO ALL OF THE THINGS THEY REQUIRE. SO SHE WAS THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THIS, AND DID VERY WELL MAKING SURE ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTS WERE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE COMPTROLLER WANTED.

SHENGHAO WANG: THANK YOU.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN EXISTENCE FOR SOME YEARS, AND IT'S USUALLY USED BY CITIES AND COUNTIES, AND SO WE'RE GETTING INVOLVED AS ANOTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY NICOLE CONLEY: IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS TOO.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS LEANA MANN: WE ARE STILL AMONGST OUR 2025 FIELD WORK. WE ARE ABOUT 70% COMPLETE. WE'VE COMPLETED MORE PROPERTY INSPECTIONS THIS YEAR THAN WE HAVE IN PAST YEARS. THIS IS SOMEWHAT DUE TO THE DECLINE, SLIGHT DECLINE IN THE MARKET, NOT AS MANY SALES TO VERIFY. BUT WE'VE PUT MORE OF A BURDEN ON OUR STAFF TO REALLY PUT BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND LOOK AT PROPERTIES, GET THE CHARACTERISTICS RIGHT, EITHER THROUGH PHYSICAL INSPECTION OR AERIAL IMAGERY, AND THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB. THEY'VE HAVE ABOUT 107 DAYS OF FIELD WORK.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 20 DAYS REMAINING, AND THEY'VE COMPLETED OVER 100,000 PROPERTY INSPECTIONS, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL. WE ARE ALSO IN THE MONTH IN THE MIDST OF OUR HOMESTEAD VERIFICATION AUDIT, WE HAVE ABOUT A 60% RESPONSE RATE AS OF THIS MORNING, AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST MEETING. WE'RE GOING TO DO NUMEROUS NOTIFICATIONS TO PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE NOT RESPONDED. WE'VE DONE FOUR AT THIS POINT. OUR LAST ONE WENT OUT YESTERDAY VIA EMAIL TO THOSE THAT WE HAVE EMAIL ADDRESSES ON FILE, INVITING THEM TO OUR EXEMPTION CLINIC THAT'S BEING HELD SATURDAY IN DEL VALLE IF THEY NEED ASSISTANCE OR THEY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR US, AND REMINDING THEM THAT THEY DO NEED TO RESPOND. WE ARE ABOUT 14% DONE WITH THE WORK THAT IS SURROUNDING THE AUDIT.

SHENGHAO WANG: DO WE HAVE? IS THERE ANY SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU KNOW WILLIAMSON COUNTY, AND KIND OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, HOW THEY'RE EXPERIENCING THIS AUDIT PROCESS? LEANA MANN: I'LL COVER IT A LITTLE BIT IN OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, BUT ALL OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. THE DRIVER'S LICENSE COMPONENT IS A CHALLENGE.

THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME BILLS FILED TO REPEAL THE HOMESTEAD AUDIT THAT A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH CONSTITUENTS ON WHAT WHY A DRIVER'S LICENSE HAS TO BE INCLUDED, AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE THEIR LEGISLATORS TO MAKE A CHANGE, BUT THE CODE IS VERY CLEAR THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE A TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ID CARD, AND THERE'S NO WIGGLE ROOM FOR US, WHICH FOR THOSE THAT ARE ELDERLY OR DISABLED AND DON'T HAVE A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE, IS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. THERE'S A HUGE SAFETY

[01:25:01]

CONCERN WITH ANY ORGANIZATION HAVING YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER. WE'VE BEEN IN TALKS WITH TEXAS DPS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO, BUT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT US HAVING COPIES OF DRIVER'S LICENSE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE LAW REQUIRES US TO, AND THEN THE COMPTROLLER CHECKS US TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING COPIES OF THEM, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND HOPE THAT WE COULD GET SOME LEGISLATIVE CHANGE THAT EASES THE BURDEN ON PROPERTY OWNERS. BUT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: CAN YOU COMMENT ON HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL STAFF TIME THIS IS REQUIRING, AND ABOUT OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PAST AND TODAY, THAT MAYBE IS HELPING US IN THIS REGARD.

LEANA MANN: SURE WE DID ABOUT 60,000 EXEMPTION APPLICATION PROCESSING IN 2023 OUR AVERAGE IS ABOUT 30,000 PER YEAR. SO WE HAD A HUGE INCREASE IN 23 WE DEDICATED ABOUT 10 STAFF, INCLUDING SOME TEMPS TO WORK THIS PROJECT. OUR TOTAL COST FOR STAFF TIME AND THE DEVELOPMENT CHANGES WE NEEDED FOR OUR EXEMPTION PROCESSING IS ABOUT $200,000 AND THIS IS ONLY ONE OF FIVE YEARS, SO 1/5 OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO THIS. IT'S STILL CONSIDERABLY CHEAPER THAN SOME OF THE OUTSOURCING OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT WE'VE BEEN QUOTED. SO WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE ROUTE WE WENT, WHICH USED OUR STAFF, AND I THINK IT GIVES US MORE LEEWAY ON WHAT THEY'RE AUDITING, INSTEAD OF REALLY DIGGING INTO VERY MINOR DETAILS, WE'RE MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW. WE'RE NOT DIGGING BEYOND THAT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: SO WELL IN SPENDING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY ON THE EFFORT TOO.

LEANA MANN: YES, IT'S EXPENSIVE. AND JUST FOR COMPARISON, THE THIRD PARTY VENDOR WE SPOKE TO A COUPLE YEARS AGO, IT WAS ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS TO AUDIT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS.

SO IT'S EXPENSIVE. I THINK WE'RE GOING ABOUT IT THE BEST WAY WE CAN, BUT IT IS TYING UP EXEMPTION STAFF FROM DOING OTHER PROJECTS THAT THEY WOULD BE DOING DURING THE YEAR. WE HAVE ALL OF OUR EXEMPTION CLERKS WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, NICOLE CONLEY: EVEN STILL, WITH THE INVESTMENT AND RESOURCE, DEDICATED RESOURCES, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET 100% SORT OF COMPLIANCE OR COMPLETION. I MEAN, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE LEFT WITH PENDING CASES, RIGHT CONSIDERING THE THE HOMEOWNERS RESPONSES, HISTORICALLY, LEANA MANN: WE GET ABOUT A 60% RESPONSE RATE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SITTING AT. I DON'T KNOW THAT MANY MORE ARE GOING TO RESPOND BEYOND THIS, WHAT'S WHAT ALARMS ME WITH THAT IS THAT THERE IS A GROUP OF THE POPULATION THAT HASN'T RESPONDED THAT QUALIFY FOR THE EXEMPTION. SO IF WE REMOVE THE EXEMPTION AND PREPARE OUR ESTIMATES TO THE TAXING ENTITIES, HOW MANY OF THOSE THEN GET A TAX BILL WITHOUT THE EXEMPTION, AND WE ADD THAT EXEMPTION BACK ON, IT MAKES THAT APPRAISAL ROLL MORE FLUENT, WHICH IS DIFFICULT FOR THE TAXING ENTITIES. WE'RE WORKING ON A PROJECT WHERE WE RUN THE NON RESPONSIVE PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGH DPS RECORDS TO SEE IF WE CAN GET AN IDEA OF HOW MANY OF THOSE ACTUALLY QUALIFY FOR THE EXEMPTION. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S COMPLETED BEFORE OUR ESTIMATES IN APRIL.

