[00:01:41] JAMES VALADEZ: GOOD MORNING. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE TRAVIS CENTRAL [1. Call to Order] APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO ORDER. THE TIME IS 11:40 ON THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2025. WE'RE CONDUCTING THIS MEETING AT TCAD HEADQUARTERS, LOCATED AT 850 EAST ANDERSON LANE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND A QUORUM IS PRESENT. WE'RE ALSO [2. Establishment of Quorum] PROVIDING THIS MEETING THROUGH ONLINE BROADCAST AS A COURTESY. FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION. HAVE ANY [3. Citizens Communication] CITIZENS SIGNED? LEANA MANN: WE DO NOT. JAMES VALADEZ: OKAY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. [4. Consent Agenda] THESE ITEMS MAY BE ACTED UPON BY NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OR VOTE. ANY ITEMS WILL BE HAD UNLESS BOARD MEMBER HAS REQUESTED ONE TO BE PULLED. THE CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES THE FEBRUARY 13, 2025 REGULAR MEETING, THE SECTION 2525B REPORT, ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS, BUDGET, LINE ITEM TRANSFERS AND PERSONNEL REPORT. GIVE THE BOARD A FEW MINUTES TO REVIEW THESE ITEMS AND REQUEST ANY ITEMS TO BE PULLED BEFORE I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: YOU WILL YOU ENTERTAIN A MOTION? MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. JAMES VALADEZ: SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DEBBIE, SECONDED BY JOHN. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA, ITEM [5. Regular Agenda] FIVE, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON TAXPAYER LIAISON [a. Discussion and Possible Action on Taxpayer Liaison Report] REPORT. THE BOARD WILL NOW HEAR FROM MISS BETTY THOMPSON. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: GOOD MORNING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT PAGE I'M ON IN THE YOUR MATERIALS, BUT I'M GOING TO START WITH THE MONTHLY REPORT AND HAVE YOU LOOK AT THE FEBRUARY LINE. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS MONTH WHERE I HAD TWO COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO FORMAL HEARINGS. THAT'S BECAUSE THE ARB DID DO LATE HEARINGS IN FEBRUARY, THEY SCHEDULED OVER 750 AND I ONLY HAD TWO COMMUNICATIONS. THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD. ONE OF THEM RELATED TO THE TRUTHFULNESS OF AN APPRAISER. I WORKED THROUGH THE EVIDENCE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, AND HE ACTUALLY HAD INCORRECT DATA, SO THE APPRAISER HAD TRUTHFULLY REPORTED DURING THE HEARING. THE SECOND ONE IS A PROPERTY OWNER THAT THE ARB CHAIR IS REVIEWING THAT HEARING FOR A FINAL DETERMINATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THAT HEARING. IF YOU MOVE ON ACROSS THE LINE, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE EXEMPTIONS COMMUNICATIONS THAT I HAD DURING FEBRUARY DRAMATICALLY DECREASED, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE JANUARY 31 DEADLINE HAD PASSED. SO RIGHT NOW, I'M BEING CONTACTED THOSE [00:05:04] BY THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT RECEIVING MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT YOU MUST VERIFY YOUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. SO, BUT IT HAS DECREASED. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE MARKET VALUE CATEGORY, IT'S ABOUT THE SAME. PEOPLE HAVE NOW PAID THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, AND THEY REALIZE THEY STILL DISAGREE WITH THE DISTRICT'S VALUE, AND SO THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. BUT THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE, OR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE CONTACTING ME, THEY'RE THE GROUP THAT BELIEVES THEY'RE ENTITLED, NO MATTER WHAT THE LAW SAYS, TO CHALLENGE THAT APPRAISAL. SO IT TAKES ME A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THIS IS ALL REGULATED BY LAW, AND YOU HAVE MISSED A DEADLINE. SO IF YOU MOVE ON OVER AND LOOK AT THE YEAR OVER YEAR CATEGORIES, I'M UP 25% IN 2025 I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WILL CHANGE. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BECOME THE NEW NORM BECAUSE OF THE NEW EXEMPTION VERIFICATION PROGRAM. SO SEE IF WE CAN MOVE ON TO MY ACTIVITY REPORT. THIS IS A CLEAN MONTH OF REPORTING ALL OF FEBRUARY, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU'LL REALLY GET TO SEE, BECAUSE WE'RE MEETING MORE OFTEN, THAT I HAVE OPEN ITEMS THAT I DON'T GET RESOLVED WITHIN THAT 30 DAY PERIOD. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I'M NOT WORKING ON IT. THIS BECOMES AS MUCH YOU'RE REPORTING. IT BECOMES MY TICKLER FILE TO GO BACK AND FOLLOW UP. THERE ARE 35 LINE ITEMS HERE, OF WHICH SEVEN OF THEM BELONG TO CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WERE REFERRED TO ME RATHER THAN CUSTOMER SERVICE. THAT IS A PRETTY GOOD AVERAGE WITH AN EXEMPTION VERIFICATION PROGRAM GOING ON. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST REPORT I DO FOR YOU, IT'S THE ZIP CODE MAP, AND THIS HELPS US KNOW WHAT AREAS NEED COMMUNITY OUTREACH. IT'S A LITTLE EARLY IN THE YEAR FOR YOU TO DRAW ANY CONCLUSIONS FROM THIS, BUT I DID IT BECAUSE LAST MONTH I NOTICED I HAD REPORTED WEST AUSTIN TO BE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER MORE THAN I COULD VERIFY. SO I NOW HAVE MADE A CORRECTION TO WEST AUSTIN. IT'S IN I INCLUDED A COUPLE OF ZIPS THAT WERE REALLY ACTUALLY BELONG TO AISD. SO I THINK I WILL START PRESENTING THIS MORE ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, OR WHEN SOMETHING APPEARS TO BE AN AREA THAT I SHOULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY, AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. JETT HANNA: I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR HELP. I HAD SENT OUT INFORMATION TRYING TO ROUND UP SOME MORE OF THOSE EXEMPTION REQUESTS, AND FIELDED SOME GENERAL QUESTIONS, AND YOU HELPED ME OUT ON THAT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. THANK YOU. I HOPE IT KEPT SOME THINGS FROM YOUR DOOR. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. MISS THOMPSON. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5B DISCUSSION ON [b. Discussion on Report from Appraisal Review Board Committee] THE REPORT FROM THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD COMMITTEE. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO THIS ITEM WILL BE TAKEN UNDER AGENDA ITEMS 5C AND 5D SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO I 5C NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS 5C DISCUSSION. POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE REMOVAL OF APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE RESIGNED OUR TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER, BETTY THOMPSON, WILL PROVIDE US WITH [c. Discussion and Possible Action on Removal of Appraisal Review Board Members Who Have Resigned] THAT UPDATE. LEANA MANN: AND BOARD MEMBER WANG ACTUALLY AS AN UPDATE FROM THE COMMITTEE AS WELL. SHENGHAO WANG: OKAY, YEAH, GO AHEAD. OKAY, SO JUST KEEP IT REALLY BRIEF. SO ON FEBRUARY 28 WE INTERVIEWED, AND THERE'S A TYPO IN THE PAGE 47 OF YOUR REPORT DUE TO A IMPRECISION IN MY COMMUNICATION WITH WITH MS. MANN. WE CONDUCTED SEVEN INTERVIEWS ON FEBRUARY 28 AND THERE WAS ONE NO SHOW. IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER THAT NO SHOW WAS PART OF THE SEVEN OR NOT. SO WE HAD EIGHT SCHEDULED. SEVEN SHOWED UP. THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING ALL SEVEN OF THOSE TO BE APPOINTED WHOM WE INTERVIEWED. AND THEN THIS MORNING, WE HAD THREE MORE INTERVIEWS SCHEDULED, ONE CANCELED, PRETTY LAST MINUTE, BUT THE OTHER TWO I INTERVIEWED AND RECOMMEND FOR APPOINTMENT, AND I BELIEVE A MOTION IS EITHER BEING DRAFTED OR WILL BE DRAFTED SOON FOR US TO APPOINT ALL OF THOSE. UH, THIS BRINGS US TO A [00:10:01] TOTAL OF 65 APPOINTMENTS MADE DURING THIS CYCLE, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT SHORT OF OUR 75 GOAL, WHICH I ALWAYS VIEW AS A STRETCH GOAL. BUT MR. MCBEE ASSURES US THAT THIS IS AN ADEQUATE CONTINGENT FOR THEM TO MAKE THEIR DEADLINES WHEN, WHEN YOU KNOW, RESOLVING THEIR PROTEST FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT FOR US. MISS THOMPSON. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: SO TO CONTINUE ALONG, WE DO HAVE NINE APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE. I'LL COME BACK TO THE OTHER AGENDA ITEM FOR RESIGNATIONS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE HAVE NINE [d. Discussion and Possible Action on Appointment of Appraisal Review Board Members for a Two-Year Term] APPOINTMENTS FOR YOU TO APPROVE TODAY BY RESOLUTION, SEVEN OF THEM, TWO OF THEM INTERVIEWED THIS MORNING, AND SEVEN OF THEM INTERVIEWED ON THE 28TH SHENGHAO WANG: SO WE WERE GOING TO REDACT THE NAME OF THE ONE WHO DIDN'T SHOW UP, RIGHT? BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: YES AND THAT IS AMANDA CORTH. SHE MAY BE ON THE LIST SHENGHAO WANG: ON PAGE, I DON'T KNOW, THE 53 I 51 BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: OKAY, OKAY, SO I PROVIDE TO ANNOUNCE THE MEMBERS. YOU MUST HAVE THREE LISTED ON THE RESOLUTION WHICH WE'RE REMOVING, AMANDA KORTH, FERRIS BEZECKS, ALFRED HINTON, ROBERT E LOUDER, VALERIE, MARIE MALONE, ESTELLA FAYE, MITCHELL, MICHAEL PASSMAN AND BENNY R WASHINGTON ARE THE SEVEN THAT INTERVIEWED ON THE 28TH DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ARE WE? ARE YOU REQUESTING THAT WE WAIT UNTIL THE REVISED RESOLUTION IS SUBMITTED TO US? ARE YOU ASKING US TO VOTE ON THE PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST NAMED? LEANA MANN: IF WE COULD GET A MOTION TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE THE NAMES THAT MISS THOMPSON LISTED AND THEN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT TODAY. LEANA MANN: YEAH. THAT WAY WE CAN GET THEM IN HERE AND TRAINED. JAMES VALADEZ: AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS IS A LIST OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE INTERVIEWED THIS MORNING, COUPLED WITH A LIST OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE ALREADY SLATED, JUST FOR ANYONE ELSE THAT'S LISTENING. CLEAR. YES. SHENGHAO WANG: SO I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND BOARD RESOLUTION, 2025, MARCH, 13, 20250313, DASH, 5D, DELTA, I BELIEVE THAT IS ON WELL THE PAGE NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE BIT WEIRD. TO REMOVE AMANDA COURT FROM THE TERM ONE AUXILIARY MEMBER APPOINTMENT LIST. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND DID YOU WANT TO AMEND IT TO ADD THE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THAT MISS THOMPSON JUST MENTIONED SHENGHAO WANG: I WOULD THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO RESOLUTIONS BY THAT NAME, SO I'M NOT SURE. MR. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: IT'S 5D YEAH, THEY'RE BOTH SHENGHAO WANG: 225, D RESOLUTIONS, WHICH FAIR ENOUGH, BECAUSE WE'RE APPOINTING ALL OF SO, SO JUST BY STRIKING AMANDA, WE'RE GOOD. I YEAH, TO BE CLEAR, I WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AMANDA COURT AND THEN ADD THE LIST OF NAMES THAT IS ON PAGE 54 YEAH, THAT IS ON PAGE 54 JAMES VALADEZ: IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DANIEL, SECONDED BY MS CONLEY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. SHENGHAO WANG: THAT'S THE AMEND THE MOTION, AND NOW I MOVE TO MAKE TO VOTE ON THAT MOTION. JAMES VALADEZ: IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DANIEL, SECONDED BY NICOLE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU AGAIN. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: WAS THAT 5C SHENGHAO WANG: I WAS D DELTA, THE APPOINTMENTS. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: WE NEED TO GO BACK TO FIVE FOR SHENGHAO WANG: THE DESIGNATIONS, YEAH. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: SO WE DO HAVE TWO RESIGNATIONS THAT I'M PRESENTING YOU WITH TODAY TO BE APPROVED TO ACCEPT. THERE ARE RESIGNATIONS FROM THE ARB. THIS BRINGS US TO A TOTAL OF NINE RESIGNATIONS SINCE JANUARY ONE, SO NET ZERO GAIN FOR TODAY. BUT WE ARE EXPERIENCE. LESS ATTRITION THIS YEAR THAN WE DID [00:15:02] LAST. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I JUST MR. MAY I MAKE A COMMENT, I KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE IS IN INFORMING THE APPLICANTS ABOUT THEIR THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE DAYS THEY HAVE TO SERVE. AND IT'S JUST ALWAYS AMAZING TO ME HOW THEN THEY SIT FOUR WEEKS LATER, THEY WERE JUST REALLY ODD. BUT IF YOU NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE ACCEPT THE RESIGNATIONS OF LARRY DUGGAR AND LAURA MOVED BY JAMES VALADEZ: MS CARTWRIGHT, SECONDED BY DANIEL. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BETTY THOMPSON, TAXPAYER LIAISON: THANK YOU. JAMES VALADEZ: THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, ITEM 5D DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE APPOINTMENT OF THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD IF FIVE. SORRY. NEXT ITEM MARGIN ON OUR AGENDA IS 5E DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE APPRAISAL REVIEW [e. Discussion and Possible Action on Appraisal Review Board Chairman Report] BOARD CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. THE BOARD WILL HEAR FROM MR. CHAIR, BARRY MCBEE, NOW, RIGHT? BARRY MCBEE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS. SO YOU GOT MY REPORT BEFORE YOU PAGES 58 AND 59 I'LL JUST KIND OF IN SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT AND A FEW UPDATES. WE ARE FINISHING TRAINING OF THE NEW MEMBERS, OTHER THAN THOSE APPOINTED TODAY, WRAPPING UP THAT TRAINING TODAY. HAPPY TO REPORT, IT'S A VERY ENGAGED AND ATTENTIVE GROUP. LOTS OF QUESTIONS, WHICH IS A GOOD SIGN. I THINK WE WILL CONDUCT A SORT OF A SIMILAR, PROBABLY ONE DAY TRAINING FOR THESE NEW MEMBERS. THE NINE NEW MEMBERS ADDED TODAY AND MAKING UP SOME TIME OF MEMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE WITH US THESE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE'LL DO THAT PROBABLY IN LATE APRIL OR EARLY MAY, AND WE WERE NOTIFIED JUST THIS MORNING THAT THE MODULES FOR THE CONTROLLERS REQUIRE TRAINING BOTH FOR NEW ARB MEMBERS AND RETURNING ARB MEMBERS THAT IS NOW AVAILABLE, WE WILL PUBLICIZE THAT TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS AND ASK THAT THEY COMPLETE THAT TRAINING BY MAY 1, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL BE PREPARED FOR THE SEASON WHEN WE COMMENCE IN JUNE. MY REPORT NOTES, AS DID MISS THOMPSON, WE HAD SOME CORRECTION HEARINGS IN LATE FEBRUARY. ACTUALLY HAD SOME ADDITIONAL HEARINGS YESTERDAY TO CONSIDER SORT OF A RAFT OF AFFIDAVITS IN LIEU OF IN PERSON HEARINGS. SO SOMETIME, PROBABLY BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH, WE'LL HAVE WHAT WE CALL A CORE MEETING OF THE ARB, OF THE REGULAR ARB MEMBERS, TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YESTERDAY. WE ALSO NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE FEBRUARY HEARINGS. WE HAVE SOME CORRECTIONS TO MAKE. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MATTERS TO RECONSIDER, AND WE MAY ACTUALLY NEED TO RESCIND A FEW DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE BY THE FULL T A R B AND RESET THOSE FOR HEARINGS IN LATE MAY. AND I CAN PROVIDE DETAILS ABOUT ANY OF THOSE ACTIONS IF YOU WOULD LIKE. WE DO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE T A R B BYLAWS, INCLUDING THE PROVISION THAT GOVERNS THE REQUIRED HEARINGS BY FIVE MEMBER PANELS OF THE T A R B OVER AND ABOVE OUR USUAL THREE MEMBER PANELS, THOSE RELATE TO PROTESTS BROUGHT BY BOTH CURRENT AND CERTAIN PAST T A R B MEMBERS, BY CURRENT T CAT EMPLOYEES AND CERTAIN PAST TCAT EMPLOYEES, AND ALSO BY THE CURRENT AND PAST MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD. SO WE DO A FIVE MEMBER PANEL REQUIRED UNDER OUR BYLAWS. WE'LL DO THOSE PROBABLY SOMETIME IN JULY. I THINK WE'RE ALSO REVIEWING THE LOCAL MODEL HEARING PROCEDURES. WE HAVE STATEWIDE MODEL HEARING PROCEDURES PROPAGATED BY THE COMPTROLLER. WE HAVE A SET OF THOSE THAT ARE ALSO LOCAL IN NATURE. WE'RE REVIEWING AND REVISING THOSE, AS WELL AS REALLY, ALL OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT GOES OUT OVER MY SIGNATURE ON BEHALF OF THE TRB OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROTEST SEASON, SOME OF THAT'S NOT BEEN LOOKED AT. APPARENTLY, IN A FEW YEARS, THERE'S SOME MINOR REVISIONS WE NEED TO MAKE TO ALL THOSE WITH AN EYE ON THAT FIVE MEMBER PANEL REQUIREMENT. I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A SESSION IN APRIL, WHAT I'LL CALL TO AN ETHICS SESSION, REMINDING BOTH NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS THAT IF YOU OWN PROPERTY OR HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN PROPERTY, YOU ARE SUBJECT TO THIS SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR FIVE MEMBER PANELS. WE ALSO NEED TO COVER, I THINK AGAIN, IN MAYBE GREATER DETAIL, THE RECUSAL REQUIREMENTS BOTH UNDER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND THE PROPERTY TAX CODE. IF A MEMBER OF THE ARB HAS A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN A MATTER THAT COMES TO A HEARING, THEY MUST RECUSE THEMSELVES. WE'VE NOT REALLY EMPHASIZED THAT, I THINK, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE EMPHASIZED. SO WE'LL DO SOME TRAINING ON THAT. ALSO TALK ABOUT THE EXTENT OF PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE IMPOSED ON ARB MEMBERS, BOTH AS TERMS OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS WHEN A PARTY SEEKS TO APPROACH US, AND ALSO JUST THE KIND OF THE UNIQUE PROVISION IN THE PROPERTY TAX CODE THAT WE ARE REALLY NOT ALLOWED TO TALK, EVEN AMONGST OURSELVES, ABOUT MATTERS OUTSIDE OF THE. HEARING PROCESS. WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF REFRESH [00:20:02] OURSELVES AND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEASON. AND THEN FINALLY, A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S NOT IN THE REPORT, LED BY THE BEXAR COUNTY ARB. THEY ARE TAKING EFFORTS TO BRING TOGETHER MOST OF THE MAJOR COUNTY ARB CHAIRS AND LEADERSHIP TEAMS. MR. PHIFER ACTUALLY KIND OF LED THAT EFFORT A FEW YEARS AGO, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN DONE SINCE THEN. SO WE'LL ALL TRY TOGETHER PROBABLY SOMETIME IN APRIL BEFORE OUR RESPECTIVE SEASONS BEGIN, JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE IN COMMON, TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. DISCOVERED THAT I BEGAN TO CONTACT OTHER CHAIRS MYSELF FROM AROUND THE STATE, AND ALSO ABOUT SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE ISSUES THAT WILL BE TOUCHED ON, PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT LATER ON THIS MORNING, THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE ARBS, BOTH IN THIS CURRENT SEASON AND IN THE YEARS TO COME. SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. JAMES VALADEZ: CELIA CELIA ISRAEL: THANK YOU CHAIR, MR. MAY BE YOU GOT MY ATTENTION WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ETHICS TRAINING. BARRY MCBEE: YES, CELIA ISRAEL: FOR IS IT INTERNAL, OR IS DO WE OUTSOURCE TO OUTSIDE COUNSEL? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MORE ABOUT THAT, AND WHAT KIND OF TRAINING IT IS? IS IT AN HOUR, OR IS IT A COUPLE DAYS? OR NO, NO, BARRY MCBEE: IT WOULD PROBABLY BE NO MORE THAN AN HOUR. AND I THE INTENTION CURRENTLY IS TO DO IT. I'M IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH ROY ARMSTRONG, WHO IS COUNSEL FOR THE ARB AND A NUMBER OF ARBS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AROUND THE STATE, PARDON ME, I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY HANDLE IT INTERNALLY AND MAKE REALLY AVAILABLE IF NEED BE. IT'S NOT IT IS NOT COMPLEX, BUT IT'S JUST REALLY A REFRESHER. I MEAN, AS WE GO INTO ANY SEASON, WE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES, PARTICULARLY HOW TO HANDLE PROTESTS, BECAUSE THAT IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY. IF YOU'RE A NEW MEMBER, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO PROTESTING YOUR PROPERTY IN A CERTAIN FASHION. YOU CAN'T DO THAT NOW. SO I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE OTHER JUST THE RECUSAL PROVISIONS. THE PROPERTY TAX CODE HAS A VERY BROAD RECUSAL PROVISION THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY FINANCIAL INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN A MATTER OF COMING TO A HEARING, YOU NEED TO RECUSE YOURSELF. I'VE TALKED TO MR. ARMSTRONG, FOR EXAMPLE. WOULD THAT RELATE TO ME? I OWN 25 SHARES OF DELL. YEAH, YOU PROBABLY NEED TO RECUSE YOURSELF IF DELL IS THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT'S COMING BEFORE THE PANEL, AND WE'VE REALLY NOT, WE'VE NOT, REALLY NOT APPLIED IT TO THAT EXTENT. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SCRUPULOUS, IF WE CAN BE AS MUCH AS WE CAN BE IN FOLLOWING THOSE, THOSE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE FOUND IN STATE LAW. CELIA ISRAEL: THANKS. IT'S IMPORTANT. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I JUST WANT TO COMMENT HOW GREAT IT IS THAT SHE CHAIRS ARB CHAIRMAN AROUND THE STATE ARE GOING TO GET TOGETHER. I THINK MORE AND MORE THE LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO HEAR FROM YOU COLLECTIVELY ABOUT BILLS THAT THAT DEAL WITH THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD, BECAUSE THEY OFTEN JUST HEAR NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT HOW THEY WERE TREATED BY THE ARB, AND PUTTING THE POSITIVE FACE ON THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS IMPORTANT. BARRY MCBEE: THANKS. YEAH, I NOTED SEVEN BILLS IN THE REPORT THAT AFFECT THE ARB DIRECTLY, AND WE ACTUALLY NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE, I THINK, INCLUDING ONE OR TWO THAT WOULD AT LEAST AS THEY ARE APPARENTLY DRAFTED CURRENTLY, WOULD APPLY TO THIS CURRENT SEASON. SO CHANGES OF THE RULES KIND OF IN MIDSTREAM WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR US TO ADJUST TO, I THINK SO. JAMES VALADEZ: MISS CONNELLY, NICOLE CONLEY: MY APOLOGIES IF I MISSED IT. I WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE ELEMENTS OF THE SCHEDULING DIRECTIVE LETTER THAT YOU SENT TO THE TAX CONSULTANTS CAN KIND OF GIVE US A HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT WAS IN THAT MESSAGING. BARRY MCBEE: IT HAS NOT GONE OUT YET. MISS CONLEY, SO YEAH, I'VE MADE A SORT OF A FIRST ROUND OF MEETINGS WITH THE MAJOR AGENTS TO TALK ABOUT THAT, AND HAVE TALKED TO MISS MAN, IN FACT, THIS WEEK ABOUT HOW WE WILL DO THAT. MY GOAL IS TO GET THAT OUT BY PROBABLY THE END OF APRIL. CERTAINLY, I DON'T ANTICIPATE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM THE PROTOCOLS AND THE PROCESSES THAT MR. PHIFER HAD PUT IN PLACE. MOST OF THE AGENTS SEEM TO BE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. IT SEEMS TO HAVE ACHIEVED LAST SEASON, AT LEAST CERTIFICATION ON TIME AND A CONCLUSION TO THE SEASON BY THE END OF AUGUST. I WILL NOTE MR. WANG'S ASSURANCES THAT I CAN DO ALL THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO AS I REMIND MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES, WE'RE A COG AT THE END OF A SERIES OF COGS, AND DEPENDING ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THOSE EARLIER COGS, THE BURDEN ON US IS EITHER MANAGEABLE OR SOMETIMES IT CAN BE HEAVY. WE DO HAVE EVERY GOAL TO ACHIEVE CERTIFICATION ON TIME AND TO BE DONE BY THE END OF AUGUST. I STRESS THAT TO MY COLLEAGUES, THE SCHEDULING DIRECTED, HOPEFULLY WILL SET THE PATH FOR THAT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES GOING FORWARD OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5F OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA, [f. Discussion and Possible Action on Chief Appraiser Report] WHICH IS DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON CHIEF APPRAISERS REPORT TO INCLUDE THE 2024 ANNUAL REPORT, THE HOMESTEAD VERIFICATION PROGRAM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE, SNAPSHOT IN THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE. MS. MANN. LEANA MANN: THANK YOU. THE 2024 ANNUAL REPORT IS PROVIDED IN FULL ON YOUR PACKET, AND I'LL HIT A FEW HIGHLIGHTS. TRAVIS COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS. WE NOW HAVE OVER 100, 212 ENTITIES THAT WE [00:25:04] ARE TRACKING. NOT ALL OF THEM SET A TAX RATE, BUT WE DO TRACK ALL 212 THAT'S AN INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. WE SAW 8.68% DECLINE IN MARKET VALUES FROM 23 TO 24 OUR TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE FOR 2024 WAS 460 BILLION. YOU CAN ALSO FIND A DISTRIBUTION OF OUR PROPERTIES ON THIS SLIDE HERE, YOU CAN SEE ON THE OUTER RING THE DISTRIBUTION BY MARKET VALUE, AND ON THE INNER RING THE DISTRIBUTION BY THE NUMBER OF PARCELS. THERE'S ALSO A BREAKDOWN OF THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY DISTRIBUTION ON THE OUTER RING, YOU CAN SEE THE DISTRIBUTION BY MARKET VALUE, AND THEN AGAIN, ON THE INNER RING, THE NUMBER OF PARCELS WE HAVE CURRENTLY FOR 2024 WE HAD 76 TAXING ENTITIES THAT OFFERED SOME VERSION OF THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. 