[00:00:07] 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 11:30 ON TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2025, WE'RE CONDUCTING THIS MEETING AT TCAD HEADQUARTERS, LOCATED AT 850 EAST ANDERSON LANE IN [2. Establishment Of Quorum] AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND A QUORUM IS PRESENT. WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING THIS MEETING THROUGH ONLINE BROADCAST AS A COURTESY. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM THREE CITIZENS COMMUNICATION. [3. Citizens Communication] CITIZENS WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, WHILE CITIZENS MAY SPEAK ON ANY TOPIC THEY CHOOSE, THE BOARD CANNOT ACT OR COMMENT ON ANY SUBJECT NOT LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY? LEANA MANN: WE DO NOT. JAMES VALADEZ: WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. THESE ITEMS MAY BE ACTED UPON BY ONE MOTION, NO SEPARATE [4. Consent Agenda] DISCUSSION OR VOTE ON ANY OF THE ITEMS WILL BE HELD UNLESS REQUESTED BY A BOARD MEMBER. THE CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 13, 2025 REGULAR MEETING SECTION, 2525B REPORT, ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS, BUDGET LINE ITEM TRANSFERS, PERSONNEL REPORT, AND THE TAXPAYER LIAISON REPORT. GIVE THE BOARD A FEW MINUTES TO REVIEW THE ITEMS AND REQUEST ANY ITEMS BE PULLED BEFORE ENTERTAINING A MOTION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. CHAIRMAN, I LIKE TO PULL THE BUDGET LINE ITEM TRANSFER SECTION JUST FOR QUESTIONING WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. SHENGHAO WANG: I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHAT MS CARTWRIGHT REQUESTED TO BE REMOVED. JAMES VALADEZ: MOTION BY MR. WANG, SECONDED BY BLANCA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL TAKE UP THE PULLED ITEM OF 4D FOR THE BUDGET LINE ITEM TRANSFERS. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: IT'S ON PAGE 99 OF OUR MATERIALS. AND I WAS WONDERING WHICH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES HAD THE REDUCTION OF 18,000 WHICH IT APPEARS TO BE MOVED OVER TO DATABASES. AND SO I WONDERED WHAT THE DATABASES ARE LEANA MANN: KAT HARVEY, OUR DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO COME AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. KAT HARVEY: OKAY, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THE TRANSFER THAT IS SHOWN ON PAGE 99 IS $18,000 FROM QUOTE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO DATABASES. AND I WONDERED WHICH PROFESSIONAL SERVICE DID NOT, WE DIDN'T NEED 18,000 AND WHICH DATABASES RECEIVED THE ADDITION. LEANA MANN: WE CAN LOOK AT THAT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JUST A CODING CHANGE, MEANING WE BUDGETED FOR IT IN THE BUDGET UNDER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A CONTRACT AND SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE, NOT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, SINCE IT'S DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, YES, SO WE CAN HOLD THESE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING AND GET YOU MORE SPECIFICS. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF WE HAD BUDGETED FOR LEGAL SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE DIDN'T USE ALL THE MONEY OR THE APPRAISAL SERVICES THAT WE CONTRACTED FOR DIDN'T REQUIRE THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE HAD BUDGETED, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING. KAT HARVEY: I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY, THANK YOU. KAT HARVEY: YOU'RE WELCOME. JAMES VALADEZ: SO WE'LL SEE THOSE APPEAR ON OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING. YES, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA, [5. Regular Agenda] AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE REGULAR AGENDA OUT OF ORDER. WE WILL TAKE UP ITEMS D, H AND I TOGETHER. ITEM D IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CONTRACT COMMITTEE REPORT. I. UM, ITEM H [D. Discussion and Possible Action On Contract Committee Report] [00:05:02] IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RENEWAL OF CONTRACT FOR TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER AND ITEM I IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON AMENDMENTS TO THE CHIEF APPRAISERS EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT. WE WILL HEAR FROM MISS CARTWRIGHT AND MR. HANNAH ON THESE TOPICS, D, H AND I. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T SELECT A CHAIRMAN OF OUR LITTLE COMMITTEE, BUT I WILL JUMP IN REAL QUICKLY TO SAY THAT JETT HANNAH, JOHN HAVING STRIKE AND I ARE MEMBERS OF THE CONTRACT COMMITTEE. WE MET TWICE. WE MET THE FIRST TIME JUST TO TALK GENERALLY ABOUT WHAT WE HAD IN MIND FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE CONTRACTS FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER AND FOR THE TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER, AND THEN WE MET A SECOND TIME WITH THE PERSONNEL ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT, JENNIFER POWELL, TO DISCUSS THE LANGUAGE THAT WE HAD LAID OUT IN OUR PRIOR MEETING. WHAT WE HAVE TODAY ARE AMENDMENTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO THE TO THE BOARD FOR EACH OF THESE CONTRACTS AND JETT, SINCE YOUR H COMES BEFORE I YOU SAY, PLEASE, PLEASE, WE [H. Discussion and Possible Action On Renewal Of Contract For Taxpayer Liaison Officer] HAD DECIDED THAT OUR CONTRACT COMMITTEE MEETING THAT THAT JEFF WOULD TALK ABOUT THE TLO AGREEMENT AND THEN I WOULD TALK ABOUT THE CHIEF APPRAISER AGREEMENT. JETT HANNA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ON THE TLO CONTRACT, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR ATTORNEY, WHICH, OF COURSE, WE WILL KEEP LARGE DETAILS OF THAT CONFIDENTIAL AS IS APPROPRIATE. HOWEVER, I WOULD SAY THAT THE OVERALL THRUST OF WHAT WE WERE, WHAT OUR CHANGES MADE WERE, WERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE STRUCTURING THIS CONTRACT SO THAT IT WOULD TRULY BE BE HELD TO BE AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT. THERE WERE ALSO SOME CHANGES. LET'S SEE. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS ONE EDITOR, NO, OKAY, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE OTHER ONE THAT THAT IS THE MAIN THRUST OF WHAT WE DID WITH THE TLO CONTRACT. SOMETIMES INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR VERSUS EMPLOYEE IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSING COURT CASES OUT THERE FROM CONCERNING OTHER DISTRICTS AND WHETHER PEOPLE WERE EMPLOYEES OR NOT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR WHAT THEIR CONTRACT MIGHT SAY. SO THAT'S THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE'VE CHANGED HERE. OF COURSE, WE DID REFLECT THE THAT THE CONTRACT, THAT WE ACTUALLY TOOK IT UP AT THE AT AN EARLIER MEETING, AND THAT THE CONTRACT TERM WOULD BEGIN MARCH 1 AND RUN THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO BACK DATE THE CONTRACT TO JANUARY ONE, AS WE FELT THAT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY TO DO THAT. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S MARCH RUN RATHER THAN JANUARY ONE. IT ANYTHING ELSE THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS RECALL THERE THAT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT THE ANOTHER COMMITTEE HAD MADE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THE COMPENSATION AMOUNT THAT THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T GET INTO, AND SO WHATEVER WE APPROVED TODAY PROBABLY NEEDS THAT BLANK TO BE FILLED IN THAT IS ON THE DRAFT THAT'S PROVIDED TO THE TO THE GROUP, LEANA MANN: SO ONCE THE TLO COMMITTEE REPORT IS PRESENTED, THEN THE BOARD COULD MAKE A FULL VOTE ON THE COMPENSATION AND CONTRACT AMENDMENTS COMBINED. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY, THANK YOU. JETT HANNA: THE THE DRAFT ACTUALLY HAS AN AMOUNT. IN IT, [00:10:01] THOUGH THAT I THINK REFLECTS THAT THE PRIOR PROPOSAL SO BUT CERTAINLY WE CAN STILL CHANGE THAT. IF THERE WAS SOME REASON, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MR. CHAIRMAN, DID YOU WANT TO TAKE A VOTE ON OUR RECOMMENDED AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT. OR DO YOU WANT TO WAIT TILL I FINISH WITH THE CHIEF APPRAISERS? JAMES VALADEZ: I THINK WE COULD DO H RIGHT NOW. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY, LEANA MANN: SO JAMES, WE'LL NEED THE TLO COMMITTEE REPORT FIRST TO SPECIFY THE COMPENSATION AND THEN A MOTION ON THE CONTRACT. JAMES VALADEZ: OKAY, SO SHOULD WE NOW TAKE UP C, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: JUST SO THAT WE CAN COMPLETE THIS CONTRACT LEANA MANN: YES, COMMITTEE DISCUSSION, I'LL DO THE SUBSECTION I YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, FIRST AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE [I. Discussion and Possible Action On Amendments To Chief Appraiser Employment Contract] CHIEF APPRAISER. THERE ARE FIVE THINGS TO POINT OUT. THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT HAD A TERM THAT ENDS ON DECEMBER 31 2026 AND WE LEFT IT LIKE THAT WE WANTED BUT MAINLY BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO ADJUST THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT WITH OUR BUDGET, SO THAT WE TAKE UP A BUDGET AND MAKE A DECISION ABOUT COMPENSATION FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR THAT ALIGNS WITH THE CONTRACT. AND WE WERE HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH IT, SO WE LEFT THE DECEMBER 31 2026, DATE, AND DID NOT EXTENDED SO THAT WE CAN CREATE AN ALIGNMENT DURING OUR BUDGET PREPARATION THAT HAS TO BE DONE BY SEPTEMBER. THE NEXT ITEM HAS TO DO WITH THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS THIS AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT. IT'S EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2025 BECAUSE WE MADE A VOTE AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING MARCH TO INCREASE THE COMPENSATION FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER TO $257,900 ANNUALLY. AND SO THIS PROVISION PRO RATES IT STARTING AS OF APRIL THE FIRST 2025 RATHER THAN BACKDATING IT TO JANUARY, AS JET HAD POINTED OUT WITH THE T, L, O AGREEMENT, WE ALSO INCLUDED IN 3.1 THE PROVISION OF THE 8% MERIT PAY PAY RAISE THAT