JETT HANNA: I JUST THOUGHT OF AND THAT YOU'RE RUNNING INTO ONE MORE PROBLEM THAT'S WAIT TIMES ON THE DPS ID CARD AND DRIVER'S LICENSES. IT'S A VERY CONFUSING SYSTEM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S AN OPTION FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING IN VERSUS MAKING AN APPOINTMENT, AND IT'S MONTHS AND MONTHS ON THE DPS SIDE. SO JUST ANOTHER FACTOR, LEANA MANN: IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH THEIR OFFICE TOO.

FROM OUR END, WE DO GET A QUARTERLY UPDATE OF DRIVERS LIKE LICENSE RECORDS FROM THEM, BUT THERE'S NOT A REAL TIME API DATABASE, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WE COULD OBTAIN FROM THEM, WHICH WOULD WE COULD INTEGRATE INTO OUR SYSTEM AND MAKE IT MUCH EASIER TO VERIFY PEOPLE'S ELIGIBILITY. BUT THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE, SO WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITH THE TOOLS.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE THAT JUST OCCURRED TO ME THAT MIGHT ADDRESS SOME OF THAT ASSIST TO GIVE AUTHORITY TO THE CHIEF APPRAISER TO GRANT A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. WHEN THE CHIEF APPRAISER HAS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT THE PARTY IS ELIGIBLE, LEANA MANN: WE HAVE THAT WE ALSO HAVE AN AFFIDAVIT, POSSIBLY IN THE WORKS, WHERE THE HOMEOWNER CAN SWEAR AND AFFIRM THAT THEY DO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: RIGHT RIGHT. SOMETHING THAT GIVES YOU SOME FLEXIBILITY, RATHER THAN HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RE APPLICATION PROCESS ITSELF WHEN YOU HAVE PRETTY GOOD IDEA THAT THEY QUALIFY. JUST A THOUGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.

LEANA MANN: WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT. 24 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS

[01:30:02]

ALREADY PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR. WE DID OUR FIRST WEBINAR IN JANUARY OVER THE PROPERTY TAX BILL AND CELIA, OUR NEW TAX ASSESSOR, JOINED US ON THAT. WE'VE GOT A FEW DEL VALLE COMMUNITY COALITION EVENTS SCHEDULED. WE ARE DOING AN EXEMPTION CLINIC THIS SATURDAY WITH DVCC. SO IF ANYONE THAT YOU KNOW NEEDS ASSISTANCE WITH THAT EXEMPTION VERIFICATION, WE ARE THERE TO HELP. WE'LL BE TAKING THOSE IN PERSON. WE DO ALSO HAVE ABOUT HALF OF OUR EVENTS ARE SCHEDULED WITH THE VA. WE DO A MONTHLY OUTREACH EVENT THERE FOR VETERANS THAT WE THOSE MAY BE GETTING CANCELED. MOVING FORWARD, WE'VE HEARD SOME RUMORS THAT THEY ARE BEING CANCELED IN OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE, SO THAT WOULD TAKE OUT HALF OF OUR OUTREACH CALENDAR. SO WE'RE WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OTHER AVENUES FOR THE VETERANS THAT WE CAN DO OUTREACH EVENTS. IF THAT HAPPENS, SHENGHAO WANG: WHO'S DRIVING THAT THE CANCELING THE VA EVENTS? LEANA MANN: WE IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN TRAVIS COUNTY YET, SO I'M NOT COMPLETELY SURE. I THINK IT'S A POLITICAL SHENGHAO WANG: IT ALWAYS IS.

LEANA MANN: AND THEN OUR TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE SNAPSHOT FOR THIS MONTH, WE ARE STILL RUNNING AT A 4.71 OUT OF FIVE FOR OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE GROUP GETTING POSITIVE FEEDBACK, THAT THEIR QUESTIONS ARE BEING ANSWERED, THAT THEIR REPRESENTATIVE WAS PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS. THE AVERAGE PHONE WAIT TIME HAS INCREASED TO ABOUT 14 MINUTES BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF CALLS WE'RE GETTING, NOT ONLY FROM TAX BILLS GOING OUT, BUT FROM THE AUDIT PROCESS.

SHENGHAO WANG: THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESSES WHO WOULD KILL FOR A 4.7 GOOGLE STAR RATING.

LEANA MANN: AND THEN OUR FINAL ITEM IS A BRIEF LEGISLATIVE UPDATE THERE. THE HOUSE HAS APPOINTED A NEW SPEAKER. WE HAVE 3008 BILLS THAT WERE FILED AS OF THE 24 SO LAST FRIDAY, AND WE'RE TRACKING 334 WHAT WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT OUR COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE HOUSE, I THINK THEIR PREF SHEETS ARE DUE TODAY, SO WE MAY KNOW BY NEXT WEEK, BUT THEY'RE THE BIG TWO ITEMS ARE APPRAISAL LIMITATIONS AND EXEMPTIONS AND HOW THAT PROPERTY TAX SAVINGS IS GOING TO BE DONE. SO WE THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF CONTENTIOUS CONTENTION IN THE HOUSE AND BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, SO IF ANYTHING REALLY GETS PASSED, WILL YET TO BE SEEN. SO COUPLE BILLS THAT JUST FOR YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF, IT IS IN OUR PRIORITY HOT WATCH ITEMS. BUT THERE IS A BILL LIKE EVERY SESSION FOR ELECTED CHIEF APPRAISERS, THAT WAS FILED BY CECIL BELL, BECAUSE OF HIS TENURE, COULD VERY WELL GET A HEARING. THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER BILL, HOUSE, BILL 291, FILED BY BELL THAT HAS THE SALES PRICE DISCLOSURE. SO WE'RE HAPPY THAT IT'S GETTING FILED. I DON'T THINK IT'LL MOVE, BUT WE'RE OPTIMISTIC. THERE IS A COUPLE BILLS THAT WE'RE TRACKING THAT WILL LIKELY GET A HEARING, JUST BASED ON WHO FILED THEM FOR CHANGES TO THE PROPERTY VALUE STUDY AND MAINLY THE MARGIN OF ERROR BEING INCREASED. SO THAT WOULD BE POSITIVE. THERE'S ALSO A BILL HOUSE, BILL 416, THAT CHANGES THE CERTIFICATION TIMELINE, WHICH FOR US, IT WOULD GAINING A MONTH OF TIME DURING THE PROTEST SEASON. WOULD BE AMAZING. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WILL MOVE. I THINK IT PUTS A LOT OF STRESS ON THE TAXING ENTITIES TO THEN COMPLETE ALL THEIR TASK BUT WE'RE TRACKING IT IN HOPES THAT IT IT MOVES. THERE IS FOR PERSONNEL HOUSE BILL 901, WAS A BILL FILED BY BRIAN HARRISON THAT LIMITS EMPLOYEE SALARIES TO NO MORE THAN THE GOVERNOR MAKES IN EACH BIENNIUM BUDGET, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A POLICY WISE REALLY GOOD, EXCEPT THE GOVERNOR ONLY PAID ABOUT 150,000 SO WE HAVE A COUPLE STAFF THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THAT. THERE IS A BILL BY GUIAN HOUSE, BILL 1243, THAT REMOVES THE SINGLE HOMESTEAD THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER STATE LAW. SO A MARRIED COUPLE, IF THEY LIVED IN TWO SEPARATE HOUSES, COULD QUALIFY FOR TWO HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS. I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LARGE FISCAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT WE'LL TRACK THAT. GAREN FILED HOUSE BILL 1286, THAT INCREASES THE ATTORNEYS FEES THAT PROPERTY OWNERS CAN GET, AND THAT ONE WILL HAVE A BIG FISCAL IMPACT AS WELL, AS WELL AS IT MAKES IT HARDER TO FOR APPRAISAL DISTRICTS TO DEFEND, KNOWING THAT THERE'S A HUGE COST THAT COULD BE EXPENDED AT. THE END OF THE LAWSUIT. BUTTON FILED HOUSE BILL 1533,