15 OF THOSE WERE STATE MANDATED. 32 OFFERED A LOCAL OPTION, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. 63 OFFERED A LOCAL OPTION. OVER 65 EXEMPTION, AND 47 TAXING ENTITIES OFFERED A LOCAL OPTION, DISABLED PERSONS EXEMPTION. WE AGAIN SAW AN INCREASE IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PROTESTS FILED FOR 2024 WITH A RECORD OF 187,741 PROTESTS FOR THE 2024 APPEAL SEASON. OUR DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE APPEALS REMAINED RELATIVELY UNCHANGED WE HAVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT BY MARKET VALUE, IT'S A PRETTY EVEN SPLIT BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF APPEALS FILED, NOT BY VALUE, BUT BY TOTAL COUNT, RESIDENTIAL IS THE PREDOMINANT FILER THERE. WE ALSO SAW A INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF AGENT PROTESTS THAT WERE FILED. WE ARE CURRENTLY SITTING AT 85% OF ALL PROTESTS FOR 2024 WERE FILED BY AGENTS, WITH 15% FILED BY OWNERS. WE ALSO SAW AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PROTESTS THAT WERE FILED ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH OUR PORTAL, AT 79% FOR 2024 I THEN ON THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE RESOLUTION OF THE PROTEST. PREDOMINANTLY WE RESOLVE PROTESTS BY TOP LINE OR INFORMAL AGREEMENT, AND THEN 13% DO GO TO A FORMAL HEARING WITH THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD. I WE SAW A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF LAWSUITS AT 2505 LAWSUITS FILED AT THE TIME THIS REPORT WAS GENERATED. I THINK IT'S GONE UP SLIGHTLY SINCE THEN, BUT SLIGHT INCREASE FOR 2024 IN LITIGATION. THE REPORT ALSO OUTLINES OUR MOST CURRENT COMPTROLLER AUDITS, SO WE HAVE OUR 2024 PBS RESULTS OUTLINED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT, AND THEN THE 2023 MAP REVIEW, BOTH OF WHICH ARE PASSING. THE REPORT ALSO TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND HOW IT BREAKS DOWN BY TAXING UNIT. YOU CAN SEE HERE THE MAJORITY, ABOUT HALF OF OUR BUDGET IS PAID BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ABOUT 20% FROM THE CITY, 17% FROM THE COUNTY, AND THEN THE OTHER SMALLER ENTITIES MAKE UP THE REMAINDER OUR TOP 10 TAXING UNITS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR BUDGET ARE AUSTIN, ID CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, AND THEN THOSE LISTED ON THE SLIDE THERE, OUR PERSONNEL. WE REALLY FOCUSED IN 2024 ON FILLING ALL POSITIONS. WE HAVE 158 BUDGETED POSITIONS IN 2024 AND HAD AT THE END OF THE YEAR 157 FILLED. SO ONE VACANCY. OUR APPRAISAL WORKLOAD EACH DEPARTMENT OUTLINES KIND OF THEIR KEY TASK IN THOSE METRICS THAT WE MEASURE FOR THEM, AND THOSE ARE BROKEN DOWN IN THE REPORT FOR EACH DEPARTMENT OVERALL, WE SAW A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PERMITS WE RECEIVED IN 2024 WE ALSO SAW WE ALMOST DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF FIELD INSPECTIONS WE DID IN 2024 AT A TOTAL OF 105,000 ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ANNUAL REPORT? CELIA ISRAEL: THANK YOU CHAIR. THANKS FOR THE UPDATE FOR THE REPORT. I WANTED TO ASK YOU, YOU MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT I FORGOT, WHAT'S THE ENTRY LEVEL PAY FOR PERSONNEL AT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT? WHAT. AT 1850, 1970 [00:30:05] $19.70 LEANA MANN: YES, MA'AM, SLIGHTLY UNDER THE COUNTY. CELIA ISRAEL: YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S, THAT'S DIFFICULT TO KEEP YOUR WORKFORCE WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO OFFER SOMETHING LARGER THAN WHAT THEY CAN MAKE IN THE SERVICE SECTOR, FOR EXAMPLE. LEANA MANN: SO WE TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS EARLIER IN THE YEAR, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO SET OUR BUDGET ABOUT 18 MONTHS IN ADVANCE, AND SO WITH INFLATION AND EVERYTHING CHANGING SO QUICKLY IN THE CURRENT STATE OF THE MARKET, WE'RE BEHIND BY THE TIME OUR BUDGET ON JANUARY ONE COMES UP, WE LOOK AT CLERICAL SALARIES EVERY YEAR, BECAUSE THOSE SEEM TO BE CHANGING THE MOST AND VERY RAPIDLY. SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN FOR 2026 JUST PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL SALARIES FOR STAFF IN 2026 CELIA ISRAEL: BUT IN AT THE AT OUR SHOP AND IN THE TAX OFFICE, WE FOUND, OF COURSE, WE APPRECIATE THE ENTRY LEVEL PAY GO INTO $22 AN HOUR, BUT THERE IS STILL A SQUEEZE FOR THE MID LEVEL ADMINS AND PROFESSIONALS, I SHOULD SAY THEY'RE FEELING THE SQUEEZE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO AFFORD TO LIVE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY WORK. AND SO THERE'S THAT, SQUEEZE IN THE MIDDLE. THAT IS NOT EXACT, THAT IS NOT ENTRY LEVEL, AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE FOR US, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT A BUDGET YEAR WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE REVENUE THAT WE'VE HAD IN PAST, PAST YEARS. SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE SAME FOR YOUR FOR YOUR SHOP, WHERE YOU'VE GOT PROFESSIONALS LIKE APPRAISERS WHO ARE WHO ARE CHALLENGED WITH, WHERE DO THEY WHERE DO THEY GIVE THEIR SERVICE? LEANA MANN: YEAH, WE'RE IN A VERY SIMILAR SITUATION. WE DID A SALARY SURVEY AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE TO Y'ALL IN EXTENSIVE DETAIL DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP WORKSHOP. YEAH, BUT YES, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE FOUND. IS THAT OUR MID LEVEL, ESPECIALLY APPRAISALS IN OUR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEPARTMENT, BOTH NEED TO BE LOOKED AT FOR THE 2026 BUDGET. CELIA ISRAEL: THANK YOU. WHEN, WHEN? WHEN ARE WE? WHEN DO WE GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET PREPARATION AND REVIEW? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE CALENDAR FOR FOR YOU GUYS, LEANA MANN: THE BUDGET WORKSHOP IS HELD IN LATE APRIL, EARLY MAY, AND THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A PROPOSED BUDGET BY JUNE 15. OKAY? ADOPTION BY SEPTEMBER 15. CELIA ISRAEL: THANK YOU JAMES VALADEZ: MISS CARTWRIGHT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND JUST TO CLARIFY A QUICK QUESTION, OUR STAFF APPRAISERS ARE NOT PAID ON AN HOURLY BASIS. THEIR SALARY IN BEGINNING SALARIES FOR A NON EXPERIENCED RESIDENTIAL APPRAISER WOULD BE, WHAT? LEANA MANN: SO OUR RESIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY APPRAISERS ARE HOURLY. THEY'RE PAID HOURLY. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY LEANA MANN: DO YOU HAVE THE PAY RATES? SO THE STARTING PAY FOR AN APPRAISER IS $25 AN HOUR. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: FOR COMMERCIAL APPRAISERS LEANA MANN: COMMERCIAL IS SALARY, AND THEY ARE IN THE 60S, 50S, LOW 50S IS THE STARTING PAY DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: $50,000 I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT NOT ALL EMPLOYEES STARTED $19.70 THAT'S MORE THE CLERICAL AND CLERKS POSITIONS LEANA MANN: AND WE CAN PROVIDE A BREAKDOWN AT THE NEXT BOARD DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: IT CAN WAIT TILL THE BUDGET WORKSHOP. I WAS MEETING, IF THAT JUST FOLLOWING UP FOR CLARITY THAT THAT OUR APPRAISERS ARE PAID DIFFERENTLY. JAMES VALADEZ: YES, MR. LAVINE DICK LAVINE: JUST A QUESTION ABOUT THE FIELD INSPECTIONS THAT DOUBLED, IS, WHY IS THAT? AND ARE THEY ESPECIALLY EXPENSIVE? TERMS OF PERSONNEL AND JUST TIME. LEANA MANN: SO WE LOOKED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AT THE SO IT'LL CONTINUE AT THAT LEVEL FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. BEGINNING OF 2024 AT THE IAAO OF STANDARDS, AND WE SHOULD BE PHYSICALLY INSPECTING PROPERTIES ONCE EVERY SIX YEARS. SO WE SET A PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS HAPPENING THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN PHYSICALLY BEING ON THE PROPERTY. TO MEASURE WE CAN DO AERIAL IMAGERY. THERE'S SOME OTHER AVENUES THAT WE CAN INSPECT BY AND SO THE 105 IS TO MEET THE IAAO. IT WILL. THIS WILL BE THE NEW NORM. JAMES VALADEZ: MISS CONLEY NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, AND I'M ALWAYS, NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE WHAT YOU ALL ARE TO PULL TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, HIGHER WORKLOAD AND STAGNANT SALARIES. SO I GIVE KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR, YOU KNOW, SETTING FORWARD AN AGGRESSIVE PLAN THAT I KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH THE WEBINARS. ARE THEY POSTED ONLINE, SUBSEQUENTLY, WHERE YOU CAN GO BACK AND REVISIT THEM. AND ARE THEY DELIVERED IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH? LEANA MANN: THEY ARE AVAILABLE. THE RECORDING IS AFTER THE WEBINAR WE ARE LOOKING AT TRANSLATION SERVICES. WE HAVE ONE COMING UP IN APRIL, ON HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, NEXT WEEK, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR. SO. IT'S NOT A FUNCTION THAT WE HAVE ON OUR RECORDED WEBINARS AS OF [00:35:02] NICOLE CONLEY: YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER DOING SOME OF THE RIGHT NOW. BASICS. ONE, BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE WEBINARS, THE BASICS, I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO GO LOOK AT THEM. BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYONE, BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THEM, I WOULD OPINE THAT YOU MAKE SURE ALL THE WEBINARS, THOSE BASIC WEBINARS, ARE DELIVERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. LEANA MANN: WE WILL DO THAT. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SHENGHAO WANG: YEAH, I HAD ONE QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THAT THE NUMBER OF PERMITS APPLIED TO FOR FOR THE TCAD HAS GONE UP. WHAT PERMITS DO PEOPLE NEED FROM TCAD? LEANA MANN: SO IT'S NOT PERMITS WE ISSUE ITS PERMITS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR REMODELS GET FILED WITH THE CITIES THAT WE THEN GET COPIES OF. SHENGHAO WANG: OKAY, OKAY, AND THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. AND THEN LOOKING AT PAGE 100 THE BUDGET COMPARISON FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 AND THEN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, I NOTICED THAT THE TOTAL BUDGET REVENUES, WHICH IS THE THIRD LINE FOR 24 IS 24 POINT 7 MILLION, AND THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES IS 29.8 CLOSE TO 30. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK, DOES THAT MEAN THAT TCAD IS OPERATING AT A DEFICIT, OR WHAT IS MAKING UP THAT DIFFERENCE? LEANA MANN: WE ARE NOT OUR BUDGETED REVENUE SHOULD BE ABOUT 300,000 OVER OUR EXPENDITURES, BUT I'LL LOOK AT THAT CHART BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A TYPO. OKAY, SORRY ABOUT THAT. ANY OTHER SO WE WE JUST FOR CONTEXT. WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET. THE ONLY EXCESS IN REVENUE IS OUR MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE. SO PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, WE GET A RENDITION PENALTY, A PORTION OF THOSE PENALTIES EVERY YEAR THAT WE SPLIT WITH THE TAX OFFICE, SO THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY REVENUE THAT'S OVER OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES. JANUARY, 31 WAS THE DEADLINE FOR OUR HOMESTEAD VERIFICATION PROJECT. WE HAVE 82,000 PROJECT PROPERTIES THAT WE AUDITED THIS YEAR. WE ARE 90.37% COMPLETE. SO WE HAVE ABOUT 8000 THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A SERVICE THAT FOR ANY NON RESPONSIVE PROPERTY OWNER WE LIKE, WERE ABLE TO RUN THEM THROUGH A DATABASE TO CHECK DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS. SO EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T RESPOND AND WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THEY QUALIFY, THEIR EXEMPTIONS WON'T BE REMOVED. SO ALL IN ALL, THERE WERE 2593 THAT WE THINK WILL HAVE EXEMPTIONS REMOVED. THOSE WILL BE REMOVED BEFORE THE NOTICES OF APPRAISAL GO OUT. AND FOR THOSE, WE WILL INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL FLYER LETTING THEM KNOW THAT IF YOUR EXEMPTIONS ARE REMOVED AND YOU QUALIFY, HERE ARE THE STEPS TO SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTS TO US, AND WE'LL GET IT ADDED BACK ON BEFORE TAX BILLS ARE GENERATED. SHENGHAO WANG: THAT OUGHT TO GET THEIR JAMES VALADEZ: I'M GOING TO GO MISS CARTWRIGHT, DANIEL LEVINE AND JEFF. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: QUICK QUESTION YOU MAY HAVE SAID IT NOT JUST HAD A MOMENT. DO WE CALL ALL OF THESE 2593 PEOPLE? LEANA MANN: WE DID NOT. DIANA HAS BEEN INUNDATED WITH PEOPLE COMING INTO THE BUILDING. THESE ARE NOT OVER 65 THERE ARE ONLY HOMESTEADS. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE OVER 65 BEFORE WE REMOVE ANY EXEMPTIONS. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: PLEASE URGE YOU TO DO THAT. JAMES VALADEZ: DANIEL, SHENGHAO WANG: I WAS JUST SAYING THAT IT OUGHT TO GET THEIR ATTENTION WHEN, WHEN THE EXEMPTION IS REMOVED, FOR THE NOTICE OF APPRAISAL, TO SUBMIT WHATEVER THEY NEED TO GET THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION BACK. LEANA MANN: THAT'S OUR HOPE. AT THIS POINT, THEY WILL HAVE RECEIVED SIX DIFFERENT NOTIFICATIONS. SO HOPEFULLY THIS ONE, IF THEY ARE REMOVED, THEY'LL SEE IT AND GET US WHAT WE NEED BEFORE A TAX BILL GETS GENERATED. JAMES VALADEZ: MR. LAVINE DICK LAVINE: YOU SAID THERE'S AN AUTOMATED WAY TO CHECK FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THE INFO YOU NEED. IS THERE A WAY TO START THE AUTOMATION AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN, BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN THIS AND ARE QUITE UPSET TO THINK THEY MIGHT LOSE THEIR EXEMPTION, LEANA MANN: YES, THERE IS A SERVICE WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING IN THE 2026, BUDGET. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE, WHICH IS WHY WE DIDN'T INITIALLY GO THAT ROUTE. WE DID A PILOT PROGRAM. I THINK IT'S WORTH THE MONEY. WE WOULDN'T WITH THIS VENDOR. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO SEND ANY NOTIFICATIONS TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, UNLESS WE DETERMINE THAT THEY DON'T QUALIFY. SO THAT'S THE ROUTE WE'RE HOPING TO GO FOR THE FUTURE. WE LEARNED A LOT DURING THIS FIRST YEAR. WE WILL MAKE SOME CHANGES FOR NEXT YEAR. THERE WERE SOME POSITIVE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF IT AND SOME NEGATIVE THINGS, BUT WE WILL IMPROVE FOR OUR NEXT BATCH. JAMES VALADEZ: JETT [00:40:02] JETT HANNA: YES, I WAS JUST GOING TO NOTE THAT I HAD SOME PROPERTY OWNERS WHO COULDN'T TELL FOR SURE IF THEIR VERIFICATION HAD HAD BEEN RECEIVED, ESPECIALLY IF THEY MAILED IN. I YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T EXPECT YOU ALL TO BE SENDING SOMETHING TO EACH PERSON ABOUT THAT, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT Y'ALL HAVE DECIDED TO PUT SOMETHING OR ON THEIR THEIR PROPERTY TAX RECORD FOR THE FUTURE, SO THAT THEY CAN KNOW THE STATUS OF THEIR VERIFICATION IS THAT LEANA MANN: THAT'S CORRECT, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. SO ON OUR PROPERTY SEARCH, ONCE NOTICES OF APPRAISED VALUE GO OUT, THERE WILL BE AN AUDIT DATE ON THE PROPERTY SEARCH FOR EACH PROPERTY. AND SO IF IT'S COMPLETE, IT'LL HAVE A DATE THERE. IF IT'S NOT COMPLETE AND WE DIDN'T GET A VERIFICATION FORM, IT'LL BE BLANK. JETT HANNA: THANK YOU. LEANA MANN: THANK YOU. JAMES VALADEZ: DANIEL, YOU HAD ANOTHER QUESTION. SHENGHAO WANG: I DID. I SEEM TO NOT REMEMBER IT. OH, SORRY, YEAH. WHAT THIS? THIS DRIVER LICENSE REQUIREMENT, REMIND ME WHICH SESSION IT WAS PASSED IN LEANA MANN: 2009 WAS THE ORIGINAL PASSAGE SHENGHAO WANG: OKAY? AND WHEN DID START GOING, LIKE, TAKE EFFECT, OR WHATEVER THAT WE OKAY? SO WE'RE WHY ARE THERE STILL SO MANY OUTSTANDING THEN? WELL, LEANA MANN: IF THEY APPLIED BEFORE 2009 THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PROVIDE A DRIVER'S LICENSE, AND UNLESS THERE WAS SOME REASON TO INDICATE THAT THEY DIDN'T QUALIFY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED THEM TO REAPPLY. SO THERE'S STILL QUITE A FEW THAT WERE FROM PRIOR TO THE 2009 WE DIDN'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE UNKNOWN: MR. LAVINE DICK LAVINE: SORRY. IS THERE PROVISION FOR PROVING YOUR ADDRESS IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR VARIOUS REASONS. LEANA MANN: THERE IS NOT. THE CODE REQUIRES A TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ID CARD. WE'VE ASKED AND TALKED TO MANY LEGISLATORS ABOUT CHANGING THAT. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY MOVEMENT ON IT. I'M HOPEFUL THAT THEY COULD DO SOME KIND OF AFFIDAVIT FOR HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE ELDERLY AND DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE ANYMORE. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: CASE YOU USE A PERSONAL ID FROM MY MOTHER LOST HER HER DRIVER'S LICENSE. SHE WAS ISSUED A PERSONAL ID FROM FROM TEXT, DAUGHTER, MOTOR VEHICLES OR WHATEVER. SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU GO WITHOUT SOME KIND OF IDENTIFICATION ONCE YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE. LEANA MANN: YEAH, AND I THINK THERE'S THAT PROPERTY OWNERS DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW, BUT DPS, I'VE HEARD, WILL EVEN COME TO YOUR HOUSE IF YOU'RE HOMEBOUND, AND THEY'LL GIVE YOU A TEXAS ID CARD. NOT SURE HOW LONG THE WAIT TIMES ARE ON IT, BUT THERE ARE OPTIONS TO GET THAT ID CARD IF THEY DON'T HAVE ONE. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? GREAT. COMMUNITY OUTREACH. LEANA MANN: WE HAVE TWO EVENTS IN MARCH REMAINING. WE'RE DOING OUR HOMESTEAD WEBINAR ON MARCH 19, AND THEN AN EXEMPTION CLINIC IN PFLUGERVILLE ON MARCH 29, AND THEN WE HAVE THREE MORE EVENTS IN APRIL. WE'LL BE AT THE APRIL 12 COMMUNITY IMPACT DAY AND DOING A NOTICE AND PROTEST PROCESS FOR THE ANDERSON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. AND THEN WE'LL ALSO, IN APRIL, HAVE OUR WEBINAR ON THE NOTICES AND PROTEST PROCESS, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: SOMETHING THAT I HAVE RUN INTO LATELY TO BE AWARE OF. AND YOU MAY DO THIS IN YOUR EXEMPTION SEMINARS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND AFFIDAVITS OF HEIRSHIP, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT YOU OFFER LEGAL ADVICE TO PEOPLE HOWEVER YOU MIGHT WANT TO SAY THAT IN LIEU OF NOT HAVING A DEED ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY, THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES TO GET AN EXEMPTION, AND IT'S THROUGH THAT AFFIDAVIT OF AIRSHIP, AND THEY SHOULD CONTACT LEGAL AID OR AN ATTORNEY TO HELP THEM WITH THAT, BECAUSE THAT WAS PASSED TWO SESSIONS AGO, I THINK, OR MAYBE THREE, AND YOU NEED TO AT LEAST MENTION IT, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE VERY CONFUSED ABOUT OWNERSHIP ISSUES. LEANA MANN: WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT'S IN THERE. ALSO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE SNAPSHOT WE ARE RUNNING AT A 4.66 OUT OF FIVE, AND THEN A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE. SO TOMORROW IS THE FILING DEADLINE. THEY HAVE FILED 1000S OF BILLS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. I'M STILL TRYING TO GET THROUGH THEM, BUT WE DO HAVE A FEW IMPORTANT ONES THAT WE'RE TRACKING. HOUSE BILL NINE WAS HEARD AND MOVED FROM THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. THIS BILL DOES A $250,000 BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION, AND SO IT WOULD AFFECT TRAVIS [00:45:05] COUNTY. IT WOULD REMOVE OUR WE'D ONLY HAVE 6000 BPP ACCOUNTS TO ACTUALLY VALUE. WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BILL THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE TAG LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS ON HOW WE WOULD ADMINISTER THE BILL, BUT WE ARE NOT TAKING A STANCE ON THE POLICY OF THE BILL. WE ALSO HAVE HOUSE BILL 1243, FILED BY IAN, AND THIS IS BEING HEARD ON IN WAYS AND MEANS ON MONDAY, AND IT ALLOWS TWO SPOUSES WHO OCCUPY SEPARATE HOUSES TO GET HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS ON BOTH DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I'M SORRY, MAY I ASK A GOOD QUESTION, DOES THE DO THEY HAVE TO BE SEPARATE PROPERTIES? IN OTHER WORDS, EACH SPOUSE HAS A SEPARATE PROPERTY, NOT A COMMUNITY PROPERTY. THAT IS CORRECT. SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HERE. I HAVE A COMMUNITY PROPERTY, AND YOU JUST BUY TWO HOUSES AND GET HOMESTEADS. THEY HAVE TO LIVE PARTY HAS TO HAVE A SEPARATE PROPERTY INTEREST. LEANA MANN: THAT IS CORRECT. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I LIKE THAT TO GET MARRIED. LEANA MANN: THERE ARE A COUPLE PRETTY CONCERNING BILLS THAT WE'RE TRACKING THAT AFFECT LITIGATION, AND ONCE THE FILING DEADLINE IS PASSED, EARLY NEXT WEEK, WE'LL SEND YOU ALL A FULL REPORT OF THE ITEMS WE'RE TRACKING AND THE ONES THAT WE'RE CONCERNED WITH. WE WILL BE DISCUSSING FURTHER HOUSE BILL 4478, IN OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, AND THIS IS JUST ESTABLISHING A METHODOLOGY FOR THE CAP RATE FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE SENATE ALSO PASSED THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. SO IT'S MOVED ON TO THE HOUSE. THEY HAVE PROPOSED TO INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM 100,000 TO $140,000 IT PASSED 30 TO NOTHING IN THE SENATE. AND SO WE'LL SEE WHAT THE HOUSE DOES. I THINK THAT WE WILL SEE SOME KIND OF COMPRESSION ADDED TO THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, MUCH LIKE WE SAW LAST SESSION. AND BUT WHERE THAT ENDS UP LEFT, WAIT AND SEE THAT IS CORRECT, 150 FOR OVER 65 JAMES VALADEZ: MISS CONLEY NICOLE CONLEY: FOLLOW UP QUESTION, I KNOW THAT PART OF PART AND PARCEL OF SOME OF THE DISTINGUISHED DIFFERENCES AMONGST THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE BILLS IS THE WAY THAT THEY YOU KNOW, PROPERTY TAX COMPRESSION VERSUS THE EXEMPTION. DO WE HAVE ANY, I MEAN, FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVE, DO WE? DOES IT MATTER TO US, IN TERMS OF THE METHODOLOGY, WHAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE OF EASE OF IMPLEMENTATION? LEANA MANN: SO A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS DEFINITELY EASIER TO ADMINISTER. ON OUR END, WITH THE COMPRESSION, WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR TEA TO GET THE MCR RATES OUT. SO IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE. IT'S ALSO A VERY COMPLEX CALCULATION THAT MOST TAXPAYERS CAN'T UNDERSTAND. I MEAN, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE MOST OF OUR STAFF CAN'T UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU START TALKING TAX CEILINGS WITH THE COMPRESSION, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. SO HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, I THINK, IS EASIER TO ADMINISTER AND EASIER TO UNDERSTAND. BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T TAKE A STANCE ON THE POLICY OF IT, JUST HOW WE AGREE. NICOLE CONLEY: I DO THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THE THE COMPLEXITY IN THE CALCULATIONS LEADS TO DELAYS AND INACCURACIES AND BUDGET PLANNING, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THE BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW FROM A SORT OF FORMAL ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS BETTER FOR US. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT LEANA MANN: SENATE BILL, 472, IS ONE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT COUNTER CLAIMS FROM IN LITIGATION. SO WE'RE TRACKING THAT ONE CLOSELY, AND AGAIN, I'LL GET TO A FULL LIST ONCE TOMORROW IS CONCLUDED AND WE HAVE ALL THE BILLS, I THINK WE'LL END UP SOMEWHERE AROUND 10,000 BILLS FILED, AND WE'LL PROBABLY BE TRACKING ABOUT 1000 OF THOSE. JAMES VALADEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE. IS THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA, WHICH IS 5G DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION [g. Discussion and Possible Action on Renew of Contract for Taxpayer Liaison Officer] ON RENEWAL OF CONTRACT FOR TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER FOR MARCH 120, 25 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28 2026, LEANA MANN: AND THERE IS A DRAFT CONTRACT ON PAGE 216 OF YOUR PACKET. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I ASSUME YOU CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATION FOR FILLING IN THE BLANK FOR THE COMPENSATION. LEANA MANN: I WOULD RECOMMEND 40,000 I THINK THAT WE CAN COVER THAT IN OUR EXISTING BUDGET. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES, JUST INFLATIONARY SINCE MISS THOMPSON HAS GOTTEN AN [00:50:05] INCREASE, AND I THINK IT IS WARRANTED. CHAIRMAN DID ASK ME FOR OTHER METRO CADS AND WHERE WE'RE SITTING, WHICH I DO NOT HAVE AT THIS TIME. SO WE WANT TO GATHER SOME DATA. I WOULD RECOMMEND AMENDING OR RENEWING THE CONTRACT FOR ONE MONTH HER CURRENT CONTRACT, SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST PAY HER FOR HER WORK IN MARCH AND THEN GET THAT AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR THIS JUST AN EXTENSION OF OUR CURRENT CONTRACT, AND THEN YOU'LL COME BACK NEXT MONTH WITH THIS REVISED CONTRACT FOR US TO CONSIDER, IS THAT CORRECT, LEANA MANN: IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE, JAMES VALADEZ: AND IF I CAN SPEAK TO MY ASK FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WHOLE THE BODY HAD EVERY THE BODY HAD ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEEDED TO FEEL LIKE THEY COULD MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. AND SO IF, IF THE IF THE BOARD IS COMFORTABLE MAKING A DECISION AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF 40 BASED ON INFLATIONARY PRESSURE THAT'S OCCURRED OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME THERE SINCE THE LAST PAY INCREASE. I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT AS WELL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BODY HAD INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I AGREE WITH THAT. I WOULD, YOU KNOW, GO FOR 48,000 YEAR. I MEAN, I GOT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER SHOULD BE, IS MY POINT. AND I THINK WE NEED TO SEE WHAT OTHER ENTITIES ARE DOING, JAMES VALADEZ: MR. HANNA JETT HANNA: AND WHAT, WHAT WAS THE PRIOR AMOUNT? LEANA MANN: SHE'S SHE'S AT 40 RIGHT NOW, AND I BELIEVE SHE'S AT 30. I'M SORRY, SHE'S AT 30 RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK THE PRIOR AMOUNT HAS BEEN REVISITED FOR AT LEAST FIVE NOW. GET SINCE 2020 SO THAT'S 2022 SHE DID HAVE A CONTRACT AS THE ARB COORDINATOR BEFORE THAT, AND THAT WAS AT 45,000 A YEAR. SO JUST FOR CONTEXT, WHEN WE HAD THE TRANSITION WITH THE ARB CHAIRMAN AND WE LOST MANY SIX YEAR MEMBERS, WE BROUGHT MS THOMPSON IN AS A CONTRACT WORKER TO ASSIST THE ARB WITH THE TRANSITION. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: FORGOT THAT PHASE DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE EXTEND MISS THOMPSON'S CONTRACT BY ONE MONTH SO THAT WE CAN TAKE UP THE REVISED CONTRACT AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, JAMES VALADEZ: BEFORE WE FORMALIZE THAT, CAN WE GET A CONFIRMED DATE FOR THE APRIL MEETING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE JUST OUTSIDE OF THAT 30 I KNOW THAT WE'VE ALREADY PRE SELECTED THOSE DATES, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I SURE THAT 30 LEANA MANN: APRIL 10. JAMES VALADEZ: I'M SORRY, TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THAT HOUSEKEEPING IN ORDER. OKAY, SO THAT'S PERFECT MOTION TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT FOR 30 DAYS. IS THERE? OKAY? MOTION BY MS CARTWRIGHT, SECONDED BY BLANCA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5H OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO INCLUDE ADOPTION PROPOSED PERSONNEL POLICY. LEANA MANN: I'D LIKE TO WELCOME KATHERINE HARVEY, OUR DIRECTOR [h. Discussion and Possible Action to Include Adoption of Proposed Personnel Policy] OF ADMINISTRATION, TO COVER THE CHANGES IN THE POLICY. KAT HARVEY: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. TODAY, I'M PRESENTING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE TCAD PERSONNEL POLICY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS REQUIRED BY TCAD POLICY, ALL THESE PROPOSED CHANGES WERE PROVIDED TO EMPLOYEES FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT AT LEAST 15 DAYS PRIOR TO TODAY'S MEETING. THE UPDATED POLICY WAS SHARED ON FEBRUARY 4, AND WE RECEIVED NO COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK FROM EMPLOYEES. THIS PROPOSED UPDATE PRIMARILY FOCUSES ON ALIGNING OUR POLICIES WITH CURRENT PRACTICES ANY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OR OPERATIONAL NEEDS. SO MOST OF THE REVISIONS JUST INVOLVE STRUCTURAL UPDATES TO IMPROVE CLARITY USABILITY. THEY INCLUDE STREAMLINING CONTENT, UPDATING CHARTS, REMOVING OUTDATED REFERENCES LIKE FAX MACHINES TO BETTER REFLECT CURRENT OPERATIONS. SO AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PROPOSED UPDATES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO STAFF, REVIEW ACTIONS OR FEEDBACK WERE RECEIVED. FEEL FREE TO REVIEW. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. CELIA ISRAEL: MR. CHAIRMAN, QUICK QUESTION. I DON'T THINK I HEARD YOU. YOU SAID YOU PROVIDED THESE POLICIES TO THE EMPLOYEES PRIOR TO TODAY'S MEETING FOR THEIR REVIEW AND FEEDBACK. KAT HARVEY: YES. CELIA ISRAEL: OKAY, YES, THANK YOU. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. AFTER THESE ARE ADOPTED, DOES THE DO ALL THE EMPLOYEES HAVE TO SIGN THAT THEY HAVE READ THEM AND THEY'RE AWARE OF ITS CONTENT? KAT HARVEY: YES, THEY GET. SUBMITTED BACK TO THEM FOR THEY [00:55:02] SIGN OFF. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THERE WAS A PROVISION IN HERE THAT I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT, AND WAS BASICALLY THAT THERE CAN BE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE. YES, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO REALIZE AND YES TO BE AWARE OF, YES THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY OUR EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEYS. OKAY, THANK YOU. YOU JAMES VALADEZ: YEAH, MISS CONLEY NICOLE CONLEY: JUST ANTICIPATION OF SOME OF THE 8000 PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE BILLS. DO IS THERE ANY ANY OF YOUR WORK HAVE ANY SORT OF DEI LANGUAGE OR SENTIMENT AROUND HIRING OR PRACTICES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF IF THESE PROPOSED BILLS ARE ACTUALLY EFFECTUATED INTO LAW, KAT HARVEY: I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DEI LANGUAGE IN HERE. I BASICALLY ANYTHING THAT WE CHANGE IS REVIEWED BY OUR EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY AND RECOMMENDED BASED ON ANY PROPOSED LAW CHANGES NICOLE CONLEY: OUR PRACTICES. DO THEY INCLUDE ANY SORT OF DEI IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF HIRING? AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JUST, ARE THERE ANY SORT OF PRACTICAL KIND OF GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE GIVING TEAMS AROUND DEI THAT WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT IF THESE LAWS ARE EFFECTUATED? KAT HARVEY: YEAH, SO MOST OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN OUR PERSONAL MANUAL FOLLOW ALL THE LABOR LAWS, ADA, REQUIREMENTS, BEST PRACTICES, DEI ANYTHING THAT CREATES A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TO THE DISTRICT IT WOULD BE INCLUDED. LEANA MANN: SO WE DO ANNUAL TRAINING FOR ALL MANAGEMENT ON BEST HIRING PRACTICES, BEST INTERVIEW SKILLS. OUR POLICY IS TO HIRE THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON. WE DO MONITOR DI AT DEI ASPECTS. WE TRACK THOSE, BUT OUR POLICY IS TO HIRE THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB, CORRECT. JAMES VALADEZ: MR. LAVINE DICK LAVINE: AND IS THERE ANYTHING IN OUR JOB POSTINGS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? KAT HARVEY: YES, LEANA MANN: YEAH, I THINK EVERY EVERY JOB DESCRIPTION HAS A DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM THAT STATES THAT WE ARE AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. DICK LAVINE: WE HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT. LEANA MANN: WE'RE TRACKING ALL OF THOSE BILLS, AND WE'LL BE IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH OUR HR ATTORNEY WHO KEEPS CLOSE EYE ON OUR POLICY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL CHANGES INCORPORATED. JAMES VALADEZ: MISS CONLEY, NICOLE CONLEY: AT SOME POINT, I'D LIKE TO SORT OF SEE LIKE A CURRENT STATE JUST OF WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN BY MAJOR CATEGORY OF OUR DEMOGRAPHICS. AND THEN I'D LOVE TO SORT OF MONITOR IT OVER TIME, EVEN THOUGH THE STATE, YOU KNOW, MAY PRECLUDE SUCH ACTIONS AND PRACTICE, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR A MONITORING TOOL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CREATING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE IS SUBJECTIVE, RIGHT? AND SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO CREATE A CULTURE WHERE WE SUSTAIN THE CULTURE THAT WE HAVE. BUT CERTAINLY IF WE COULD HAVE A MARKING SO THAT WE CAN MONITOR IT OVER TIME, I THINK I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING SOME OF THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE PROHIBITED, LEANA MANN: I DON'T KNOW. WE'LL CHECK WITH OUR ATTORNEY. I BELIEVE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING PASSED THAT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES CAN'T PROVIDE TRACKING ON IT, BUT I MAY BE COMPLETELY OFF. I'LL DOUBLE CHECK. AND IF WE CAN PROVIDE THAT, WE WILL. NICOLE CONLEY: SO WE DON'T HAVE A DEMOGRAPHIC LIKE OF LIKE OUR STAFF, LIKE PERSONNEL, LEANA MANN: WE DO, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE I NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK THE LAW MAKE SURE WE'RE ALLOWED TO TRACK THAT. BUT YES, WE HAVE ONE. YEAH, THE ONLY THING I REALLY DO IS OUR BI ANNUAL EEOC FOR REPORT, WHICH I DO SUBMIT TO THEM, WHICH KIND OF LINES OUT WHAT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS ARE. JETT HANNA: AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THERE'S, THERE'S NO UNION REPRESENTATION AT ALL. IS HERE, OKAY, JAMES VALADEZ: JOHN, I THINK YOU HAD A QUESTION. JOHN HAVENSTRITE: YEAH. SO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TRACKING SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE WORST WORKFORCE DEMOGRAPHICS. IF WE'RE PRECLUDED FROM TRACKING, CAN WE GET SNAPSHOTS IN TIME AT THE REQUEST OF THE OF THE BOARD? LEANA MANN: IS THAT PRECLUDED? I'M NOT SURE. I NEED TO VERIFY WITH OUR ATTORNEY. BUT IF WE CAN, WE WILL GIVE THAT TO YOU. [01:00:02] JOHN HAVENSTRITE: THANK YOU. NICOLE CONLEY: SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT COULD LINE UP WELL WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO AS YOU PRESENT YOUR PERSONNEL, NATURALLY, YOU PRESENT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERSONNEL. YOU KNOW, I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN SEEING UM, HOPEFULLY WE SUSTAIN A GOOD, ROBUST, HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEAM. AND I KNOW WHAT EFFECT YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVE TEAMS, THEY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT, BUT CERTAIN BY PAY RANGE TOO. I'M INTERESTED IN SORT OF DEMOGRAPHICS BY PAY RANGE. LEANA MANN: WE WILL INCLUDE THAT WITH OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE NEED ACTION ON THIS. TODAY, SHENGHAO WANG: I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE PERSONNEL POLICY. JAMES VALADEZ: JUST BEEN MOVED BY DANIEL, SECONDED BY MR. LAVINE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS FIVE I DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND COMPENSATION FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER. THE BOARD MAY MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE ON ANY MATTER AUTHORIZED BY TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551, POINT 01. FOR THIS ITEM, WE WILL NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION CITING 551, POINT 074. PERSONNEL MATTERS TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT, DUTIES, DISCIPLINE OR DISMISSAL, THE CHIEF APPRAISER OR OTHER PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OR TO HEAR A COMPLAINT OR CHARGE. DO I HAVE A MOTION? IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MISS CARTWRIGHT, SECONDED BY DANIEL. ALL THOSE IN ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. THANK YOU ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES AT 1240 THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS STANDS AT RECESS TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THANK YOU. [02:21:51] THE TIME IS TWO O'CLOCK, AND THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL [02:21:54] DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS RECONVENED AFTER GOING INTO [02:21:57] EXECUTIVE SESSION. DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE DISCUSSED [02:22:01] ITEM FIVE, I RELATED TO THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND [i. Discussion and Possible Action on Performance Review and Compensation for Chief Appraiser] [02:22:03] COMPENSATION OF THE CHIEF APPRAISER. DO I HAVE A MOTION? [02:22:06] NICOLE CONLEY: YES. MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE TO INCREASE THE [02:22:09] BASE PAY OF THE CHIEF APPRAISER OF 245,000 TO BE ADJUSTED TO [02:22:13] INCLUDE THE 6% INCREASE CONSISTENT WITH THE INCREASE [02:22:17] RECEIVED BY ALL EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE BOARD. IN ADDITION TO THE 6% [02:22:21] INCREASE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING 8% MERIT PAY INCREASE FOR A TOTAL [02:22:25] OF 280,476. I'M ALSO AS A PART OF THIS MOTION, WE RECOMMEND [02:22:29] THAT THE CONTRACT COMMITTEE REVIEW THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS [02:22:33] OF THE EXISTING CONTRACT OF THE CHIEF APPRAISER AND MAKE ANY [02:22:37] RECOMMENDATIONS AND BRING THEM TO THE FULL BOARD NEXT MONTH. [02:22:44] JAMES VALADEZ: IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MS. CONLEY, SECONDED BY [02:22:46] BLANCA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT MOTION PASSES .UNANIMOUSLY. NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND LET ME WORK WITH YOU ON FINDING AN APPROPRIATE DAY TO SET UP THAT COMMITTEE MEETING. JAMES VALADEZ: THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA IS 5J ADJOURNMENT. BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY, APRIL 10. AT THIS TIME, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. NICOLE CONLEY: MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE JAMES VALADEZ: MOVED BY JOHN SECONDED BY DICK. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? [6. Adjournment] DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JAMES VALADEZ: AT 2:01 THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS STANDS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.