WOULD BE IN A ONE TIME LUMP SUM PAYMENT ON THE IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR. THE NEXT THING THAT WE DID AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF OUR ATTORNEY AS ON THE NEXT PAGE, AND THE ATTORNEY MADE SURE THAT SHE CLEANED UP LANGUAGE HAVING TO DO WITH GOOD CAUSE AND TERMINATION AND HOW WE GO ABOUT IT. SHOULD WE DECIDE THAT WE WANTED TO CHANGE THE CHIEF APPRAISER, OR WE DECIDED THAT OR THE CHIEF APPRAISER WANTED TO RESIGN, EXACTLY HOW THE CONTRACT WOULD TERMINATE, AND THESE PROVISIONS IN SECTION FOUR DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE, AND THE AMOUNT OF SEVERANCE WAS ALSO CLEANED UP SO THAT THE WOULDN'T BE THE OTHER VERSION IMPLIED A DOUBLE DIPPING, THAT YOU COULD GET A SEVERANCE AMOUNT, AND THE SAME AMOUNT IS A SEVERANCE BENEFIT. AND THIS IS CHANGED SO THAT THERE IS A SEVERANCE AMOUNT UPON THE TERMINATION OF THE CHIEF APPRAISERS CONTRACT, AND THEN THE SEVERANCE BENEFITS ARE LIMITED TO CONTINUED HEALTH CARE INSURANCE AND AT THE DISTRICT'S EXPENSE THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE CONTRACT. SO THAT WAS CHANGED SOMEWHAT THE IF THE AGREEMENT IS TERMINATED BECAUSE OF THE PERMANENT DISABILITY OF THE CHIEF APPRAISER, THE CHIEF APPRAISER GETS THE BENEFITS THAT ARE PROVIDED IN 4.3 WHICH IS WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED, AND IN SUBSECTION 5.1 THERE IS NEW LANGUAGE ABOUT THE INTENT OF THE BOARD IS TO EVALUATE OR DO A PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF THE CHIEF APPRAISER NO LATER THAN JUNE 1 OF EACH YEAR. AND THE PURPOSE OF THE JUNE DATE, AGAIN, IS FOR THE ALIGNMENT OF THE BUDGET. AS YOU KNOW, WE START BUDGET WORKSHOPS FAIRLY SOON, AND THEN WE START PUTTING IN AMOUNTS OF COMPENSATION FOR THAT TO BE ANTICIPATED. SO WE FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE REVIEW TAKE PLACE. IT WILL BE A LITTLE TRICKY THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE JUST DID A REVIEW FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER, BUT I THINK THAT WE WILL PROBABLY FOLLOW THIS AGREEMENT AND LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE AGAIN SO THAT WE'RE COMPLYING WITH THESE PROVISIONS ON 5.2 OF THE AGREEMENT. THEN AFTER CONDUCTING THE REVIEW, THE BOARD SHALL RECOMMEND THE AMOUNT OF SEVEN. FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR AND MAY RECOMMEND A [00:15:04] MERIT INCREASE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR. AGAIN, THIS SECTION WAS ADDED SPECIFICALLY TO ALIGN THE CONTRACT AND THE REVIEW WITH THE BUDGET, AND THAT'S THE SOLE PURPOSE OF IT IS TO TRY TO CREATE IT ALIGNMENT, WHICH I KNOW DICK USED TO EXIST, AND THEN IT KIND OF GOT OFF KILTER FOR VARIOUS REASONS, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO READJUST AND GET IT BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS WHEN YOU WERE, WHEN YOU WERE CHAIRMAN. THE NEXT PROVISIONS IN AND SECTION SEVEN, THE PERSONNEL ATTORNEY RECOMMENDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE METHODS OF BRINGING A COMPLAINT OR A LEGAL ACTION AS A RESULT OF A TERMINATION OR SOME OTHER MATTER THAT THE CHIEF APPRAISER IS CONCERNED ABOUT OR WE AS THE BOARD WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT ARE INCLUDED, AND THOSE ARE THE CHANGES THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. THIS IS A CONTENT IT'S NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE CONTRACT. IT'S AN CONTINUATION OF THE EXISTING CONTRACT, WITH AN AMENDMENT TO DEAL WITH THE SALARY INCREASE THAT WE APPROVED IN MARCH AND TO PUT IN OTHER PROVISIONS AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF OUR ATTORNEY. JAMES VALADEZ: DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED? OKAY? DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND IF YOU WISH, I'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THIS AGREEMENT. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER HAS BEEN PRESENTED. JAMES VALADEZ: IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MISS CARTWRIGHT, SECONDED BY MR. LAVINE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING? NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP 5C WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON TAXPAYER LIAISON COMMITTEE REPORT. THIS [C. Discussion and Possible Action On Taxpayer Liaison Committee Report] COMMITTEE WAS MADE UP OF MYSELF AND JOHN AND MR. WANG, THE TLO COMMITTEE CONVENED TO REVIEW AND ASSESS THE CURRENT PAY STRUCTURE OF THE TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER MISS THOMPSON, OUR GOAL WAS TO ENSURE THAT HER COMPENSATION REFLECTS BOTH THE SCOPE OF HER RESPONSIBILITIES AND IS ALIGNED WITH COMPARABLE POSITIONS IN APPRAISAL DISTRICTS OF SIMILAR SIZE. TO THAT END, WE EXAMINED THE TERMS OF MS. THOMPSON'S CURRENT CONTRACT, ALONGSIDE DATA FROM PEER CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICTS, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON BEAR CAD, WHICH COMPENSATES ITS TLO AT A RATE OF $200 PER DAY, RECOGNIZING THE COST OF LIVING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEAR AND TRAVIS COUNTIES, WE ADJUSTED THIS RATE BY 10% RESULTING IN A DAILY RATE OF $220 WE ESTIMATED A REASONABLE WORKLOAD FOR MISS THOMPSON AS 1500 HOURS PER YEAR. DIVIDING THIS BY A STANDARD EIGHT HOUR WORK DAY GAVE US 187.5 FULL DAYS WORKED ANNUALLY. APPLYING THE RATE OF $220 DAILY, WE ARRIVED AT ANNUAL COMPENSATION OF $41,250 THIS IS AN INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 30,000 PER YEAR, OR 2500 MONTHLY, AND WE BELIEVE IT BETTER REFLECTS BOTH THE MARKET STANDARDS HERE IN TRAVIS AND THE VALUE MISS THOMPSON PROVIDES TO THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE. THE OTHER ATTRIBUTE THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDED IN THE SUMMARY WAS THAT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR WE WOULD GO OUT FOR SOLICITATION FOR THE ROLE, MORE BROADLY, CELIA ISRAEL: MR CHAIR. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO CLARIFY, BECAUSE THIS IS A UNIQUE POSITION FOR THOSE WATCHING TO KNOW THE SERVICE THAT'S PROVIDED THAT'S UNIQUE TO THIS DISTRICT. YEAH, COULD YOU SUMMARIZE? COULD YOU SUMMARIZE THAT? OR SOMEONE SUMMARIZE THAT? ANY WHAT IS THE JOB? WHAT IS THE VALUE THAT THE TAXPAYERS GET? DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I WILL ADDRESS IT FIRST, AND THEN CHIEF APPRAISER PROBABLY WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT THE TAX RELAY IS AN OFFICER IS A UNIQUE POSITION THAT'S CREATED BY STATUTE FOR AND REQUIRED FOR JUST COUNTIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 120,000 OR MORE. AND THE SPECIFICALLY THE TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER IS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ANSWERS TO THE BOARD AND REPRESENTS THE BOARD, AND, IN A SENSE, TO THE PUBLIC, AND ANSWERS QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT TAXPAYERS RAISE THAT ARE NOT WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE ARB. SO IF IT'S A PRO. THIS MATTER, THE TLO IS NOT [00:20:01] RESPONSIBLE FOR RESOLVING OR DEALING WITH THAT. THE TLO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING COMPLAINTS EITHER ABOUT THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD OR ABOUT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND REPORTING THOSE THINGS TO THE BOARD SO THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE DISTRICT AND AND THE BOARD OF THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD. THE TLO ALSO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSISTING US IN MAKING APPOINTMENTS TO THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD. SHE OR HE TAKES APPLICATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SERVE ON THE ARB. CHECKS THE LAW TO SEE WHETHER THEY HAVE DELINQUENT TAXES, ARE THE OTHER THINGS THAT BROUGHT THAT MAKE SURE THERE ARE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY, AND THEN PRESENTS TO THE BOARD AND TO OUR APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD COMMITTEE. IN FACT, THE APPLICATIONS THAT MEET THE CRITERIA OF LAW SO THAT WE CAN DECIDE WHO TO APPOINT TO THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD. SO THAT IS A REAL BIG STAFF FUNCTION. I THINK WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT TRAVIS COUNTY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE POINTING OUT IS THAT WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS EXPRESSING PUBLIC OPINION AND CONCERNS. AND THE TLO HAS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESOLVING THOSE, THOSE MATTERS THAT THAT STATUTORILY SHE CAN RESOLVE AND FOR REPORTING THEM TO US. SO THE HER REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES ARE REALLY QUITE LARGE, SO THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SMALLER DISTRICTS. THEY THE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TECH TAX RELIES ON OFFICER IS USUALLY RESTRICTED JUST TO ARB HEARING PERIOD. DURING THE SUMMER, THEY ARE THEY USUALLY COME TO THE OFFICE AND THEY TAKE THEY MEET WITH TAXPAYERS WHO ARE ANGRY, ARE WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS TALKING TO THE STAFF, AND THEY TRIED TO RESOLVE THOSE KINDS OF CONFLICTS ON SITE. BUT THE REST OF THE YEAR, THEY DON'T SHOW UP, EXCEPT MAYBE ONCE A MONTH TO ANSWER EMAILS ON THAT SORT OF THING, BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF WORK THAT WE HAVE IN TRAVIS COUNTY. BECAUSE, AS I SAID, WE'RE A VERY ACTIVE COMMUNITY, THE TRAP THE TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE, AND THE CHIEF APPRAISER MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD TO THAT LEANA MANN: YOU COVERED A LOT OF IT. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THEY ALSO HAVE A VERY BIG EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT. YES, THEY ASSIST WITH OUTREACH AND THEY GET COMPLAINTS. SO IT HELPS DEVELOP WHAT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WE CAN DO WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ON TOPICS THAT SHE GETS COMPLAINTS ON. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: I THINK MS. ISRAEL NEEDS TO ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A DEPUTY PERSON THAT HELPS HER. AND SO THIS JUST OCCURRED. SHE WAS HIRED MAYBE SIX MONTHS AGO OR A YEAR AGO. LEANA MANN: IT WAS THIS TIME LAST YEAR, RIGHT BEFORE PROTEST SEASON. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: IT HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE AND HOW WE'RE SERVING THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITY THAT SPANISH SPEAKING, YES, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR REPORT INCLUDED DEPUTY, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I BELIEVE THE DEPUTY IS TREATED AS A PART TIME EMPLOYEE OF THE DISTRICT. OKAY? AND THE DEPUTY IS BILINGUAL, WHICH HAS MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN OUR CUSTOMER RELATIONS. ABSOLUTELY. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE? OKAY? NO ACTION IS NEEDED ON THIS ITEM. SO WE WILL NOW GO BACK TO ITEM 5H WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER, MR. HANNAH, YES, JETT HANNA: I WOULD MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT THAT WE'VE DISTRIBUTED TO YOU HERE TODAY. SHENGHAO WANG: I WILL SECOND THAT JAMES VALADEZ: IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. HANNA, SECONDED BY MR. WANG. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I BELIEVE WE CAN NOW GET BACK TO THE TOP OF OUR [A. Discussion and Possible Action On Appraisal Review Board Chairman Report] REGULAR AGENDA AT FIVE, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD CHAIRMAN REPORT, MR. MCBEE, THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH US. BARRY MCBEE: GOOD THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU MIGHT SORT OF RATHER LENGTHY WRITTEN REPORT. I'M JUST GOING TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT AND THEN RAISE ONE NEW ISSUE. I PREPARED THE REPORT LAST WEEK, SO SOME OF THE REFERENCES IN IT ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY OUTDATED. THE SCHEDULING DIRECTIVE IS REFERENCED WAS DELIVERED TO MISS MAN ON MAY 7 THAT FOLLOWED THE DISTRIBUTION WIDELY TO ALL AGENTS IN THE COUNTY OF THE OPEN LETTER TO TAX CONSULTANTS ABOUT [00:25:03] HOW WE'LL HANDLE THE SEASON THAT WAS DONE ON MAY 6. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, THE PROCESSES, PROCEDURES ARE LARGELY THE SAME, OR WE INTEND LARGELY TO BE THE SAME IN 2025 AS THEY WERE IN 2024 SEASON WORKED WELL, SO WE REALLY HAVE MADE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. WITH ONE EXCEPTION, WE ARE PROPOSING THE USE OF A NEW AGREEMENT TO FOCUS HEARING SOMETHING THAT IS APPARENTLY USED BY A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS ARBS AROUND THE STATE, WHICH WE HOPE WILL STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR HEARINGS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS THAT REALLY WON'T CHANGE THINGS WITH AGENTS, ALTHOUGH IT WILL APPLY TO THEM AS WELL, BUT ALLOWS US TO SIMPLY ADVISE IN ADVANCE A PROPERTY OWNER, ABOUT SOME OF THE SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF A HEARING, THEY CAN AGREE TO THAT IN WRITING, EXCEPT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED AND ALLOW US TO MOVE VERY QUICKLY TO SWEAR THEM IN AND TAKE TESTIMONY. WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THESE HEARINGS, USUALLY 15 MINUTES OR SO, AND SO EVERY MINUTE WE CAN SQUEEZE OUT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES FOR SUBSTANTIVE TESTIMONY WILL BE IMPORTANT. OTHER ARBS INDICATE THAT THIS WORKS. WELL, WE WILL SEE HOW IT WORKS IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION THIS YEAR, WORKING WITH DISTRICT STAFF ON HOW WE WILL INCORPORATE IT INTO THE PROCESS CURRENTLY AND INTO OUR SCRIPTS FOR OUR HEARINGS. YOU WILL NOTE REVISIONS TO THE ARB BYLAWS WERE ADOPTED ON APRIL 29 THE BYLAWS HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, SOMETIMES CALLED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, SORT OF THE GOVERNING DOCUMENT FOR THE ARB. THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PROVISION IN THE BYLAWS THAT REQUIRES FORMER ARB MEMBERS, FORMER TCAD EMPLOYEES, AND ACTUALLY FORMER MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, TO BRING THEIR PROTEST BEFORE FIVE MEMBER PANELS OF THE ARB. THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE INFORMAL PROCESS. THEY MUST SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO THAT FIVE MEMBER PANEL. IT HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD WHAT I CALL A FIVE YEAR LOOK BACK, THAT AFTER FIVE YEARS, AFTER YOU SERVED, YOU WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THOSE REQUIREMENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH DISCUSSIONS WITH MISS MAN. WE'VE LIMITED THAT NOW TO TWO YEARS IN THE BYLAWS, AND THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE THIS SEASON. SO IF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE ARB FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU STILL HAVE TO COME TO THAT FIVE MEMBER PANEL, BUT WE'VE RELEASED YEARS THREE, FOUR AND FIVE IN TERMS OF THEIR PAST SERVICE THAT HAS BEEN MET WITH GREAT ACCEPTANCE BY THOSE MEMBERS WHO NO LONGER HAVE TO COME AND DO THAT. WE ARE IN THE LAST STAGES OF REVISING OUR FORMAL HEARING PROCEDURES. THOSE INCORPORATE THE MODEL HEARING PROCEDURES FROM THE STATE COMPTROLLER, AND THEN KIND OF PUT THE LOCAL GLOSS ON THOSE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH MS. MANN AND PARTICULARLY WITH HER STAFF, IN TERMS OF GETTING THOSE FINALIZED, I AM REQUIRED TO DELIVER THOSE TO YOU BY TOMORROW. WE'LL TRY TO DO THAT TODAY, IF POSSIBLE, BUT CERTAINLY WE HAVE THAT ACCOMPLISHED BY TOMORROW. JUST OUTLINE SOME OF THE UNIQUE ASPECTS OF THE LOCAL PROCESS HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY. WE'RE ALSO, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, REVISING THE NOTICE OF HEARING. ACTUALLY, THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR VERSIONS OF THAT USED IN PREVIOUS SEASONS. AGAIN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH TCAD, THINK WE'RE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT TO A SINGLE NOTICE OF THE HEARING THAT WILL KIND OF RELIEVE SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BACK OFFICE PROCESSES AND SIMPLIFY THAT AND ALSO WORKING ON NOT SO MUCH THE WELL, SOME OF THE LANGUAGE OF OUR FINAL ORDERS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH MR. BANKS, HE HAD IDENTIFIED FOR US THAT IN SOME LITIGATION RECENTLY, LITIGANTS HAVE BEEN RAISING THE QUESTION THAT NOT ALL OF THE GROUNDS OF PROTEST HAVE BEEN FORMALLY RESOLVED IN A HEARING, SO WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO OUR SCRIPTS FOR THE HEARING, SORT OF A CATCH ALL MOTION AT THE END OF EVERY HEARING THAT EVERY GROUND OF PROTEST THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED AND SPECIFICALLY RESOLVED WILL BE DENIED. AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN FACED IN LITIGATION WILL MODIFY THE ACTUAL WRITTEN ORDERS AS WELL TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. AS FOR BUDGETARY MATTERS, I HAVE SUBMITTED THROUGH MS MANN A PROPOSAL FOR AN INCREASE IN THE ARB PER DIEM THAN THE 2026 BUDGET. LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THAT ON MAY 29 IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT TODAY, IF YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT TO THIS POINT, YOU WILL SEE IN OUR WRITTEN REPORT DETAILS OF THE HEARING OF THE TRAININGS THAT WE'VE BEEN UNDERTAKING AT THE END OF APRIL, EVEN TODAY, FIRST FEW DAYS OF MAY. WE'VE GOT ONE MORE WEEK OF THAT. WE'LL WRAP UP TRAINING AFTER THE END OF NEXT WEEK, BEGIN TO PREPARE FOR THE START OF THE SEASON ON JUNE 2. THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, I THINK I WILL ALSO ADDRESS, IN LIEU OF MISS THOMPSON, IN TERMS OF SOME SOME RECENT RESIGNATIONS OR WITHDRAWALS FROM THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD, I WOULD I WANT TO RAISE ONE ADDITIONAL ISSUE, AND THIS WILL BE WITH SOME APOLOGIES TO MISS MA'AM, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS. AND I FEEL SOMEWHAT CHAGRINED I COULD HAVE PROBABLY IDENTIFIED THIS EARLIER, BUT WITH BEING A FIRST YEAR CHAIRMAN AND MY TEAM KIND OF GETTING OUR FEET ON THE GROUND, WE REALLY DIDN'T BEGIN TO IDENTIFY THIS UNTIL RECENTLY. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE BOARD'S APPROVAL LAST SEASON TO EXPAND THE SIZE OF THE ARB TO OUR CURRENT 97 MEMBERS ASSUMING ACTION ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. SO. UM, BUT THAT GROWTH, COUPLED WITH A SORT OF LIMITATION ON THE [00:30:04] NUMBER OF PANELS AND MEMBERS THAT WE CAN USE ON ANY GIVEN DAY DOES PRESENT SOME CHALLENGES TO US, AND WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THOSE. FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE REALLY BEGIN TO SIT DOWN AND SCHEDULE THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF THE SEASON, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PLACE ALL 37 NEW MEMBERS INTO PANELS SO THAT THEY CAN BEGIN NOT JUST OBSERVING WHAT GOES ON, BUT ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN THE HEARING PROCESS. BUT WE ARE BUDGETED ONLY FOR 23 THREE MEMBER PANELS AND TWO SINGLE MEMBER PANELS, SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE SPACE FOR 69 OF OUR 97 MEMBERS. AND SO IT'S ACTUALLY 94 WHEN YOU EXCLUDE THE THREE OFFICERS, YOU DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE HEARINGS. AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SORT OF SQUEEZE 37 PEOPLE, NEW MEMBERS, INTO AVAILABLE SLOTS. IT'S COMPLICATED A LITTLE BIT MORE BY THE FACT THAT WE REALLY ONLY WANT THOSE NEW MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN RESIDENTIAL HEARINGS, A LITTLE SIMPLER PROCESS BEFORE WE MIGHT CONSIDER MOVING SOME OF THEM OVER TO COMMERCIAL HEARINGS, SO YOU SORT OF JUST BEGIN TO DO THE MATH. I'VE GOT 37 NEW MEMBERS TO PLUG INTO, AND AGAIN, I HAVE TO HAVE A CHAIRMAN WHO IS A SEASONED MEMBER. SO IT'S REALLY ONLY WORKS OUT TO DO WELL. WE'RE SUCH A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE. I'M A LAWYER. MATH IS ON THE SPOT, PARTICULARLY IT'S HARD FOR ME TO DO SO IT'S CHALLENGING FOR US TO SORT OF FIND PLACES FOR ALL THOSE NEW MEMBERS. AND THEN I'VE GOT, WE HAVE 57 RETURNING MEMBERS. AND SO WHAT WE FACE IS THE POTENTIAL OF NOT BEING ABLE TO USE EVERY NEW MEMBER EARLY IN THE SEASON TO GIVE THEM THAT EXPERIENCE, AND THEN HAVING TO SET ON THE SHELF, IF YOU WILL, SOME OF THOSE 57 RETURNING MEMBERS WHO MAY BE SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY'RE NOT