[01:35:07]

AND IT ADDS IT DOES A LOT OF THINGS, BUT THE ONE THING WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THIS NEW NOTICE REQUIREMENT THAT MANDATES SENDING CERTIFIED MAIL FOR NOTIFICATIONS, WHICH THERE'S JUST A HUGE COST WITH THAT. SO WE'LL TRACK THAT. AND THEN SENATE BILL 407, I'M SORRY FOR 72 HAS THE PROHIBITION FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER TO FILE COUNTERCLAIMS. SO THAT IS BECAUSE OF OUR OUR OUR LAW, OUR SUPREME COURT CASE. WE WERE EXPECTING THAT, SO WE'LL TRACK THAT ONE AS WELL. THERE'S ALSO A BILL TO REPEAL THE HOMESTEAD AUDIT, LIKE I STATED EARLIER.

AND THEN THERE'S THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN THAT ADDS CDLS, CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSE TO THE ACCEPTABLE ID THAT WE CAN ACCEPT, BUT THAT IS THE ONLY ITEM. IT DOESN'T ADD A PASSPORT, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THAT ASK US TO TAKE THAT. SO WE WILL KEEP TRACKING ALL OF THOSE PRIORITY ITEMS. I BELIEVE, AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS? DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: CHIEF APPRAISER, ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE MAKE CAN MOVE ON. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS 7K THE STRATEGIC

[k. Discussion on 2024 Strategic Communications Efforts and 2025 Plans and Priorities]

COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS AND 2025 PLANS AND PRIORITIES THAT MS. MANN AND MISS MARTINEZ WILL DISCUSS 383 OF THE PACKET.

LEANA MANN: THANK YOU. WE'VE PROVIDED THE 2024 STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS REPORT. WE SPENT MOST OF 2024 FINE TUNING TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL MEDIA INITIATIVES I'D LIKE TO JUST SUPPORT AND SAY THANK YOU TO CYNTHIA. SHE HAS TAKEN THE LAST FIVE YEARS REALLY MOLDED US TO HAVE A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS POLICY AND PRACTICE, AND WE'RE FINALLY SEEING BENEFITS FROM THAT, WHICH IS REALLY A POSITIVE FROM 2024 SO I'LL LET HER GO THROUGH HER ITEMS FOR 2024 CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: I WANT TO START BY GIVING A THANK YOU, A PROFOUND THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE BOARD IN REGARDS TO THE TRANSPARENCY STAR PROGRAM, FIVE YEARS AGO, THIS BOARD MADE A VERY DELIBERATE DECISION THAT YOU ALL WANTED TO CHANGE THE CULTURE AND THE WAY THAT WE HANDLED A LOT OF OUR TAXPAYER TRANSPARENCY ISSUES, A LOT OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYERS AND YOU ALL HAVE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH LEANA AND I DURING THAT TIME TO CREATE A VISION AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ACTIONS ON THOSE VISIONS, FROM EVERYTHING FROM UPDATING BOARD POLICIES TO THE FACT THAT WE NOW LIVE STREAM THESE MEETINGS, JUST TO A LOT OF THE EDUCATION THAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO REDO OUR WEBSITE, ALL OF THAT COMES FROM THE VISION THAT YOU ALL SET IN THESE MEETINGS, AND THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL LET US KNOW THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN. AND Y'ALL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AMAZINGLY SUPPORTIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SOME OF YOU, I DEFINITELY NEED A LOT OF ASSISTANCE FROM MORE THAN OTHERS, AND NONE OF YOU HAVE EVER TURNED US AWAY. SO I WANTED TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT TO MOVE INTO THE PRESENTATION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STARTED TO DO IS BECAUSE THE BOARD IS SO INSTRUMENTAL IN HOW WE APPEAR TO THE PUBLIC AND IN OUR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY EFFORTS. LAST YEAR, WE STARTED PRESENTING TO YOU ALL, KIND OF MY ANNUAL CHECK IN THAT I ALWAYS GIVE TO THE CHIEF APPRAISER ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT I'VE DONE, AND WHY I CONTINUE TO BE EMPLOYED HERE, AND WHY YOU ALL PAY ME. AND SO WE DECIDED TO START PRESENTING THAT TO Y'ALL. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN THAT VEIN, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN. BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE HERE THAT MAYBE REMEMBER THAT PRESENTATION FROM LAST YEAR, WE DID SET A COUPLE OF PRIORITIES FOR 2024 AND I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE SUCCESSFULLY FULFILLED ALL OF THOSE PRIORITIES. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY.

YOU HAVE THE REPORT THAT I SUBMITTED TO THE CHIEF APPRAISER IN YOUR PACKET, IF YOU WANT TO READ MORE ABOUT ANYTHING. AND OF COURSE, YOU ALL ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO CONTACT ME AND WE CAN GO INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT BUCKETS THAT I GUESS YOU COULD PUT MY WORK INTO. AND SO WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH BUCKET AND JUST KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IN 2024 AND WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR 2025 AND OF COURSE, GET YOU ALL INPUT IN ALL OF THAT. IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE DO THIS, FROM THE WEBSITE TO IN PERSON TO JUST KIND OF OUR GENERAL CONTACT WITH TAXPAYERS AND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE, CUSTOMER SERVICE PRINCIPLES, BUT IN 2024 WE WERE ABLE TO DO 50 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, WHICH IS MORE THAN TWO TIMES WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IN 2023 AND A BIG PART OF THIS, I THINK, CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO NEW LEADERSHIP. PEOPLE WANTED TO MEET LEANA. THEY WANTED TO GET TO KNOW HER. THEY WANTED TO HEAR WHAT HER VISION FOR THE DISTRICT WAS, AND SO WE KEPT GETTING

[01:40:02]

INVITATIONS EVERYWHERE. WITH THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO, IN PERSON, REACH MORE THAN 2800 PEOPLE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO THEN GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THAT LIKE HAS BEEN MENTIONED AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS. WE WERE ABLE TO ADOPT A SURVEY TOOL. WE WOULD ASK PEOPLE AT THE END OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES JUST GIVE US FEEDBACK. AND WE WERE, WE WERE RUNNING ON A 4.6 OUT OF FIVE TAXPAYER SATISFACTION RATING WITH THOSE INTERACTIONS. WITH THAT, THOUGH, WE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WHICH IS THAT PREVIOUSLY, EVERYTHING HAD BEEN DEPENDENT ON THE CHIEF APPRAISER. AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, SHE HAS A LOT OF STUFF TO DO.

