[00:00:27] NICOLE CONLEY: I LIKE TO CALL TO CALL THE TRAVIS CENTRAL [1. Call To Order] APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO ORDER. THE TIME IS 11:31 ON THURSDAY, MAY 14. WE'RE CONDUCTING THIS MEETING AT TCAD TCAD HEADQUARTERS, LOCATED AT 850 EAST ANDERSON LANE, AUSTIN, [2. Establishment Of A Quorum] TEXAS, AND A QUORUM IS PRESENT. WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING THIS MEETING THROUGH ONLINE BROADCAST AND WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS AS A COURTESY. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS CITIZENS' [3. Citizens Communication] COMMUNICATIONS. CITIZENS ARE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, WHETHER GIVING A COMPLAINT OR PRAISE. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ASKED TO REFER TO STAFF BY POSITION OR BY THEIR ABBREVIATED LAST NAME, WHILE CITIZENS MAY SPEAK ON ANY TOPICS THEY CHOOSE, THE BOARD CANNOT ACT OR COMMENT ON ANY SUBJECT THAT'S NOW LISTED IN TODAY'S AGENDA. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? MISS MANN. LEANA MANN: WE DO. MISS JUDY GRACIE. TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: HI, MY NAME IS JUDY GRACIE. AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. I AM. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD YEAR PROTESTING THE VALUE OF THE REEVALUATION OF MY LAKE PROPERTY. THIS WAS A DONE BY A LAND ANALYSIS, SO THIS WASN'T JUST A YEARLY, YOU KNOW, REVIEW, IT WAS A YEAR THAT THEY REEVALUATED ALL THE LAKE PROPERTY, AND IN MY MARKET AREA IT WAS VALUED AT 10,000 AN ACRE FEET, WHERE IS MY THE ADJOINING AREAS WERE 4500 AND THEN OFF AT THE 10,000 FEET THEY HAVE DISCOUNTS FOR SURPLUS ACREAGE, NO SURPLUS FRONT FOOTAGE, SO I RECEIVED A 10% DISCOUNT OF 490 90,000 SO MY, MY LAND VALUE WENT FROM 700,000 TO 4.4 MILLION, SO IN THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THEN I WENT AROUND, AND, AND IF YOU SEE, WITH MY PROPERTY, WE DO HAVE, HAD YOU KNOW, IT WAS SO NICE THAT CYNTHIA MADE ME COPIES, AND BUT IN THERE YOU'LL SEE ALL LIKE KIND ACREAGE, SAME SHAPE A LOT, SAME FRONT FOOTAGE, PRETTY GOOD. MINE IS A LITTLE LARGER, BUT THOSE WERE VALUED AT BETWEEN 1.5 AND AROUND 1.7 SO I HAVE, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE ROUTE. I'VE DONE THE INFORMAL HEARING, I'VE DONE THE FORMAL HEARINGS. NOBODY CAN, NOBODY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ADJUST THE LAND VALUE. SO LAST YEAR WAS SAID THAT I COULD GO TO ARBITRATION, CALLED ARBITRATION, AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T, NOT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ADJUST LAND VALUE, SO MY, MY ONLY OPTION FOR THIS IS DISTRICT COURT. SO THIS YEAR, SO I WAITED UNTIL I GOT THE REAPPRAISAL OF THE LOT, AND NOW IT IS 3 MILLION, SO NOW I'M DOUBLE OF WHAT THE LIKE KIND PROPERTIES ARE, SO, SO HERE I AM STILL SO IN, IN MY PROBLEM WITH THIS IS LIKE KIND PROPERTIES THAT YOU'LL SEE FIVE MINUTES AWAY ARE IN A DIFFERENT MARKET AREA, SO I'M NOT SUPPOSED.. I CAN'T USE THOSE WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN USE THEM INTO DISTRICT COURT, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T TRIED THAT YET. BUT SO THAT WAS THE ONE FACTOR, AND THE OTHER ONE IS I CAN'T GET EVEN A COPY OF THE LAND ANALYSIS ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE TO SUPPORT THE 45 $4,500 $1,500 FRONT FOOT VALUE. THEY WON'T RELEASE THAT TO ME ANYWAY. I'M HERE AGAIN. I'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE EVERY MONTH WHERE I AM. THANK YOU. NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, MISS GRACIE. BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I THINK WE HAVE A QUESTION. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE RECEIVING IT EVERY MONTH, BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE THE CHIEF APPRAISER TO COMMENT ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS REQUESTED, THAT HASN'T BEEN RELEASED. LEANA MANN: THE LAND ANALYSIS HAS SALES INFORMATION, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PROTEST ON FILE IN ORDER TO RELEASE THAT. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY, SO YOU HAVEN'T FILED A PROTEST. TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: I WAS TOLD I COULD NOT RECEIVE IT. [00:05:01] DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ANY INFORMATION TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: I KNOW. AGAIN DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: AFTER A PROTEST IS FILED ANY INFORMATION USED TO DEVELOP TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: OH WELL I'VE SPOKEN YOU MEAN A PROTEST, JUST PROTESTING MY TAXES, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: YOUR APPRAISED VALUE. YOU FILED A NOTICE OF PROTEST. TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: WELL, I'VE DONE IT FOR TWO YEARS, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: BUT HAVE YOU DONE IT FOR THIS YEAR YET? TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: WE JUST DID IT TODAY. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LEANA MANN: THAT'LL BE PROVIDED IN THE PORTAL. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY. THANK YOU. TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: WHY DIDN'T I? CAN I? CAN I ASK, WHY WASN'T I ALLOWED? I'VE BEEN PROTESTING AGAIN FOR TWO YEARS. I'VE ASKED FOR THAT AND BEEN DENIED. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: WELL, I'M NOT SURE WHY, BUT TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: I'M NOT EITHER. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: BUT THANK YOU. BUT THE CHIEF APPRAISER WILL RECTIFY THAT SITUATION FOR ME, TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: RIGHT? I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. AT LEAST, THEN I COULD MAYBE GET MORE OF AN ANSWER ON WHAT, WHY IT'S STILL FOR ME. I'M FIVE MINUTES FROM THEM. WE ARE ON THE LAKE. I CAN SEE THESE PROPERTIES, AND TO THINK THAT I'M DOUBLE VALUE ON MY LOT THAN THEY ARE IS HARD TO BELIEVE. NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, MISS GRACIE. AND SO, THE CHIEF APPRAISER TRAVIS COUNTY TAXPAYER: THANK YOU SO MUCH NICOLE CONLEY: WILL FOLLOW UP AS APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM FOUR IN OUR CONSENT AGENDA. I'M SORRY. YES, [4. Consent Agenda] OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER FOUR. THESE ITEMS MAY BE ACTED UPON BY ONE MOTION. NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF VOTE WILL OCCUR UNLESS REQUESTED BY A BOARD MEMBER. THE CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, SECTION 25 DOT 20 5B REPORT, ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS, PERSONNEL REPORTS. I'LL GIVE THE BOARD MEMBERS A FEW MINUTES TO REVIEW THESE, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE'S ANY REQUEST TO REMOVE ANY ITEMS FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. OTHERWISE, A MOTION IS NEEDED TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA. BRUCE ELFANT: I'LL MAKE A MOTION. NICOLE CONLEY: WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. ELFANT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MS. MONTOYA. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE FOUR CONSENT ITEMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW, ITEM NUMBER FIVE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR THIS IS A [5. Regular Agenda] REPORT FROM OUR BOARD OPERATING POLICIES COMMITTEE, AND I KNOW [5.A. Discussion On Report From Board Operating Policies Committee] THAT MISS CARTWRIGHT IS GOING TO BE LEADING THIS ACTION. MISS CARTWRIGHT, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE ON BOARD OPERATING POLICIES MET LAST WEEK ON MAY 5, TO DISCUSS SOME PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE POLICIES. THOSE CHANGES ARE ACTUALLY LISTED ON PAGE 65 AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEM BRIEFLY, AND THEN TALK ABOUT ONE OTHER ITEM THAT IS NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE. JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE FOUR ITEMS DEAL WITH THE CHANGE THAT THE LEGISLATURE MADE, THAT ONLY BUDGET MATTERS MAY BE VETOED BY TAXING UNITS NOW. HERE, BEFORE THAT TIME, TAX UNITS COULD VETO DIFFERENT THINGS OR TAKE ACTION TO DISAPPROVE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WAS REMOVED. THE ONLY VETO RIGHT THAT A TAXI UNIT NOW HAS HAS TO DO WITH OUR BUDGET, AND SO THAT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED IN OUR POLICIES. THEN THE STANDING COMMITTEES WERE CHANGED TO MEET WHAT THE NEW CHAIR DECIDED THAT WOULD BE BETTER. SHE COMBINED A COUPLE OF FUNCTIONS, SO BUDGET AND AUDIT, FOR EXAMPLE, IS TOGETHER. LET ME LOOK AT THAT REAL QUICKLY ON MY NOTES. THE AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY BOARD COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED. THE PURCHASING AND CONTRACT COMMITTEE WAS CREATED. IT WAS JUST A CONTRACT COMMITTEE, BUT WE RAN INTO A SITUATION, I THINK THAT JET, YOU'LL REMEMBER THIS, WHERE WE REALLY, WE WERE LOOKING AT CONTRACTS, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH ANYONE REGARDING THE CONTRACT, BECAUSE OF LEGAL RESTRICTIONS THAT MEANT THAT THE ONLY NEGOTIATIONS THAT CAN OCCUR IS DURING THE PURCHASING PROCESS