REALLY BENEFITING FROM THE FIVE DAY WORK WEEK IN THE FIVE DAYS OF PER DIEM. AND SO THE CAP ON THE NUMBER OF PANELS THAT THE BUDGET IS SET AS WE GO FORWARD OPERATIONALLY. I MEAN, IT JUST AGAIN. IT JUST POSES SOME CHALLENGES FOR US. NOW, THAT MAY ALL BE SORT OF THEORETICAL OR HYPOTHETICAL, UNTIL WE REALLY GET INTO THE SEASON, BECAUSE ON IN ANY GIVEN WEEK, ANY GIVEN DAY, SOME MEMBERS HAVE BEEN EXCUSED. SOME MEMBERS FIND IT. SOME CHALLENGES COME UP. THEY CAN'T MAKE IT TO WORK THAT DAY. SO THIS MAY NOT BE QUITE THE CHALLENGE THAT IT SEEMS TO BE ON PAPER, BUT AT LEAST INITIALLY ON PAPER, WE'RE TRYING TO SORT OF DO SOME JUGGLING TO SEE IF WE COULD, IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT AND USE MORE OF OUR MEMBERS, IF THERE WAS SOME FLEXIBILITY ON THE NUMBER OF PANELS THAT WE COULD HAVE IN ANY GIVEN DAY, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO SORT OF PUT MORE PEOPLE ON THE FIELD, OF MORE PLAYERS ON THE FIELD, TAKE THEM OFF THE BENCH. JAMES VALADEZ: I THINK THAT, REAL QUICKLY, I THINK MS. CARTWRIGHT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: YEAH, WE THE BOARD WERE KIND OF UNAWARE OF THAT, WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED. AND I ASSUME THAT THE PROBLEM IS SPACE. BARRY MCBEE: IT IS ACTUALLY NOT SPACE. WE PROBABLY HAVE SPACE FOR A FEW MORE PANELS, OKAY, AND DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: SO I THINK THAT THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO TO ADD SOME THINGS THERE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT THAT SOMEONE HAS TO HAVE EXPERIENCE ON THE ARB IN ORDER TO HEAR CERTAIN PROTEST. I THINK THAT THAT IS SET THE DISCRETION OF THE OF THE OF YOUR DISCRETION WELL THEN AND SO. BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT WE THE BOARD, SUPPORT WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO UTILIZE AS MANY ARB MEMBERS AS POSSIBLE, TO HEAR AS MANY PROTESTS AS POSSIBLE, AND SHORT OF A SPACE LIMITATION, WE'RE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK. BARRY MCBEE: WELL, THANK YOU, AND I, THIS IS WHERE I APOLOGIZE TO MS. MANN, BECAUSE SOME OF THIS OBVIOUSLY WE'D BE DEPENDENT UPON THE APPRAISERS BEING AVAILABLE FROM TCAD, AND SO I APOLOGIZE, EARLY ON, WE'VE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS. IF WE ACTUALLY COULD WORK THIS OUT IN TERMS OF WITHOUT A PROBLEM, THE CAPACITY OF TCAD TO SORT OF DO THIS AS WELL. LEANA MANN: THE CONSTRAINT IS ACTUALLY IN THE BUDGET. SO THE BOARD APPROVED A BUDGET THAT'S HAD 74 FULL TIME EQUIVALENT WORKERS FOR THE ARB. SO IF THE BOARD CHOSE, THEY COULD DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER FROM 74 TO 100 WHATEVER THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE NEW MEMBERS. BARRY MCBEE: IT WAS ALWAYS PRESENTED TO ME AS A BUDGETARY CONSTRAINT THAT THE BOARD, IN FACT, HAPPENED IN PLACE. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: PERHAPS AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, YOU COULD GIVE A COUPLE OF OPTIONS THAT WE COULD CONSIDER SURE I CAN DO THAT. LEANA MANN: IT'S NOT A POSTED ITEM RIGHT NOW, SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE. JETT HANNA: COULD I RAISE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? IS THAT FOR 74 WORKERS FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME? SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD FRONT LOAD IT A LITTLE BIT AND HAVE LARGE MORE PANELS AT THE BEGINNING, FEWER TOWARDS THE END OF THE PERIOD. BARRY MCBEE: AND THAT WOULD THAT WOULD CLEARLY BE, I THINK, THE INTENT THAT ACTUALLY WOULD PROBABLY PERHAPS ALSO HELP US TOWARD CERTIFICATION BY JULY 18. IT IS, AGAIN, AS I APPROACH THE JOB AND TRY TO DIVE INTO THE BUDGET. THE BUDGET OBVIOUSLY HAS [00:35:04] LOTS OF ASSUMPTIONS BUILT INTO IT, SOME OF WHICH ARE IN OUR CONTROL, MANY OF WHICH ARE NOT, SOME OF WHICH ARE IN MS. MANN'S CONTROL, SOME OF WHICH ARE NOT. SO THERE'S A BUDGETED AMOUNT. AND FOR EXAMPLE, DID THE MATH EARLY THIS MORNING, WE COULD ADD FIVE MORE PANELS. COST OF THAT WOULD BE BEFORE CERTIFICATION, ABOUT $100,000 THAT WOULD FIT WITHIN AT LEAST CERTAINLY, THE BUDGET EXPENDITURES LAST YEAR IN THE SEASON. AGAIN, THAT DEPENDS ON THE AVAILABILITY OF APPRAISERS AND SOME OTHER FACTORS I HAVE TO WORK OUT WITH MS. MANN. JAMES VALADEZ: QUESTION FROM MS. CARTWRIGHT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I WOULD HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE TRAINING THAT YOU MENTIONED. I BELIEVE THAT I OBSERVED THAT YOU'RE PLANNING A MOCK HEARING TRAINING EXERCISE. AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THAT THAT IS ALWAYS A TREMENDOUS EXERCISE FOR NEW ARB MEMBERS. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? BARRY MCBEE: WELL, THOSE ARE UNDERWAY, ACTUALLY, TODAY, YESTERDAY AND TODAY. SO OVER FOUR DIFFERENT SESSIONS WILL BRING IN LIMITED NUMBER, ABOUT A DOZEN, AGAIN, 37 MEMBERS DO THE MATH OVER FOUR SESSIONS. THEY SIT AND PARTICIPATE ACTUALLY. THEY CAN BE ACTUALLY THE PROPERTY OWNER TESTIFYING. THEY CAN BE THE APPRAISER TESTIFYING. THEY CAN BE A PANEL MEMBER PARTICIPATING IN THE DELIBERATIONS. AND YES, IT HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY VALUABLE. WE RUN THROUGH FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT MOCK HEARINGS, MOCK SCENARIOS THAT THEY WILL SEE OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEASON. THINK WE BEGIN DOING THAT. I THINK MAYBE LAST YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THAT WAS IT WAS BENEFICIAL, I THINK, TO NEW MEMBERS. I THINK IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL THIS YEAR AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE IT. I MEAN, WE GOT INTO THAT LAST, LAST AGENDA ITEM THAT UNDERSTANDING WE COULDN'T TAKE ACTION ON, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO SORT OF JUST JUST FLAG THAT TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT, PERHAPS, TALK ABOUT, PERHAPS AT THE NEXT MEETING OR SOME OTHER TIME. YEAH, SHENGHAO WANG: QUESTION, IF I MAY. SO JUST MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING TODAY OF WHETHER THE BUDGET SAYS, YOU KNOW, X NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER DAY AND NO FRONT LOADING, OR IS IT JUST A KIND OF LUMP SUM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU AVERAGE IT OUT, IT BECOMES, YOU KNOW, 23 PANELS A DAY. LEANA MANN: THE BOARD PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT SAID, NO MORE THAN 74 MEMBERS ARE PAID EACH DAY. SO WE WOULD NEED TO AMEND THAT IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP, PAID PER DAY. SHENGHAO WANG: THANK YOU. DICK LAVINE: BE CLEAR, THEN THE THE ADDITIONAL COST IS THE PERSONNEL COST FOR ARB MEMBERS, NOT THE APPRAISERS WHO WOULD HAVE TO BE THERE OR FACILITIES, RIGHT? LEANA MANN: AND THEY BUDGET FOR THE ARB ACTUALLY WOULDN'T NEED TO BE ADJUSTED. SO THERE'S NOT AN AMENDMENT OF THE BUDGET, PER SE, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME ROOM IN CASE THE ARB SEASON GOES LONGER THAN EXPECTED. IT WOULD JUST BE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WE COULD PAY. BARRY MCBEE: YEAH, IT SIMPLY WORKS OUT TO THE PANEL COST OF A PER DIEM FOR THREE, THREE TO THREE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS. AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I DID THE MATH, FIVE PANELS THREE, JUST TO DO THE MATH. IT'S ABOUT $100,000 BETWEEN JUNE 2 AND JULY 18, MAY. DICK LAVINE: I GUESS I'LL SEE IT WHEN WE GET TO DISCUSS IT, WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, JUST THE SPECIFICATION IN THE BUDGET AS TO THE NUMBER OF ARB MEMBERS PAID PER WEEK OR PER DAY. LEANA MANN: IT WAS PASSED BY RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO MODIFY THAT, DICK LAVINE: OKAY, BARRY MCBEE: BY REPORT. IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, ANY JAMES VALADEZ: OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. MCBEE? BLANCA, BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: YOUR NEW ARB MEMBERS? DO YOU PLACE ONE NEW MEMBER WITH A PANEL AT THE BEGINNING. BARRY MCBEE: WE WILL ATTEMPT TO PLACE TWO IN EACH PANEL, TWO NEW MEMBERS WITH A VERY EXPERIENCED MEMBER. REMEMBER PANELS, BUT WE DO NEED AN EXPERIENCED CHAIR IN EACH CASE. SO WE'RE GONNA RUN IN TERMS OF RESIDENTIAL PANELS. THINK IT'S PROBABLY 15, THREE MEMBER PANELS. AND AGAIN, THAT ALLOWS ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE 30 OF THOSE 37 MEMBERS AT ANY ONE TIME, THE NEW MEMBERS INVOLVED. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: I SERVED WITH THE ARB MANY YEARS AGO, CENTURIES AGO, AND THE WAY THEY TRAINED US WAS THAT IT WAS ONE NEW MEMBER WHEN YOU WITH TWO, TWO EXPERIENCED MEMBERS, AND SO YOU WERE ABLE TO LEARN REALLY FAST. SO IT'S BY MID SEASON YOU COULD THOSE, THOSE PEOPLE WERE TRAINED AND KNEW WHAT TO DO. BARRY MCBEE: SO WE WOULD HOPE THAT A LOT OF THEIR OUR PRESEASON TRAINING ACCOMPLISHES MUCH OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, AND IT DOES. THAT'S WHY THAT HELPS SO MUCH. YEAH, IN THAT SCENARIO AGAIN, IF I COULD, IF WE DID THAT, THEN I WOULD REALLY ONLY BE ABLE TO USE 15 OF THOSE 37 MEMBERS, AND SO THAT EVEN FURTHER COMPLICATES THEIR KIND OF ON THE JOB TRAINING, IF YOU WILL, THEIR REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE. BLANCA ZAMORA GARCIA: YES, BECAUSE YOU LEARN A LOT MORE FROM TWO PEOPLE THAN BEING ONLY ONE PERSON TRYING TO TRAIN TWO FOLKS. JAMES VALADEZ: JOHN, YOU HAD A QUESTION. JOHN HAVENSTRITE: I DO. AND THIS IS, I GUESS, FROM A FELLOW. BOARD MEMBERS. WHY WAS THAT LIMITING RESOLUTION PASSED? [00:40:14] JAMES VALADEZ: CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE PASSAGE OF THAT RESOLUTION AND THE CONTEXT WITH WHICH IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD? LEANA MANN: SURE IT WAS WHEN WE THE BOARD DECIDED HOW MANY ARB MEMBERS IN TOTAL, Y'ALL CHOSE 74 WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? 2022? I BELIEVE. AND THIS PAST YEAR, YOU MODIFIED THE 74 FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 26 MEMBERS THAT COULD BE ON THE ROSTER, BUT NOT PAID PER DAY. NOW WE BUDGET FOR AN ARB SEASON OF FIVE MONTHS, IN A WORST CASE SCENARIO THAT IT RUNS TO NOVEMBER, SO WE HAVE THE BUDGETED FUNDS TO COVER THIS. SO I JUST DON'T THINK THE AGENDA ITEM UNDER FIVE A COVERS AN ACTION ON THE NUMBER. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I DON'T THINK WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT. I THINK WE'RE JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AT THE NEXT AT THE NEXT MEETING BARRY MCBEE: IF I CAN, I DO THINK IT WAS PROBABLY THE EXPECTATION THAT THE SEASON WOULD RUN LONG IN MY THREE YEARS. MAYBE WE WERE, WE WERE INTO OCTOBER AT LEAST ONE YEAR, I THINK WHEN MY ARB SERVICE AND SO IF THAT, IF THE SEASON IS THAT LONG, YOU BEGIN TO BUMP UP AGAINST THAT BUDGETED AMOUNT. OUR GOAL, THE EXPECTATION SET BY MR. PFEFFER LAST YEAR IS IT WILL CERTIFY ON TIME AND BE DONE BY THE END OF AUGUST. THAT IS ACCOMPLISHED THAT FREES UP SIGNIFICANT FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO, AS MR. HANNAH SAID, TO FRONT LOAD THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT MORE JAMES VALADEZ: QUESTION FROM MISS CONLEY, NICOLE CONLEY: YES, COULD WE JUST MODIFY THE LANGUAGE TO INCLUDE OR DO NOT EXCEED THE BUDGETED LEVELS AND ALLOW FOR TO STAFF AT FTE LEVEL, SUFFICIENT ENOUGH, BUT NOT TO EXCEED WE COULD HAVE MOVED SHENGHAO WANG: MR. CHAIR, ARE YOU? MR. MCBEE, ARE YOU PRESENTING THE RESIGNATIONS? [B. Discussion and Possible Action On Removal Of Appraisal Review Board Members That Have Resigned] BARRY MCBEE: IF WE ARE FINISHED WITH ITEM FIVE A, YES, I WILL ALSO BE PRESENTING ITEM 5B JAMES VALADEZ: NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. MCBEE ON THE SIDE. OKAY, WE WILL MOVE ON TO 5B WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS ON REMOVAL OF APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE RESIGNED. BARRY MCBEE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS. MISS THOMPSON, IN HER ABSENCE, ASKED ME TO PRESENT THIS ITEM AGAIN. WE'VE RECEIVED RESIGNATIONS FOR VARIOUS REASONS. YOU HAVE SEEN THE EMAILS FROM THOSE MEMBERS, SEVEN MEMBERS WHO HAD INDICATED AN INTEREST IN SERVING THE REASONS. VERY SOME HAVE TAKEN FULL TIME JOBS. LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED. FOR OTHERS, THEY'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO CONTINUE. SO WE HAVE SEVEN NAMES TO PRESENT TO YOU. IT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO REMOVE CAROLYN BAYLOR, ANDREA BLACK, LINDA CHIGOYA WILL BE WOODEN, CHANG LEE, HER AND MICHAEL PASSMAN AND ALAN ROBERTS FROM THE ROSTER OF THE TARB THAT WE REDUCE OUR NUMBER TO 97 THAT I REFERENCED EARLIER, SHENGHAO WANG: MOTION TO ACCEPT THESE RESIGNATIONS, JAMES VALADEZ: MOVED BY MR. WANG, SECONDED BY MS. ISRAEL. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU SO THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5E [E. Discussion and Possible Action On Budget Committee Report] DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON BUDGET COMMITTEE REPORT. MISS CONNELLY, NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. ON MAY 8, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MET TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED FY 26 BUDGET TO UNDERSTAND DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED INVESTMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF MS. ZAMORA GARCIA AND MR. LAVINE AND MYSELF, I'M PLEASED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVER YOU KNOW, OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND TO ADVANCE AND RECOMMEND THAT MY OUR COLLEAGUES SORT OF ACCEPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CONSIDERATION ON MAY 29 THE COMMITTEE CONDUCTED A THOROUGH REVIEW TO ENSURE THAT THE BUDGET PROPOSAL REFLECTS THE VALUES OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING SERVICE LEVELS, ENHANCING THE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE AND SUPPORTING THE OVERALL GROWTH AND RETENTION OF OUR EMPLOYEES. YOU'LL SEE THAT THE BUDGET INCLUDES KEY INVESTMENTS TO ADJUST SALARIES, SALARY SCHEDULES AND SALARY GRADES WITHIN TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMPENSATION STRUCTURE REFLECTS THE COMPETITIVE COMPETITION WITHIN LOCAL MARKETS. AND THIS IS BASED UPON THE RESULTS OF A BENCHMARK, A STAFFING BENCHMARKING SURVEY THAT WAS CONDUCTED, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES GRADES AND SCHEDULES WERE IN LINE WITH THOSE OBVIOUSLY, THESE ADJUSTMENTS ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A FAIR AND REASONABLE WORKING CONDITION FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE WE CONSIDER WORKLOADS AND BALANCES, AS WELL AS RETAINING SOME OF OUR SKILLED PROFESSIONS ACROSS SOME ESSENTIAL AREAS OF OPERATION, IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME INVESTMENTS FOR INTERNAL EMPLOYEE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING, WHICH WAS GREAT TO SEE THAT IN. WE'RE BUILDING CAPACITY TO SORT OF STRENGTHEN THE [00:45:03] PROFESSIONALISM ACROSS OUR EMPLOYEES, WITHIN INTERNALLY, WITHIN THE TCAD, THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'M BUDGET HAWK, AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE FISCAL STRATEGY THAT WE'RE SEEING OUR TAX AND ENTITIES EMPLOY WHO ARE MANAGING COST CONTAINMENT AND DEFICIT PLANNING. SO IT TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THOSE KNOWN OR PLANNED INCREASES THAT WE CAN SEE ACROSS ENTITIES, WITH THE CITIES AND SOME OF THE ISDS, SOME OF THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE IN LINE AT THE LEGISLATIVE ACTION IN TERMS OF THE BASIC ALLOTMENTS. SO IT WAS IN LINE WITH SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES, BUT IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO SHOW SOME SKIN IN THE GAME. AND SO YOU'LL SEE SOME INTERNAL OFFSETS THAT ARE BEING MADE TO SORT OF ADVANCE AND PAY FOR THOSE INVESTMENTS TO SATISFY SOME NEEDS THAT WE HAVE GROWING NEEDS IN COMPLIANCE. WE NEED MORE APPRAISAL SUPPORT. SO YOU'LL SEE SOME BUDGETARY OFFSETS THAT WE'RE TAKING INTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PAY FOR THE KIND OF INCREASES IN EFFICIENCIES THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN THE DISTRICT. SO OVERALL, THE BUDGET REFLECTS ABOUT A $2.5 MILLION INCREASE, ABOUT 7.73% SO WHEN YOU COUPLE THAT WITH EMPLOYEE KNOWN EMPLOYEE INCREASES, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE INFLATIONARY BENCHMARKS THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE SORT OF WELL WITHIN, BUT WE ALSO HAVE REALLY DEMONSTRATED THE FISCAL DIS DISCIPLINE TO SORT OF REALLOCATE WHERE WE CAN, TO BUILD CAPACITY, AND ALSO STRATEGICALLY ABANDON THINGS THAT WE ONCE THOUGHT WERE INNOVATION, INNOVATIVE AT ONE POINT IN TIME, BUT WE REALIZED THAT WE CAN GAIN MORE INTERNAL EFFICIENCIES IN BRINGING THOSE FUNCTIONS IN HOUSE. SO YOU'LL SEE A NET INCREASE IN FTES OF ABOUT 15 OFFSET BY 10 EMPLOYEE FTES ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, BUT AS A REFLECTION OF WHAT WE NEED TO REALLY BOLSTER OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE LAND APPRAISALS, SOME OF OUR APPROACHES TO HOW WE SORT OF BUILD INTERNAL CAPACITY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THOSE FUNCTIONAL AREAS AND AS WELL AS RESIDENTIAL APPRAISALS AS WELL. LASTLY, IN PREPARING A BUDGET, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO CHECK OURSELVES AGAINST OUR PEERS, RIGHT? WE LOOKED AT BENCHMARK DATA, AND OF COURSE, IT SORT OF CONFIRMS WHAT WE USUALLY, TYPICALLY SEE YEAR TO YEAR. OUR STAFFING LEVELS ARE WELL BELOW WHAT WE SEE IN OTHER LARGE URBAN CADS, RIGHT, WHICH SORT OF SPEAKS TO OUR EFFICIENCY AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH SORT OF OUR MINIMUM LEVEL OF RESOURCES. SO WE MAY REMAIN IN LINE, BUT WE'RE CONSIDERED HIGHLY EFFICIENT WHEN IT AS IT RELATES TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES, AND IT ALSO IS IN AND SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR US TO CONSIDER AS A BOARD. T CAD TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS WHEN YOU LOOK AT STAFFING, WORKLOADS AND BUDGETARY BENCHMARKS. SO THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO OUR COMMITMENT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, THAT MISS MAN AND HER TEAM ARE ALWAYS SORT OF PUSHING US FORWARD ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE MOST FOR OUR SERVICE, TO SERVE OUR OUR TAXPAYERS, BUT IT'S ALSO THE FOREFRONT OF OUR PLANNING AND BUDGETARY EXECUTION. SO OUR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE VERY MINDFUL OF MAKING SURE THAT THE BUDGET SORT OF REFLECTS OUR VALUES AS A BOARD, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN THOSE KEY AREAS, MINIMAL INVESTMENTS, BUT ALSO FINDING THE DISCIPLINE TO SORT OF PAY FOR SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES ON OUR OWN, AS WELL AS STRATEGICALLY ABANDONING THOSE THINGS OVER TIME THAT DON'T NECESSARILY SERVE AS WELL. SO I AM, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IN SUPPORT AND RECOMMENDED THE BOARD SORT OF TAKE THESE, YOU KNOW, TAKE UP THESE DETAILS, AND RECOMMEND THAT THE BUDGET BE APPROVED ON MAY 29 CERTAINLY, THERE IS NOTHING EGREGIOUS IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING. I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN INFLATION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS OF NEARLY 20% AND AND SO A 7% INCREASE IS IN LINE WITH WHAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING, WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS OTHER ENTITIES, AND SO WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A REASONABLE AND FAIR BUDGET. IT WILL ADDRESS OUR NEEDS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR TAXPAYERS EVEN EVEN GREATER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN BEFORE. BUT IT ALSO SHOWS SOME DISCIPLINE THAT WE HAD TO HAVE OUR OWN. WE HAD TO SORT OF ROB PETER, PAY PAUL INTERNALLY, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE THE HATS, AS WELL AS RECOGNIZING THE EXTENSIVE SORT OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND US WITH COST CONTAINMENT AND BUT DEFICIT PLANNING. SO THAT PRESENTS THE OVERALL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FY 26 BUDGET. YOU'LL GET INTO THE WEEDS ON MAY 29 BUT CERTAINLY THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, I THINK, UNIVERSALLY SUPPORTED THE RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATION OF THIS BUDGET. I DON'T KNOW IF MISS LEVINE OR MISS GARCIA HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, BUT PLEASE DO. DICK LAVINE: THERE'S A EXTREMELY