SOMETIMES WE WOULD GET A LOT OF INVITATIONS, AND THE CHIEF APPRAISER JUST DOESN'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. SO LEANA AND I QUICKLY FIGURED OUT THAT WE NEEDED TO EXPAND OUR RESOURCES, OUR INTERNAL RESOURCES IN THAT MATTER, AND SO WE FORMED THE INTERNAL CONTACT TEAM, WHICH IS A TEAM OF ABOUT 20 MANAGERS THAT ARE TRAINED TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT PUBLICLY AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVENTS USING DIFFERENT SKILL SETS. A LOT OF THEM ARE APPRAISERS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR ALMOST A DECADE, OR MORE THAN A DECADE OR THERE ARE CUSTOMER SERVICE FOLKS, AND THEY SPECIALIZE IN EXEMPTIONS. WE DO DO QUARTERLY UPDATE MEETINGS WITH THIS TEAM, WHERE WE GET THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH, ABOUT EVERY INTERACTION THAT THEY HAVE WITH TAXPAYERS, ABOUT WHAT THEIR IDEAS ARE, WHAT PAIN POINTS THEY'RE SEEING, HOW WE CAN MAKE THEIR LIVES EASIER, HOW WE CAN MAKE TAXPAYERS LIVES EASIER. AND SO ALL OF THAT FEEDBACK COMES TO US, AND THEN LEANA AND I COME OUT OF THOSE MEETINGS WITH A TO DO LIST OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO START WORKING ON. ALSO IN 2024 WE ALSO PRIORITIZE REACHING OUT TO OUR SPANISH DOMINANT TAXPAYERS. WE IDENTIFIED SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS THAT WE'VE CREATED IN ENGLISH, AND WE MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE TRANSLATED NOT JUST IN SPANISH, BUT INTO CULTURALLY COMPETENT SPANISH, WHICH SOME OF YOU KNOW IS A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM JUST TRANSLATION, AND THEN WE ALL START, ALSO STARTED DOING A BLOCK WALKING CAMPAIGN WITH THE DEL VALLE COMMUNITY COALITION. THAT IS A RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE BEEN FORMING OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND THEY'VE BEEN AMAZING WITH US. AS FAR AS REACHING OUT TO THAT SOUTHEAST CORRIDOR IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WHEN WE ALSO LOOK AT COMMUNITY EDUCATION, WE LOOK AT THE INFORMATION THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND WE SEND OUT TO TAXPAYERS. AND A REALLY BIG FOCUS IN 2024 WAS TRAVIS TAXES.COM AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE CHANGED THE LAW SO THAT WE WERE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO SEND A POSTCARD TO PROPERTY OWNERS EVERY AUGUST LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEIR POTENTIAL TAX BILL OR THE PROPOSED TAX BILL WAS AVAILABLE ONLINE. WE DID IT ANYWAY. LEANA, LET ME HAVE SOME FUN WITH THAT. AND BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LONGER A STATE REQUIREMENT, IT NO LONGER MEANT THAT I HAD TO USE SPECIFIC STATE MANDATED LANGUAGE ON THAT POSTCARD. SO I CHANGED THE LANGUAGE. WE WENT FROM A STATE MANDATED 22ND GRADE READING LEVEL, WHICH I'M REALLY NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS, I THINK IT'S PHD LEVEL, TO AN 11TH GRADE READING LEVEL, AND WE DISTRIBUTED IT. WE ONLY WENT TO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS, SO IT WAS ABOUT SO IT WAS ABOUT 370,000 AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VISITED THAT WEBSITE TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THEIR PROPERTY TAXES AND WHERE THAT MONEY IS COMING FROM AND GOING BY MORE THAN A THIRD. SO DEFINITELY A SUCCESSFUL VENTURE THERE. I WILL ALSO SAY THAT I DID A SURVEY OF CADS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, JUST TO KIND OF SEE COMPARISON. BECAUSE SOME OF Y'ALL THAT KNOW ME VERY WELL KNOW THAT ONE OF MY PRINCIPLES IS I DO NOT EVER LIKE ANYONE ELSE DOING SOMETHING BETTER THAN WE ARE. SO I DID THIS SURVEY SPECIFICALLY TO FIND OUT WHAT OTHER CADS WERE DOING NOW THAT THE POSTCARD MANDATE HAD BEEN WITHDRAWN, MOST CATS DIDN'T DO A POSTCARD. I COULDN'T FIND ANOTHER CAD THAT CONTINUED TO DO THE POSTCARD, AND AS A RESULT, THE CADS THAT DID TAKE DATA ON THEIR WEBSITE SAW A 40% DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TAXPAYERS THAT VISITED THEIR TRUTH IN TAXATION WEBSITE. SO ON AVERAGE ACROSS THE STATE, CADS SAW 40% DECREASE, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SEE A 30% INCREASE, AND I DO THINK A BIG PART OF THAT HAS PLAYED A ROLE IN OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE INTERACTIONS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, IN THAT WE AREN'T GETTING PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE AS ANGRY OR AS FLUID WITH THEIR EMOTIONS IN REGARDS TO THEIR TAX BILLS, A LOT OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE COMING TO US HAVE A VERY GOOD BASE EDUCATION ABOUT WHERE THOSE INCREASES ARE COMING FROM, AND THAT THEY WERE COMING FROM THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTIONS, FROM THE BOND ELECTIONS THAT THEY WERE FACING. SO THAT WAS DEFINITELY A BIG PLUS. ALSO IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION, WE LOOK AT WHAT WE CALL DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MISS MARTINEZ CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: YES.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WOULD YOU RECOMMEND CONTINUING TO SEND THE POSTCARD? CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: YES, I WOULD. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE IT IN THE BUDGET, EVEN THOUGH IT IS STILL NOT STATE MANDATED.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I THINK THAT THE 30% INCREASE IS A REALLY INDICATIVE OF HOW PEOPLE FIND IT USEFUL, AND IT'S A GOOD REMINDER FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THAT WEBSITE, YES, CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: ESPECIALLY WHEN I CHANGE THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS, THAT WAS A BIG THING.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THANK YOU.

CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: SO ANOTHER CONCEPT WITH COMMUNITY EDUCATION WAS THE EXEMPTION DEFICIT, AND WE INTRODUCED THIS CONCEPT. INTRODUCED THIS CONCEPT TO Y'ALL IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR. BUT IT'S THE IDEA THAT WE USE CENSUS DATA TO LOOK AT OWNER OCCUPIED UNITS IN THE COUNTY, AND IDEALLY, THAT IS PROBABLY OUR ESTIMATE FOR HOW MANY EXEMPTIONS SHOULD BE IN THE COUNTY. AND THE CENSUS DOES DIVIDE THIS BY ZIP CODE, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE CENSUS ESTIMATE. VERSUS OUR ACTUAL

[01:45:01]

NUMBERS BY ZIP CODE. AND WE CAME UP WITH THIS EXEMPTION DEFICIT MAP. THE DARKER AREAS ARE WHERE WE ARE MORE OFF BASE FROM WHERE THE CENSUS SAYS THAT WE SHOULD BE. AND OUR GOAL AT THE START OF THE YEAR WAS THAT EVERY TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER THAT LEGALLY QUALIFIES FOR AN EXEMPTION IS CLAIMING ONE. AND SO WE WENT INTO OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS WITH THAT IN MIND, OVERALL, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO DECREASE THE EXEMPTION DEFICIT COUNTY WIDE BY 3.32% AND THERE WERE ACTUALLY SOME AREAS OF THE COUNTY WHERE WE REDUCED IT BY MORE THAN 30% SO PFLUGERVILLE, THE SLAUGHTER AT LANE AREA, THE MUELLER AREA, STEINER RANCH, BEE CAVE AND CIRCLE C ALL SAW 30% DECREASES.

BUT AREAS WITH THE LARGEST DEFICITS GOING INTO THE NEW YEAR STILL ARE DEL VALLE, PFLUGERVILLE, MANOR AND SUNSET VALLEY. SO EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WORK IN PFLUGERVILLE, PFLUGERVILLE IS STILL ONE OF THE DARKER AREAS OF OUR MAP. SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO THERE. SO GOALS FOR 2025 WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT EXEMPTION DEFICIT. WE DO NOT WANT ANY TAXPAYER PAYING MORE THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE TO PAY. IF YOU ARE LEGALLY ENTITLED BY LAW TO CLAIM AN EXEMPTION AND THAT LOWERS YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL, THEN WE WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT EXEMPTION.

WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING AGAIN ON PFLUGERVILLE, MANOR, DEL VALLE AND SUNSET VALLEY. WE ALSO WANT TO START PARTNERING WITH SOME OF OUR TAXING ENTITIES TO PROVIDE EDUCATION SPECIFICALLY TO OUR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND USING THEIR RESOURCES, WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS SOME AMAZING RESOURCES, AS FAR AS PROVIDING INTERPRETERS OR ASL INTERPRETERS THAT CAN HELP WITH THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, TECHNOLOGY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SPEAKER IN ENGLISH, BUT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO LISTEN IN WHATEVER LANGUAGE IT IS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND. WE DON'T HAVE THOSE CAPABILITIES, AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT FINANCIALLY PRUDENT FOR US TO DEVELOP THEM, BUT IF WE PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND TAXING ENTITIES THAT ALREADY HAVE THEM, THEN WE CAN TAP INTO THEM A LOT MORE PERSONALLY, MY HOPE IS THAT WE TARGET AUSTIN ISD, PFLUGERVILLE ISD, MANOR ISD, AND DEL VALLE ISD, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US DO AT LEAST ONE KIND OF PILOT PROJECT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND DOING THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CLAIMING THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS. IF YOU'RE NOT, LET'S FILL OUT YOUR APPLICATION RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE. HEY, DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY PROTEST YOUR PROPERTY, THAT KIND OF THING. SO IF I CAN GET AT LEAST ONE PILOT PROGRAM IN 2025 BASED ON THAT, THEN I'M GOING TO BE HAPPY. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF SUPPLEMENT STATE MANDATED LANGUAGE, BECAUSE STATE MANDATED LANGUAGE MEANS I HAVE TO USE IT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS NOT VERY CONDUCIVE TO THE TAXPAYER. SO I USUALLY, SOME OF YOU KNOW, TRY TO DO SOME LITTLE DESIGN TRICKS WHENEVER I'M PUTTING TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SENDING OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO WHERE I AM FOLLOWING THE LAW AND DOING WHAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO BY THE LAW, AS WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO BY THE LAW. BUT I'M ALSO PUTTING IN SOME EXTRAS IN THERE, SO PEOPLE CAN KIND OF IGNORE WHAT'S OVER HERE AND PAY ATTENTION OVER WHAT'S OVER HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE. SO CONTINUING TO DO THAT AS WELL.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ONE MORE QUESTION, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO INSERT ANYTHING IN CITY OF AUSTIN UTILITY BILLS? CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DEMANDS FOR THAT SPACE, THOUGH, SO THEY THEY HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL, EVEN WITHIN INTERNAL CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A WAIT LIST OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO INSERT INTO THAT FREE SPACE, IF YOU'LL ASK AND SEE YES, I CAN ALWAYS ASK, OKAY, AS FAR AS EXTERNAL RELATIONS, A BIG PART OF OUR WORK WAS IN DEVELOPING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, BECAUSE IT JUST GIVES US A LOT MORE CREDIBILITY IF WE CAN SIDE SADDLE UP TO SOMEBODY WHO CAN LET ON LEND US THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND THEIR RESOURCES AS WELL. SO BIG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT WERE FORMED IN 2024 INCLUDED AUSTIN TITLE, THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND, OF COURSE, THE AUSTIN VA CLINIC, WHERE WE GO ONCE A MONTH AND WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR LOCAL VETERANS. I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT WE ARE THE AUSTIN VA CLINIC. THEIR THEIR EVENTS ARE SPONSORED SPECIFICALLY AND PUT ON BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN. AND THERE ARE ABOUT 30 ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO BE THERE EVERY MONTH, BUT BECAUSE OF FIRE CODE RESTRICTIONS, YOU CAN REALLY ONLY HAVE ABOUT 20 ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE THE ONLY NON CITY ENTITY THAT IS INVITED EVERY MONTH. AND THE REASON THAT WE ARE INVITED EVERY MONTH IS BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND FOR ASSISTANCE FROM US. BECAUSE WE GO WE BRING APPLICATIONS, VETERANS CAN FILL OUT THE APPLICATION RIGHT THEN AND THERE. ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, WHO IS A VETERAN HERSELF, GOES WITH ME TO THESE AND SHE KNOWS THE VA CLINIC SYSTEM LIKE YOU CAN'T IMAGINE. AND IF THEY'RE MISSING A FORM, SHE TELLS THEM EXACTLY WHO TO TALK TO IN WHAT OFFICE AND WHERE THEY ARE IN THAT BUILDING. AND BY THE TIME WE LEAVE THAT CLINIC, WE'VE GOT THAT VETERAN TAKEN CARE OF. SO IT ENDS UP BEING A VERY BENEFICIAL EVENT FOR US, NEW TOOLS THAT WE ADOPTED IN 2024 INCLUDING WE FINALLY GOT OUR NEXT DOOR PUBLIC AGENCY ACCOUNT.

THAT TOOK ME FIVE YEARS, BUT I DID IT. WE STARTED A SUB STACK NEWSLETTER. WE ADOPTED THE PUBLIC RELATIONS MANUAL, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY IAAO, AND BY THE COMPTROLLER AS PART OF THE MAP REVIEW, AND WE DEVELOPED THE BOARD GUIDE TO PUBLIC THE BOARD

[01:50:03]

MEMBER GUIDE TO PUBLIC RELATIONS. SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT WORK THERE. I'LL ALSO ADD THAT THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE FORMED PREVIOUSLY IN 2023 HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY FRUITFUL. THE DEL VALLE COMMUNITY COALITION, LIKE I SAID, DID BLOCK WALKING. WE ALSO HAVE A DATA EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EAST AUSTIN CONSERVANCY SO THAT THEY CAN TARGET THEIR OUTREACH INTO PROPERTY OWNERS AND THEIR ZIP CODES THAT THAT NEED ASSISTANCE. AND WE ACTUALLY WERE TALKING TO THEM THIS MORNING, AND WE GAVE THEM A LIST OF ALL OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THEIR JURISDICTION THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE VERIFICATION PROCESS WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YET, AND THEY'RE GOING TO START DOING BLOCK WALKING FOR US AS WELL. SO TAPPING INTO THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALREADY HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT PEOPLE ALREADY TRUST, AND THEN ARE WILLING TO KNOCK ON PEOPLE'S DOORS AND SAY, HEY, YOU HAVEN'T FILLED OUT THIS FORM YET, AND IF YOU DON'T, YOUR TAX BILLS ARE GOING TO GO UP. SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT FOR 2025 A COUPLE OF GOALS THAT WE HAVE ARE TO SOLIDIFY COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOL FOR OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE GO TO THEIR ELECTEDS WITH CONSTITUENT CONCERNS, AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A WAY OF FUNNELING THOSE APPROPRIATELY.

THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, I THINK, MIRRORS THE POSITION THAT WE WERE IN FIVE YEARS AGO WITH REPORTERS AND MEDIA RELATIONS. WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD, WE DIDN'T OFFICIALLY HAVE A SYSTEM FOR HANDLING ALL OF THAT, AND IT TOOK A WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN WHO I WAS AND WHAT I DID AND HOW WE WOULD PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER. SO WE'RE KIND OF IN THE SAME PLACE AS FAR AS ELECTED OFFICIALS GO, BUT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON THAT, AND SO I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT, ALSO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH WILL, OF COURSE, WILL LARGELY BE ON LEANA SHOULDERS, AND THEN IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING NEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH TAX OFFICE LEADERSHIP AS ALL OF YOU KNOW BRUCE ELFONT RETIRED, AND HIS SUCCESSOR, CELIA ISRAEL, IS NOW IN CHARGE. LEANA AND I HAVE ALREADY MET WITH HER SENIOR STAFF, AND I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THERE FOR SOME COLLABORATION, JUST NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE COME FORWARD. MEDIA RELATIONS WAS ANOTHER REALLY GREAT YEAR FOR US. NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE MORE THAN 220 PIECES OF MEDIA COVERAGE, WITH 90% POSITIVE COVERAGE AND 97% ON MESSAGE, BUT THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW THAT WE GOT ZERO NEGATIVE MEDIA STORIES OR INQUIRIES ABOUT THE PROTEST PROCESS, AND CONSIDERING HOW ANGRY SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE WITH THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN THERE, THAT IS AN AMAZING STATISTICS TO DO TWO YEARS IN A ROW, AND ALL THE CREDIT FOR THAT GOES TO OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF AND OUR APPRAISERS, BECAUSE OF HOW THEY CONDUCT THEMSELVES DURING THOSE INTERACTIONS, AND HOW THEY DO THEIR BEST, EVEN WHEN YOU CAN'T MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY, TO AT LEAST MAKE THEM HAPPY AS BEST AS YOU CAN. SO GOALS FOR 2025 ARE TO CONTINUE THAT SUCCESS. IN REGARDS TO THE TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE. SOME OF THE BIG THINGS WE DID WERE WE ESTABLISHED THE TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE EVALUATION PROJECT, WHICH IS THOSE SURVEYS THAT WE GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION ON AT EVERY MEETING, AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ESCALATION LADDER REALLY MAKING SURE THAT A AN ANGRY TAXPAYER ISN'T BEING HANDED OFF FROM PERSON TO PERSON, THAT THERE IS A WAY THAT INTERNALLY, THAT WE CAN MANAGE THINGS SO THAT THE RIGHT PERSON GETS THE RIGHT PROBLEM AND CAN HANDLE IT. OVERALL FOR THE YEAR, CUSTOMER SERVICE HAD AN OVERALL RATING OF 4.51 AND INFORMAL MEETINGS HAD AN OVERALL RATING OF 4.121 THING THAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS THAT IN THE MIDST OF PROPERTY TAX BILLS COMING OUT AND THE AVERAGE PROPERTY OWNER SEEING ABOUT A $1,200 INCREASE THIS YEAR, OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN A 4.7 OUT OF FIVE RANKING IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY AMAZING AND REALLY SPEAKS HIGHLY TO THAT TEAM AND HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES AND MANAGE ESPECIALLY ESCALATED COMPLAINTS. GOALS FOR 2025 INCLUDE CONTINUING THAT GOOD WORK AND SEEING HOW WE CAN MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER. I AM WORKING WITH OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE DIRECTOR AND OUR DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL SPECIFICALLY TO LOOK AT THE SURVEYS THAT WE GET AND SEE IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN ASK, DIFFERENT QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN ASK THAT MAYBE MIGHT BE MORE FRUITFUL IN TERMS OF LETTING US KNOW WHAT IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE AND JUST HOW WE CAN MAKE THE EXPERIENCE MORE BENEFICIAL.

SHENGHAO WANG: QUICK QUESTION, CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: YES. MR. WANG SHENGHAO WANG: DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT SO WHEN IT SAY INFORMAL MEETINGS, THOSE ARE FOR PROTESTS, YES. DURING THE PROTEST PROCESS, YES. AND IS THERE AN INDICATION WHY THAT'S LOWER THAN A LOT OF OUR OTHER SATISFACTION RANKINGS? CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: SO WITH THE INFORMAL MEETING, WHEN YOU FILE A PROTEST, YOU ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH ONE OF OUR APPRAISERS TO KIND OF MAKE YOUR PITCH AND SEE IF WE AGREE WITH YOU, OR AT LEAST GET FEEDBACK ON WHAT YOUR PITCH IS.

SO BEFORE YOU GO IN FRONT OF THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD, YOU KNOW, HEY, IT'D BE BETTER IF YOU HAD PHOTOS OR QUOTES OR THAT KIND OF A THING. WE THINK IT'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

FIRST, IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN ADVERSARIAL SITUATION. IT'S NOT AS ADVERSARIAL AS THE ARB PROCESS, THE ARB HEARING PROCESS. BUT WE DO HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF ENERGY AND KIND OF COME OUT OF THAT WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF ANGER AND DISSATISFACTION. WE DO OUR BEST TO ADDRESS THAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN. I ALSO THINK. THAT THIS HAS REVEALED SOMETHING

[01:55:01]

ABOUT HOW WE TRAIN OUR APPRAISERS, WHICH IS THAT A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTIAL APPRAISERS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES MOSTLY DEALING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS, HAVE NOT NECESSARILY GOTTEN THE SAME CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING THAT OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF HAS GOTTEN. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STARTED TO DO LAST YEAR WAS TO START TO GIVE THEM SOME MORE OF THAT DE ESCALATION TRAINING, SOME MORE OF THAT MANAGEMENT TRAINING, AS FAR AS, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH AN ANGRY PERSON, THAT KIND OF A THING. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS A PROCESS. IT'S ONE THING WHEN YOU DEAL WITH IT EVERY DAY AND YOU'RE IN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, VERSUS WHEN IT'S A SEASONAL THING AND YOU'RE REALLY ONLY GETTING YELLED AT FOR FOUR MONTHS OF THE YEAR. SO IT BECOMES AN ISSUE OF ACKNOWLEDGING WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE OUR STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE JOB WELL, NOT JUST SO THAT THEY CAN COME OUT OF THE JOB SATISFIED, BUT SO THAT THE TAXPAYER CAN COME OUT OF THE EXPERIENCE IS SATISFIED.