COMPLETE SUMMARY, AND I WILL GET INTO YOU SAY WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE WEEDS EVEN FURTHER. BUT YES, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD MEETING, AND WE REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS. AND DIG A LITTLE DEEPER IN THE PROPOSAL, [00:50:04] NICOLE CONLEY: AND IT REALLY IS ABOUT AGAIN, JUST STAFFING RETENTION, WORKLOAD, QUALITY OF LIFE FOR STAFF, MAKING SURE WE MADE THOSE INTERNAL ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE WERE SEEING ACROSS LOCAL COMPETITORS AND PEERS, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO RETAIN STAFF. SO JAMES VALADEZ: QUESTION FROM MS. CARTWRIGHT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I'VE GOTTEN FUZZY ON THE DETAILS OF THIS. AS FAR AS THE BUDGET WORKSHOP IS CONCERNED, IS WILL THERE BE A PUBLIC HEARING AT THAT TIME? LEANA MANN: SO THE BUDGET WORKSHOP IS JUST THE BOARD GOING THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE BUDGET AND THEN ON OUR JUNE 12 MEETING, I THINK THE JUNE MEETING WILL HAVE THE HEARING AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: SO THE ACTUAL VOTE ON THE BUDGET WILL OCCUR AT OUR JUNE REGULAR MEETING. THAT'S CORRECT, UNLESS WE DECIDE TO POSTPONE IT BECAUSE OF SOME PUBLIC INPUT THAT WE PERCEIVE THAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE. THE POINT I'M GETTING AT THE DEADLINE IS WHEN. LEANA MANN: SO WE HAVE TO THE BOARD HAS TO CONSIDER THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET BY JUNE 14, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET BY SEPTEMBER 15. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A SEPTEMBER DEADLINE SO IT COULD GO ON A LITTLE LONGER. IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WE COULDN'T ANTICIPATE. LIKE THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL THAT REQUIRED SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN IN JUNE AND AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, OTHER THAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN THERE'S A HEARING PROCESS, AND THEN THERE'S A VOTE AND THE DEADLINES IN SEPTEMBER, THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY, THANK YOU. NICOLE CONLEY: AND THE BUDGET IS A PLAN, RIGHT? WE ADJUST IT AS NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO IT'S A PLANNING ITEM, AND IN THE BOARD DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THE BUDGET AND AMEND THE BUDGET THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. JAMES VALADEZ: ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, NO ACTIONS NEEDED ON THIS ITEM. SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5F WHICH IS [F. Discussion and Possible Action On Chief Appraiser Report To Include: 2025 Protest Season, Homestead Verification Program, Community Outreach, Taxpayer Experience Snapshot, 2025 Mass Appraisal Report, And Legislative Update] DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CHIEF APPRAISERS REPORT TO INCLUDE THE 2025 PROTEST SEASON, HOMESTEAD VERIFICATION PROGRAM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE, SNAPSHOT, 2025 MASS APPRAISAL REPORT AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATE. MS. MANN. LEANA MANN: THANK YOU. SO TO START THINGS OFF, WE DID RECEIVE ANOTHER TRANSPARENCY STAR FROM THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE ON OUR PUBLIC PENSIONS AND ALL OF THESE TRANSPARENCY ITEMS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE. THEY HAVE DEDICATED PAGES THAT PROVIDE A LOT OF DATA. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO LOOK AT THAT, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT PUBLIC PENSIONS PAGE, AND WE ARE IN THE HEAT OF OUR PROTEST SEASON. SO THE PROTEST DEADLINE GENERALLY AS MAY 15. SO THIS THURSDAY, AS OF THE TIME OF THIS REPORT, WE HAD OVER 150,000 PROTESTS, WHICH IS RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHERE WE WERE AT LAST YEAR. AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE COMPLETED ABOUT 5000 OF THOSE PROTESTS WITH INFORMAL AGREEMENTS, WHICH PUTS US AT ABOUT 56% COMPLETE. WE HAVE 47 DAYS LEFT TO WORK. COUPLE THINGS TO POINT OUT. SO STATISTICS, OUR AGENT VOLUME OF PROTEST HAS INCREASED AGAIN THIS YEAR. SO THEY ARE REPRESENTING 90% BY COUNT OF PROTESTS, OWNERS ARE REPRESENTING 10% WE ARE SEEING ABOUT HALF THE NUMBER OF OWNER PROTESTS THIS YEAR, BUT WE, THE AGENTS, ARE PICKING THOSE UP SO AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT A 74% FILING ON OUR PORTAL. YOU'LL ALSO SEE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND OF THE SCREEN, THE TOP FIVE AGENTS BY PROTEST COUNT AND BY PROTEST VOLUME AND OWN WELL, HAS INCREASED THEIR THEIR PROTEST COUNT THIS YEAR, THEY'RE REPRESENTING 26 AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE NUMBER OF PROTESTS FILED, AND THEY ARE AT 11% OF THE PROTEST BY VALUE. THEY CAME INTO THE ARENA A FEW YEARS AGO, SO THEY'VE REALLY RAMPED UP THEIR MARKETING THIS YEAR AND PICKED UP QUITE A FEW NEW CLIENTS. OUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION VERIFICATION PROGRAM, WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO BEING DONE. WE'RE AT 98.02% STAFF ARE REVIEWING ALL OF THE NON RESPONSIVE PROPERTY OWNERS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY DOCUMENTS WE CAN USE TO VERIFY THAT EXEMPTION PRIOR TO REMOVING THE EXEMPTION FROM THEIR ACCOUNT. THE ONES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN WORKED YET HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEIR NOTICE OF APPRAISED VALUE, THEY WILL RECEIVE THOSE BY MAY 30, SO WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THIS COMPLETE BY THE END OF MAY. WE'VE BEEN VERY BUSY WITH OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH. I'VE LISTED HERE A FEW OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS, BUT WE'RE DOING OUR VA MONTHLY VA CLINIC TOMORROW, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER VA EVENT THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND THEN IN JUNE, WE'RE DOING A TCAD 101 FOR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS, AS WELL AS A HOMEOWNER RESOURCE FAIR WITH FROST BANK AND THE. FULL LIST IS PROVIDED IN YOUR [00:55:01] PACKET FOR YOU. CYNTHIA HAS BEEN BUSY SCHEDULING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE REST OF THE YEAR, SO WE WILL HAVE A BUSY FALL AS WELL. OUR TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE SNAPSHOT, OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE GROUP, DID SEE AN INCREASE IN PHONE CALLS AND WAIT TIMES FOR PHONE CALLS. IT GOT UP TO 16 MINUTES THIS PAST MONTH, PAST MONTH, BUT THEY ARE STILL RECEIVING A REALLY HIGH SATISFACTION RATING WITH AND THROUGH OUR SURVEY PROCESS. SO THEY'RE AT A 4.62 OUT OF FIVE. WE CONTINUE TO GET POSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT PROPERTY OWNERS FEELING HEARD AND THAT THEIR INQUIRY WAS RESOLVED. AND WITH THE PROTEST SEASON, WE'VE ALSO EXTENDED THAT SURVEY TO OUR INFORMAL PEOPLE WHO GO THROUGH THE INFORMAL PROCESS. AND OUR RESIDENTIAL APPRAISERS ARE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB. WE CONTINUE TO GET GREAT COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROCESS, AND THEY'RE AT A 4.59 OUT OF FIVE. WE ALSO POSTED OUR 2025 MASS APPRAISAL REPORT ON THE WEBSITE TWO WEEKS AGO. NOW, THE OVERALL MARKET VALUE OF THE ROLE IS 483 BILLION, AND THE TAXABLE IS AT 352 BILLION. WE HAVE A PRESS RELEASE OUT ON THE WEBSITE WHEN WE SENT THE LARGE BATCH OF NOTICES OF APPRAISED VALUE BACK IN APRIL, WE POSTED THE PRESS RELEASE, AND IT GIVES DETAILED INFORMATION ON MEDIA MARKET AND MEDIAN TAXABLE VALUE YEAR OVER YEAR, BUT ALSO BY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AS FOR THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, AND THEN OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, WE WERE ABLE TO CLEAR OUT MANY OF OUR BILLS WE WERE TRACKING BECAUSE YESTERDAY WAS THE DEADLINE FOR A HOUSE BILL TO BE HEARD BY COMMITTEE. AND SO THERE WERE QUITE A COUPLE 100 THAT WERE REMOVED FROM OUR TRACKING LIST. THE REPORT THAT'S IN YOUR BOARD BOOK CONTAINS, IT'S MUCH SHORTER VERSION, ABOUT 40 PAGES OF 120 OR SO BILLS THAT WE'RE TRACKING THAT HAVE LEGS AND ARE MOVING THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO 152 IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BILLS WERE TRACKING AT THIS POINT, AND WE'LL COVER MAYBE SOME UPDATES ON SOME OF THE BIG ONES. BUT SENATE BILL, FOUR BIG PROPERTY TAX RELIEF BILL. THIS WOULD INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM THE CURRENT $100,000 TO $140,000 IT HAS BEEN PASSED BY THE SENATE, AND IT WAS REPORTED FAVOR FAVORABLY FROM WAYS AND MEANS. SO IT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS. SENATOR BETANCOURT ALSO HAS SENATE BILL 23 WHICH INCREASES THE OVER 65 AND DISABLED PERSONS EXEMPTIONS FROM 10,000 TO 60,000 THIS WAS ALSO PASSED FROM THE SENATE ALREADY AND REPORTED FAVORABLY FROM WAYS AND MEANS, THAT'S CORRECT. AND THEN HOUSE BILL NINE BY MEYER, IS MOVING THROUGH THE PROCESS. THIS IS A IT STARTED OUT AS A $250,000 PERSONAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION. IT ONCE THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CAME OUT. IT WAS DECREASED TO 125,000 PERSONAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION PER TAXING ENTITY. SO THE INTERESTING PART OF THIS IS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL GET THAT MONEY BACK IN THEIR TAX RATE CALCULATION AND THEIR SCHOOL FINANCE FUNDING, BUT THE OTHER ENTITIES WILL JUST HAVE TO RAISE THEIR TAX RATE TO PICK UP THAT LOSS APPRAISAL ROLE REVENUE SO IT DOES CONTAIN RELATED BUSINESS ENTITY LANGUAGE, WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS BILL IS GOING TO BE VERY CHALLENGING. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR VENDOR. ALL THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STREET WILL STATE WILL HAVE TO WORK WITH THEIR VENDORS. BUT WE DO. WE DID GET A 2026, IMPLEMENTATION DATE, SO IT'S DOABLE. THIS ONE IS LOOKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. DICK LAVINE: ONE MORE QUESTION. YOU STILL HAVE TO GET RENDITIONS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE UNDER 125,000 LEANA MANN: SO CURRENTLY RENDITIONS, THERE'S A CHECK BOX FOR IF THE PROPERTY OWNER THINKS THAT THEIR VALUE IS UNDER $20,000 THIS WOULD INCREASE THAT CHECK BOX TO 125 DICK LAVINE: SO WILL THIS REDUCE YOUR WORKLOAD, OR IS IT ABOUT THE SAME? BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO CHECK EVERYTHING ANYWAY, LEANA MANN: WE STILL HAVE TO DO FIELD WORK. WE STILL HAVE TO PICK UP NEW BUSINESSES. IT WILL REDUCE SOME OF THE WORK BECAUSE WE CAN SET THRESHOLDS. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT MOM AND POP SHOP, A LAW MOWER SHOP, ISN'T GOING TO MEET THAT VALUE THRESHOLD, SO IT'LL REDUCE WORK SOME, BUT IT'S GOING TO INCREASE OUR WORKLOAD ON HAVING THE RELATED BUSINESS ENTITY. WHERE IT REALLY BECOMES CHALLENGING IS WITH LEASE PROPERTIES. SO YOU LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, DELL, THEY MAY HAVE 50 ACCOUNTS THAT HAVE THE SAME FIVE TAXING IN 80S, AND THEN. FIVE THAT HAVE A DIFFERENT TAXING [01:00:01] ENTITY AND 100 THAT HAVE A DIFFERENT TAXING ENTITY. SO WE'LL HAVE TO MANUALLY AT FIRST, VERIFY THAT THEY'RE GETTING ONE PER TAXING ENTITY, WHICH IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING. SO IT'S GOING TO INCREASE WORKLOAD ADMINISTRATIVELY, BUT DECREASE SOME OF THE FIELD WORK WE HAVE TO DO. SHENGHAO WANG: CAN I ASK WHAT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? PER ENTITY. LEANA MANN: SO EACH BUSINESS WOULD, IF THEY ARE TAXED BY CITY OF AUSTIN, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WOULD GET ONE, $125,000 EXEMPTION FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN. AND IN 90% OF THE CASES, THERE'S ONE ACCOUNT AND THEIR TAX THEY HAVE ONE GROUPING OF TAXING ENTITIES. AND IT'LL BE VERY EASY TO IMPLEMENT. SHENGHAO WANG: OH, SO IF THEY HAVE LIKE, 50 PROPERTIES, OR WHATEVER, THEY GET ONE. THEY HAD 125,000 TOTAL LEANA MANN: PER ENTITY. SO TRAVIS COUNTY, I'LL GET ONE. CITY OF AUSTIN WILL HAVE ONE. SHENGHAO WANG: I SEE, I SEE WHY THAT'S A CHALLENGE. LEANA MANN: WE'VE WORKED WITH MEYER. THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF APPRAISAL DISTRICTS HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THIS BILL. SO WE'VE WE'VE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERNS, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT GETS ADDED, MAYBE ON AS A FLOOR AMENDMENT, OR ANY CHANGES TO THE BILL. SO HOUSE BILL 21 BY GATES HAS TO DO WITH HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATIONS, AND SPECIFICALLY HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATIONS THAT OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THEIR JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY PUBLIC TOPIC. THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF HFCS THAT ARE FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S ONE DOWN IN THE VALLEY CAMERON COUNTY HOUSING FINANCE CORP THAT ARE EXEMPTING PROPERTIES IN OTHER COUNTIES AND TAKING THEM OFF THE ROLL. SO THIS BILL DOES APPEAR TO ME BE MOVING FORWARD. IT'S HAVING A HEARING TO I'M SORRY IT WAS SET ON THE HOUSE CALENDAR ON THE NINTH BUT IT WOULD LIMIT HFCS TO ONLY OPERATE WITHIN THE COUNTY IN WHICH THEY'RE ESTABLISHED, WHICH MAKES SENSE, THERE'S FIVE OR SIX OF THEM. AND IN FACT, IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE HAD ABOUT EIGHT OF THEM THAT PURCHASE PROPERTIES RIGHT AT THE END OF 2024 BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WERE ANTICIPATING A BILL WOULD BE FILED. SO A COUPLE CONCERNING BILLS. SENATE BILL, 2063 BY PARKER. THIS BILL WOULD PROHIBIT MARKET VALUE INFORMATION FROM BEING BROUGHT PRESENTED IN BOTH A CHAPTER 41 PROTEST AND A CHAPTER 42 APPEAL THROUGH LITIGATION. IT WAS PASSED TO ENGROSSMENT BY THE SENATE YESTERDAY, AND IT WILL NOW GO OVER TO THE HOUSE. SO THIS IS A BILL TO COUNTER THE TEXAS DISPOSAL SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT WE HAD DICK LAVINE: QUICKLY GOOD TO GO BACK TO HB 21 HAVE THIS CORRECT? THAT'S ONE ABOUT THE FINANCE CORPS. IT'S THROUGH THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEE ALREADY. LEANA MANN: OH, WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. DICK LAVINE: AS OF I DON'T KNOW WHAT TODAY IS. YESTERDAY LEANA MANN: THEY ARE MOVING VERY FAST NOW. FOR INSTANCE, SENATE BILL 2063, WAS READ ALL THREE TIMES YESTERDAY, AND SO THEY'RE MOVING FAST. THEY'RE GOING TO PASS A LOT OF THINGS, AND WILL WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK THINGS. THIS IS THE BUSY PART OF THE SESSION. SENATE BILL 1163, BY HUGHES. THIS WOULD GIVE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARDS A REQUIREMENT TO POSTPONE PROTEST HEARINGS UNDER CERTAIN SITUATIONS. WHERE THIS IS CONCERNING IS IT'S VERY IT'S NOT CLEAR IN THE BILL IF IT IF AGENTS GET ONE FREE RESCHEDULE PER AGENT, OR IS IT PER ACCOUNT THAT THEY REPRESENT? AND THERE THAT LACK OF CLARITY COULD CAUSE REAL CERTIFICATION IMPLICATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LARGER METRO PADS. HOUSE BILL 1533, BY BUTTON. THIS IS AN OMNIBUS BILL, AND WE'VE WORKED WITH HER OFFICE TO REALLY CLEAN THE BILL UP AND GET IT TO A POINT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH. I'M CONCERNED WITH FLOOR AMENDMENTS BECAUSE THE CAPTION IS VERY BROAD AND IT TOUCHES MANY SECTIONS OF THE TAX CODE. SO WE'LL JUST WE'LL HAVE TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION FOR ANY FOUR AMENDMENTS ON THIS BILL. COUPLE POSITIVE BILLS. SENATOR ECKHART FILED THE ARB TEACHER BILL AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND IT HAS PASSED THE SENATE AND WAS VOTED FAVORABLY FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON PROPERTY TAX ON THE SEVENTH SO THAT ONE IS MOVING FORWARD. THIS WOULD THIS WAS A BILL THAT PASSED LAST SESSION BUT GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE VETO BY THE GOVERNOR, THAT WOULD ALLOW TEACHERS TO SERVE ON APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARDS. SHE ALSO FIVE. OLD SENATE BILL, 973, AND THIS [01:05:02] WOULD ALLOW CATS TO POST AERIAL PHOTOS AND SKETCHES ON THE WEBSITE, WHICH IS A VERY COMMON REQUEST WE GET, AND CURRENTLY WE CAN'T HAVE THOSE ON OUR WEBSITE, AND THEY HAVE TO DO A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST TO GET IT. SO IT WOULD ALLEVIATE PROPERTY OWNERS BURDEN OF HAVING TO FILE THE PROP THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUEST AND HAVE IT JUST AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE. IT DOES NOT SHOW THERE'S NO SECURITY ISSUE WITH THE SKETCH. IT JUST SHOWS AN OUTSIDE PERIMETER OF THE HOUSE, NO DOORS, WINDOWS, NOTHING ON THE INTERIOR. JAMES VALADEZ: QUESTION FROM MS. CARTWRIGHT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: DO YOU HAVE TO PUT FEET IN YOUR WHEN YOU DO A SKETCH, DO YOU HAVE TO? DO YOU KNOW, LIKE, 20 FEET, THIS WAY, 60, EVERYTHING, OR IS IT JUST LITERALLY, LEANA MANN: IT'S JUST A SKETCH DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I THOUGHT TO BE A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO CLAIM THAT THERE'S A SIZE DISCREPANCY SO. LEANA MANN: AND THEN HOUSE BILL 2786 FILED BY TURNER. THIS COUNTERS THE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP IN SOME OF THE LARGER APPRAISAL DISTRICTS LIKE TARRANT, WHERE IT'S REQUIRING THE BOARD TO PASS A REAPPRAISAL PLAN THAT HAS AN ANNUAL REAPPRAISAL. NO, NO, WE ALREADY REAPPRAISE ANNUALLY, AS DO MOST APPRAISAL DISTRICTS. NICOLE CONLEY: BILL WAS THAT BILL STILL MOVING? IS WHAT YOU SAYING OR IT LEANA MANN: IS IT SAID ON THE HOUSE CALENDAR RIGHT NOW? DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THERE'S NO DISTINCTION AS TO POPULATION OR ANYTHING IN IT, IT'S ALL APPRAISALS, NO, LEANA MANN: AND WE'VE WORKED WITH HIS OFFICE ON THIS BILL TO REALLY CLARIFY THE DIFFERENCE IN RE INSPECTION VERSUS REAPPRAISAL, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. A LOT OF THE SMALLER CATS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. BUT YOU SHOULD BE REVIEWING AND REAPPRAISING PROPERTIES EVERY YEAR YOU SHOULD GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. WELL, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: UNLESS THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO MARKET CHANGE IN THE COUNTY, WHICH IS TRUE IN A NUMBER OF COUNTIES, LEANA MANN: BUT YOU WOULD STILL BE REAPPRAISING TO DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS NO MARKET CHANGE. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU WOULD JUST DO A REPORT TO INDICATE THAT. THANK YOU. LEANA MANN: HOUSE BILL, 1035, THIS JUST ADDS IT CLARIFIES THAT FOR THE NEW CHILD CARE EXEMPTION THAT WAS PASSED LAST SESSION, IT DOES INCLUDE TRIPLE NET LEASES. THERE WERE A FEW APPRAISAL DISTRICTS THAT WERE UNCLEAR ON THAT AND NOT GRANTING THOSE EXEMPTIONS. SO I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BILL TO CLEAR THAT UP. AND THEN HOUSE BILL 4236 BY TREY MARTINEZ FISHER. THIS BILL CREATES A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW IN THE INTERIM THE PROPERTY VALUE STUDY. SO IT'S PASSED THE HOUSE AND IT WAS REFERRED TO THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE. DICK LAVINE: DO THEY KNOW IF THERE'S ANY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE TO THE CURRENT SYSTEM? LEANA MANN: NO, I, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'LL FIND ONE. I THINK THEY MAY DETERMINE A FEW CHANGES WITH THE STUDY. BUT OUR SCHOOL FINANCE SYSTEM IS SO INGRAINED IN THAT PBS STUDY THAT IT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET RID OF IT COMPLETELY. AND WE SHOULD BE VERIFYING THAT VALUES ARE WITHIN AN ACCEPTABLE RANGE. MISS CONLEY, NICOLE CONLEY: YES, I HAD A QUESTION TO SEE, WHAT ARE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT YOU'D BE ASKED TO SERVE ON THIS TASK FORCE? OR IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO KIND OF START, YOU KNOW, REALLY HAVING GREAT EXPERTISE THAT CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES AND THESE CHALLENGES AROUND PV AND WHY IT WON'T EVER BE 100% EFFECTIVE. I MEAN, IF EFFECTIVE AT SOME THINGS, BUT NOT OTHER THINGS. BUT HOW CAN WE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE GREAT REPRESENTATION ON THERE FROM EITHER TCAD OR SOMETHING REPRESENTATIVE THE AREA. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE YOU OR MR. LAVINE HAVE ANY INSIGHTS ON THAT, BUT IT BE GREAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME LOCAL EXPERTISE SERVING ON THAT. LEANA MANN: SURE. SO THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF APPRAISAL DISTRICT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH MR. MARTINEZ FISHER'S OFFICE. WE ALSO HAVE A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS OFFICE THROUGH OUR CONSULTANT. SO WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH HIM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A GOOD REPRESENTATION ON THAT GROUP. AND THEN HOUSE BILL 3575 FILED BY NOBLE THIS THERE WERE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE FIRST ELECTION THAT CADS WENT THROUGH, STARTING WITH, WHERE DO YOU FILE THE APPLICATION? SO THIS CLEARS UP THAT A CANDIDATE FOR THE ELECTION FILES THEIR CANDIDATES CANDIDACY WITH THE COUNTY CLERK, AND IT MAKES IT VERY CLEAR WHERE THOSE NEED TO GO. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE. I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. [01:10:04] CELIA ISRAEL: WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE ON YOUR TEAM WHEN YOU'VE GOT LEGISLATION THAT SAYS OF THE 200 ENTITIES THAT YOU HAVE TO ASSESS, LIKE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND MUDS AND ALL THE STUFF THAT WE DO, BUT THEY TAKE ONE OF THEM OUT AND SAY, WELL, BUT NOT THE SCHOOL NOT, NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WHAT? TALK US, TALK TO US ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF THAT, BECAUSE CHAIRMAN MYERS BILL, HE'S THE CHAIRMAN OF WAYS AND MEANS THAT'S LIKELY TO PASS. I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THE MECHANICAL IMPACTS ARE TO TO YOUR TO YOUR TEAM. LEANA MANN: SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD THAT PROCESS IN OUR SYSTEM, WHETHER IT'S FIRST JUST SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR ALL ENTITIES. SO REALLY REMOVING ONE GROUP OF ENTITIES OR EVERYONE BUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS DOESN'T IMPACT THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE HAVE TO DO. IT'S STILL GOING TO BE AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS. CELIA ISRAEL: IN MY MIND, IT'S A SOFTWARE CHANGE, BUT IT'S A BIG DAMN DEAL. IT WILL BE, COULD BE AN EXPENSE, I GUESS IS ALSO WHAT I'M THINKING, TOO. SO YOUR SERVICE PROVIDER IS GOING TO SAY, WELL, WE CAN DO IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO COST YOU X LEANA MANN: WE WRITE INTO OUR CONTRACTS THAT OUR SOFTWARE VENDOR HAS TO COVER LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, SO THAT IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT THEY HAVE TO COVER WITH NO ADDITIONAL COST. BUT YES, IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY TIME CONSUMING PROCESS. IT'LL BE MANY MONTHS BEFORE WE GET THE FULL PROGRAMMING WRITTEN, AND THEN TESTING IS GOING TO BE REALLY EXTENSIVE. IT'LL TAKE US EVERY BIT OF NINE TO 10 MONTHS TO IMPLEMENT THIS. CELIA ISRAEL: THANK YOU. JAMES VALADEZ: MR. LAVINE, DICK LAVINE: LET ME JUST SAY, GOING THROUGH THE BILL STATUS REPORT THAT THURSDAY NIGHT IS THE DEADLINE FOR HOUSE BILLS BEING RAISED THE SECOND READING ON THE HOUSE FLOOR. AND JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE ON THE CALENDAR, LIKE SAID, FOR THE HOUSE, DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO GET TO IT RIGHT? I'M NOT COMPLETELY UP TO DATE, BUT AS OF YESTERDAY, I THINK THEY WERE WORKING ON SATURDAY'S CALENDAR. THERE'S A LOT OF GAMES. LEANA MANN: YES. THERE IS A BACKLOG IN THE CALENDARS COMMITTEE, AND A LOT OF THE BILLS THAT ARE SITTING THERE WON'T BE ADDED TO THE CALENDAR, SO OR TO THE AGENDA. I JAMES VALADEZ: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. MS. ISRAEL CELIA ISRAEL: I FORGOT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ONE OF OUR STAFFERS, ONE OF LEANEST HANG ON YES TO YOUR TO YOUR PRESENTATION EARLIER ABOUT THINGS ARE REALLY BUSY RIGHT NOW, YOUR TEAM IS OVERWHELMED AND FINDING TIME TO BE NICE AND COURTEOUS AND THOUGHTFUL AND BE A GOOD LISTENER WITH OUR TAXPAYERS. I KNOW THAT'S THAT CAN BE CHALLENGING, BUT MY FRIEND, MY FRIEND, VICKI VALDEZ SAID TO MAKE SURE THAT MICHAEL MIKE BONNET GETS A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT BECAUSE HE HAD EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. IT WAS VERY REFRESHING TO HAVE A POSITIVE CONVERSATION WITH HIM. VERY THOUGHTFUL, VERY NICE YOUNG MAN. LEANA MANN: WELL, THANK YOU. WE WILL PASS THAT ALONG ALL RIGHT. CELIA ISRAEL: THEN, NOW I'VE DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE. JAMES VALADEZ: THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AND THEN ONE COMMENT THAT I SAW ON THE SCREEN YOU PUT UP THAT SOMEONE SAID THAT IT WAS NICE TO HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. THAT WAS NICE. JAMES VALADEZ: ALL GREAT. THANKS. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM [G. Discussion and Possible Action On Extension Of Contract With Current Financial Depository, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., For A Period Of July 1, 2025 Through June 30, 2027.] 5G OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE EXTENSION OF CONTRACT WITH CURRENT FINANCIAL DEPOSITORY, WELLS, FARGO BANK AND A FOR A PERIOD OF JULY 125, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2025 27. MS. MANN. LEANA MANN: AND THIS STARTS ON PAGE 249, BUT CHAPTER 6.09, OF THE TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE REQUIRES THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO SELECT A DEPOSITORY. AND Y'ALL DID THAT BACK IN 2023, AND THE CURRENT CONTRACT GOES FROM AUGUST 1 2023, THROUGH JULY 31 2025, THE TAX CODE DOES ALLOW YOU TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEAR PERIOD, WHICH IS WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD AND OUR CURRENT DEPOSITORY, AS WELL AS FARGO APPLAUSE, DICK LAVINE: DO WE EVER CONFIRM THEIR RATING? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT'S NOT REALLY A CREDIT RATING, BUT THERE ARE RATINGS OF BANKS AS TO THERE'S SOLVENCY IN THEIR SOLIDITY. LEANA MANN: YEAH, THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT HAS REQUIREMENTS ON RATINGS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW, AND WE WOULDN'T [01:15:03] EVEN ACCEPT A BID FROM SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T MEET THE RATINGS. JAMES VALADEZ: MISS CONNELLY NICOLE CONLEY: YES, THANK YOU. I'LL BE ABSTAINING FROM THIS VOTE. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I MOVE APPROVAL OF EXTENDING THE CONTRACT WITH WELLS FARGO BANK FROM FAR PERIOD, JULY 1, 2025, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2027, JAMES VALADEZ: BEEN MOVED BY MS CARTWRIGHT, SECONDED BY MR. HANNAH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION CELIA ISRAEL: THE QUESTION, I'M SORRY I'M NOT GETTING IT IN MY QUICK GLANCE THROUGH. BUT ARE YOU ALLOWED TO TAKE INTEREST ON YOUR ACCOUNTS? LEANA MANN: YES, WE ARE, CELIA ISRAEL: AND I'M ASSUMING YOU DID SOME SHOPPING AROUND TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING A GOOD DEAL. LEANA MANN: SO WHEN WE INITIALLY WENT OUT FOR RFP, WE REACHED OUT TO MANY BANKS TO TRY AND GET THEM TO RESPOND TO THE RFP, WE HAD ONE RESPONSE, AND THAT WAS WELLS FARGO. WE USED TO GET TWO. GOING BACK 10 YEARS, WE USED TO GET CHASE IN WELLS FARGO THAT RESPONDED TO EVERY RFP CHASE PULLED OUT OF THE MID MARKET, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE IN. WE'RE IN A REALLY BAD SPOT, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A LARGE MARKET CLIENT THAT HAS A LOT OF FUNDS TO INVEST. WE'RE NOT A SMALL CLIENT WHERE WE CAN GET LOCAL BANKS INTERESTED. SO UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE GOTTEN ONE RESPONSE THE LAST TWO RFPS THAT WE'VE DONE FOR DEPOSITORIES. CELIA ISRAEL: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH WELLS, FARGO, LEANA MANN: FOUR YEARS, SIX YEARS, FOUR TO SIX YEARS, TWO RFP CYCLES. CELIA ISRAEL: LET'S THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOU ALREADY. THANK YOU. NICOLE CONLEY: NOT BANK OF AMERICA TYPICALLY, LEANA MANN: NO, JAMES VALADEZ: OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. MOVED BY MISS CARTWRIGHT, SECONDED BY MR. HANNAH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH MISS CONLEY ABSTAINING. [J. Discussion and Possible Action On Litigation And Appeals Related To Pending And Anticipated Lawsuits] THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS 5J WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON LITIGATION AND APPEALS RELATED TO PENDING AND ANTICIPATED LAWSUITS, THE BOARD WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS ITEM. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SHENGHAO WANG: SO MOVED JAMES VALADEZ: MOVED BY BLANCA, SECONDED BY MR. WANG. ANY DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED, THAT PASSES THE BOARD MAY MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE ON ANY MATTER AUTHORIZED BY THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 55101, FOR THESE ITEMS, WE ALL NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION CITING SECTION 551071, CONSULTATION WITH AN ATTORNEY REGARDING PENDATOR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION SETTLEMENT OFFERS MATTERS ON WHICH AN ATTORNEY HAS A DUTY TO ADVISE THE BOARD UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS. 1248, THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION [02:15:27] THE TIME IS 1:45 AND WE ARE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE [6. Adjournment] [02:15:32] DISCUSSED ITEM 5J IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE HAVE NO ACTION [02:15:36] THERE. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS 5K WHICH IS [02:15:40] ADJOURNMENT. BEFORE I ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT, I'D [02:15:45] LIKE TO ANNOUNCE WE HAVE OUR JUNE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR [02:15:50] THURSDAY, JUNE 12, AND BEFORE THAT, WE HAVE OUR BOARD BUDGET [02:15:55] WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, MAY 29 SO NOW DO I HAVE A MOTION [02:16:00] TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. SECOND MOTION BY MR. BY MR. WANG, [02:16:05] SECOND BY MISS CONNOLLY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE [02:16:10] WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED. [02:16:15] AT 1:46 THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF [02:16:19] DIRECTOR STANDS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.