SHENGHAO WANG: I MEAN, I STILL THINK IT'S YEAH, AS YOU SAID IT FOR SEMI ADVERSARIAL PROCEEDING, IT'S PRETTY GOOD. I DON'T THINK MOST LAWYERS HAVE A FOUR POINT SOMETHING RATING OF THEIR OPPOSING COUNSEL.

CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: WE DO OUR BEST. YOU KNOW, LEANA SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT WHEN WE WENT INTO THIS, WE WERE ALL KIND OF UNSURE WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND MAYBE A LITTLE SCARED OF WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE GOING TO LOOK LIKE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT, THAT SAME LEVEL OF INTROSPECTION OF, HOW AM I REALLY DOING? HOW ARE WE REALLY DOING THIS JOB? AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN VERY PROUD OF OUR STAFF.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND MR. HAVENSTRITE HAS TO LEAVE IN THREE MINUTES, AND I WANT TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR MISS MARTINEZ.

JOHN HAVENSTRITE: THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I WILL SIMPLY SAY THAT THAT I'VE APPRECIATED THE TIME IN THE GENEROSITY ABOUT ALL THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM. I'VE ENJOYED MEETING YOU ALL, AND I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT EVERYBODY IS SHOWING THE PROCESS. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WE'RE NOT TRYING TO RUN YOU OUT. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD, MISTER HANNAH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO JETT HANNA: SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR PROFESSIONAL WORK. HERE IT'S, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE THIS KIND IN BUSINESS. YOU. YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. FROM EVERYTHING I SEE, THERE'S THINGS TO KEEP WORKING ON. OBVIOUSLY, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: I APPRECIATE THAT. WHEN WE DID JOHN'S BOARD ORIENTATION, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HE ASKED US WAS, WHEN DID YOU ALL START DOING ALL OF THIS STUFF? AND WE HAD TO REALLY GO BACK, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS, AND THEN EVEN SPECIFICALLY, TWO YEARS, AND THEN ONE YEAR, TO LEANA COMING ON AS CHIEF APPRAISER, AND HER VISION FOR HOW WE WANTED TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS SHE SAID IN THAT MEETING WAS, I'M AN ACCOUNTANT. I NEED DATA. I NEED NUMBERS. AND SO ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS WHEN SHE GAVE ME KIND OF WHAT SHE WANTED, WAS, I HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHERE OUR NUMBERS AND WHERE ARE WE MISSING NUMBERS THAT WE SHOULD BE GETTING THEM. AND SO THINGS LIKE THE SURVEY TOOL THAT WE ADOPTED AND WE IMPLEMENTED, BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO START GAGING WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO BE. SO A BIG PART OF THAT IS JUST THE WAY THE VISION HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, WHICH, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE BOARD AND Y'ALL INPUT ON THAT. ONE LAST PART ABOUT THIS IS GOING TO BE DIGITAL. ANOTHER BIG FOCUS FOR 2024 WAS OUR COMPLIANCE WITH WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES. THERE IS NOW A FEDERAL RULE THAT REQUIRES THAT ALL OF OUR DIGITAL CONTENT BE ACCESSIBLE TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, AND WE HAVE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE BY APRIL 2026 AND SO IN ADDITION TO JUST KIND OF LEARNING WHAT IN COMPLIANCE MEANT. WE DID ADOPT A SOFTWARE THAT WILL HELP US KIND OF MOVE OUR ALL OF OUR DIGITAL COMPONENTS INTO THAT ELEMENT. WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THE PROJECT IN AUGUST, WE WERE AT 66.4% COMPLIANCE, AND AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE HAD MOVED UP TO 75.56 COMPLIANCE. SO OBVIOUSLY ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR 2025 IS TO BRING THE WEBSITE AND ALL OF OUR DIGITAL TOOLS IN COMPLIANCE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. NOW, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AT 100% IT'S KIND OF NOT POSSIBLE TO BE IN 100% BECAUSE OF THE WAY TECHNOLOGY CONSTANTLY CHANGES, BUT TO ME, I WANT TO SEE US BE AT AROUND THAT 95% LEVEL, MAYBE 93 IF I'M BEING FORGIVING OF MYSELF BY DECEMBER OF 2025, AGAIN, WE HAVE UNTIL APRIL OF 2026, TO DO THAT. I AM PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON THE TCAD WEBSITE, BUT LEANNA IS WORKING WITH OUR THIRD PARTY VENDORS TO ENSURE THAT THINGS LIKE THE PROPERTY SEARCH, THE PORTAL AND ALL OF OUR ONLINE FORMS ARE IN COMPLIANCE, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE TO WHETHER WE OWN IT OR NOT. IF WE PUT IT OUT THERE FOR TAXPAYERS TO USE IT TO DO BUSINESS WITH US, THEN WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE. AND SO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IS I GET TO TRANSCRIBE ALL OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS ONLINE, WHICH IS A LOT OF FUN. AND THEN WE ARE ADOPTING NEW TECHNOLOGIES, SO AT SOME POINT, MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, PROBABLY. AROUND AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER, WE'LL START ADDING LIVE CAPTIONS TO THE STREAM ON

[02:00:03]

THE BOARD MEETING, SO PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT AT THE BOTTOM, AND ALSO ADDING THAT COMPONENT TO TAXPAYER WEBINARS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF AN OVERVIEW. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? SHENGHAO WANG: NO. THANK YOU. ONE, ONE QUESTION. I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANYTHING, BUT ARE THERE AREAS I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN MIND IN PARTICULAR, BUT ARE THERE AREAS WHERE YOU THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO GET MORE DATA OR FEEDBACK ON TAXPAYER SATISFACTION THAT MAYBE WE AREN'T RIGHT NOW, CYNTHIA MARTINEZ: I THINK THAT'S THAT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE WORK WE DO BETWEEN DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENT IS VERY DIFFERENT, AND IT'S ALSO SEASONAL, SO IT BECOMES HARD TO GET ENOUGH DATA SOMETIMES TO MAKE CONCLUSIONS, UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND YOU HAVE A CERTAIN COMFORT LEVEL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, I'LL SAY THAT ONE OF MY BIGGEST FRUSTRATIONS IS ACTUALLY I WORK WITH OUR DIRECTORS AND WITH THE CHIEF APPRAISER TO DO A LOT OF DATA IN HOUSE. AND LIKE I SAID, I DON'T LIKE ANYONE DOING THE JOB BETTER THAN WE ARE. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I GO TO OTHER CADS AND I'M LOOKING FOR COMPARISON DATA TO SEE HOW ARE YOU HANDLING THAT, OR HOW GOOD ARE YOU DOING, THE OTHER CADS DON'T HAVE THE DATA. THEY'RE NOT TRACKING THINGS THE WAY THAT WE ARE, OR THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT THE WAY WE DO, SO THAT IT'S IMPACTING THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE. AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BIG FRUSTRATION FOR ME, BECAUSE IF IN OUR DATA, I'M PINPOINTING A PROBLEM FOR A TAXPAYER THAT MAYBE NEEDS A LEGISLATIVE FIX, I CAN'T REASONABLY SAY THAT IT'S JUST A TRAVIS COUNTY ISSUE VERSUS IT BEING A STATE ISSUE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE OTHER CADS JUST AREN'T TRACKING IT THE WAY THAT WE ARE. AND I THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY A LOT OF TAXPAYER ISSUES THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED SYSTEMICALLY IF WE WERE ALL FUNCTIONING THE SAME WAY AND KEEPING TRACK OF THE SAME THING.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: QUESTION FROM THE CHAIR.

JAMES VALADEZ: I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT CYNTHIA OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO TETHER TWO ITEMS TOGETHER THAT WEREN'T ACKNOWLEDGED BUT I SEE AS BEING CORRELATED, AND IT'S THE HOMESTEAD AUDIT PROCESS TIED WITH ALL THE WORK WE'VE DONE WITH REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND I THINK THE RATE OF RESPONSE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SEE FROM THE HOMESTEAD AUDIT PROCESS IS DIRECTLY CORRELATED WITH THE SWEAT EQUITY AND INVESTMENT OF THIS DEPARTMENT. I THINK WE WOULD BE IN A MUCH WORSE SITUATION HAD WE NOT SPENT THOSE RESOURCES IN THAT MANNER. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

NICOLE CONLEY: I'D LIKE TO ECHO THAT. I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT THE LEVEL OF OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, KNOW, I LOOK AT YOUR RATINGS, AND IT JUST IT BLOWS MY MIND, CONSIDERING THE FACT WE HAD HISTORIC PROPERTY TAX INCREASES THIS LAST GO ROUND.

BUT I THINK PEOPLE STARTING TO GET UNDERSTAND MORE BECAUSE YOUR COMMUNICATION IN YOUR OUTREACH, I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR TAX BILLS MORE APPROPRIATELY. THEY UNDERSTAND THOSE, YOU KNOW, THE SOURCES OF THE IMPACT, THE WAY THEIR BILLS ARE IMPACTED.

THEY CAN, THEY CAN TELL BY THE ENTITIES WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THE SORT OF LEGWORK THAT I'VE SEEN YOU GUYS OVER THE YEARS, JUST HITTING THE GROUND, WORKING IN DEL VALLE AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, QUITE FRANKLY, IS REALLY SORT OF TURNED THE TIDE. SO I HAVE UTMOST RESPECT FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, OUR ABILITY TO GET OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES AND TRY TO SERVE THEM AS APPROPRIATELY, AS IMPORTANTLY AS WE CAN, AND WITH ALL THE ATTENTION OF EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN THIS APPRAISAL DISTRICT. YOU ALL NEVER LET THE TAXPAYER SORT OF FALL ON THE LINE. AND SO I APPRECIATE ABOUT THIS, THIS ENTITY, THIS ORGANIZATION, THE SPIRIT BY WHICH WE WORK AS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT GOOD WORK.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THANK YOU, MISS CONNELLY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU, MISS MARTINEZ. I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 7L, DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON LITIGATION APPEALS. THE BOARD MAY MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE ANY MATTER AUTHORIZED BY TEXAS GOVERNMENT

[l. Discussion and Possible Action on Litigation and Appeals Related to Pending and Anticipated Lawsuits]

CODE SECTION 550, 1.001 BUT THIS ITEM WILL NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION SIGNING SECTION 550, 1.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY REGARDING PENDING THEIR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION SETTLEMENT OFFERS AND MATTERS ON WHICH THE ATTORNEY HAS A DUTY TO ADVISE THE BOARD UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS, SECTION 550, 1.072 IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? I SEE A MOTION FROM MR. WANG AND A SECOND FROM MR. LAVINE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. OKAY, LET'S GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK, IF THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU.

[02:36:01]

OKAY. THE TIME IS 2:07PM, AND THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL

[02:36:05]

DISTRICT IS RECONVENED AFTER GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT

[8. Adjournment]

[02:36:09]

A TIME THAT I'M SURE THAT Y'ALL CAUGHT UP. FORGOT TO ANNOUNCE

[02:36:14]

THE TIME WHEN WE WENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT I BELIEVE

[02:36:18]

Y'ALL DID THAT. WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE ANY ACTION REGARDING TO

[02:36:23]

ITEM 7L. THE NEXT ITEM IS 7M ADJOURNMENT. BEFORE WE ADJOURN,

[02:36:27]

LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13 IS THE DATE FOR OUR NEXT SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING. I BELIEVE YOU GOT THE LIST OF PROPOSED BOARD MEETINGS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, SO THE PUBLIC WILL BE AWARE THIS. MS. MANN, WOULD YOU READ THOSE INTO THE RECORD? YOU HAVE THOSE HANDY? LEANA MANN: I DO NOT, BUT IT'S THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, EXCEPT FOR MAY, AND THAT ONE IS THE SECOND TUESDAY.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND WE'LL HAVE THE SO FOR ANYONE WHO'S LISTENING TO THIS AND WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR BOARD MEETINGS SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, EXCEPT FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, AND IT'S THE SECOND TUESDAY. AND SO MARK YOUR CALENDAR SO YOU CAN TUNE IN AND WE WELCOME PUBLIC WATCHING VIDEO PARTICIPATION AND WATCHING VIDEOS OF OUR MEETINGS. UM, LET'S SEE.

TO HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SHENGHAO WANG: CAN I ACTUALLY, I JUST HAVE A REQUEST FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ACCORDING TO THE BOARD POLICIES THAT WE JUST ADOPTED, SHENGHAO WANG: I GO THROUGH THE OKAY, GREAT.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: YOU NEED TO WRITE, MAKE A NOTE AND SEND IT TO THE CHIEF APPRAISER.

SHENGHAO WANG: OKAY. AND THE PUBLIC JUST SEES THAT THROUGH THE POSTED AGENDA.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND YES, YES, THEY'LL SEE THAT ON THE AGENDA ON THE WEBSITE WHENEVER WE POST OUR AGENDA ITEMS, SHENGHAO WANG: OKAY, AND WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY, OKAY.

SHENGHAO WANG: SO I WILL MOVE TO ADJOURN.

DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. WANG MOVED TO ADJOURN. IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND FOR MISS CONLEY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL NEXT MONTH, AND I HOPE OUR CHAIRPERSON IS SPEAKING BY THEN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

Jan 28, 2025 Board of Directors Meeting

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