OR THE BIDDING PROCESS, SO IT'S BEEN COMBINED INTO ONE FUNCTION, SO THAT IF WE WANT SOME INPUT ON BIDS WHENEVER WE GO OUT FOR BIDS, WE CAN DO THAT. THREE OTHER COMMITTEES ARE WERE REMOVED, HAVING TO DO WITH FACILITY NEEDS, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, AND WELL, ACTUALLY JUST TWO, BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A FUNCTION OF THE CHIEF APPRAISER, SO THOSE PARTICULAR COMMITTEES REMOVED, SO WE COMBINED SOME FUNCTIONS, BUT. NOW, BUDGET AND AUDIT, IT'S NOW PURCHASING AND CONTRACT, AND [00:10:03] OTHERWISE THE OTHER COMMITTEE STANDING COMMITTEES HAVE REMAINED THE SAME. THE ATTORNEYS RECOMMENDED THAT WE ADD LANGUAGE THAT, JUST FOR, I GUESS, CLARITY MORE THAN ANYTHING, THAT ARBS ARE APPOINTED TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, AND TO MAKE FAIR AND IMPARTIAL DETERMINATIONS, AND THAT THE ARB ONLY HAS THE AUTHORITY SPECIFICALLY GRANTED BY STATUTE. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT. I THINK THAT'S A GIVEN, BUT FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, THAT WAS ADDED TO THE BOARD POLICIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD WAS WAS VERY CLEARLY ESTABLISHED, AND, AND NOT PART OF, EVEN THOUGH WE APPOINT IRBS NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CONTROL WHAT THEY DO. AREN'T I GLAD ARB MEMBERS BACK THERE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THEN WE DID, WE UPDATED THE TAXPAYER LIAISON OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTION, WHENEVER WE DID OUR REVIEW PROCESS THIS YEAR, AND SO THIS, THE NEW JOB DESCRIPTION IS ADDED AS APPENDIX F TO THE BOARD POLICIES, AND SO THE OLD ONE WAS REMOVED. THE NEW JOB DESCRIPTION THAT CALLS FOR A FULL-TIME POSITION AND MORE EXPANDED DUTIES IS INCLUDED IN OUR CHANGES, SO THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT THERE'S SOME MINOR CHANGES, THE CHANGE OF THE WORD AND TO THE VICE VERSA, AND THAT SORT OF THING, AND SO THOSE WERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE ASKED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION TO MAKE THESE CHANGES. I WANT TO DISCUSS, AND HOPEFULLY Y'ALL WILL JOIN IN A REQUEST THAT HAS BEEN MADE PREVIOUSLY AND HAS CONTINUED TO BE A SUBJECT OF INTEREST, WHICH IS REMOTE PARTICIPATION IN BOARD MEETINGS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT LENGTH. WE WENT TO OUR ATTORNEYS AND HAD A POLICY DEVELOPED ABOUT REMOTE PARTICIPATION. HOW WOULD WORK? BASICALLY, WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS THAT A PERSON COULD ONLY USE THAT REMOTE POSSIBILITY THREE TIMES IN A CALENDAR YEAR, SO YOU WOULDN'T BE OPEN TO IT EVERY TIME. THAT FOR THREE TIMES A YEAR, YOU COULD CHOOSE TO DO IT REMOTE, ATTEND A MEETING REMOTELY, AND THEN YOU WOULD ALSO, ACCORDING TO LAW, AND ACCORDING TO OUR ATTORNEYS, YOU WOULD BE HAVE TO ALSO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU'D HAVE TO SWEAR AND AFFIRM THAT NO ONE IS THERE WITH YOU IN THE ROOM, AND THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S CONFIDENTIAL, AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. YOUR PARTICIPATION REMOTELY DOES NOT ESTABLISH A QUORUM, AND THAT'S THAT'S A LEGAL MATTER. SO IT WOULDN'T BE YOUR PARTICIPATION THAT MANNER WOULD NOT AFFECT THE QUORUM REQUIREMENTS THAT THOSE PEOPLE PRESENT HAVE TO HAVE, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SIX MEMBERS RIGHT HERE IN PERSON. CERTAIN NOTICE REQUIREMENTS WERE SUGGESTED BY THE ATTORNEYS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO LET US KNOW SO MANY DAYS IN ADVANCE IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY, AND THAT AUDIO RECORDINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE GOING TO HELD AND PUT AWAY, AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING. THE REASON WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING THIS POLICY CHANGE TO THE BOARD IS THAT THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING THIS, THE SOFTWARE, THE COMPUTERS, EVERYTHING RELATED TO THIS WOULD BE $100,000 AND THE COMMITTEE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A PRUDENT WAY TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS, ESPECIALLY WITH EVERYONE HAVING TO TIGHTEN EVERYONE BEING THE TAXI UNITS, TIGHTEN BELTS WITH BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, AND AS A RESULT, WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT THE REMOTE PARTICIPATION POLICY BE INCLUDED IN OUR BOARD POLICIES. AND IF Y'ALL WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, OR IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO SAY IN THAT REGARD, I WOULD WELCOME IT. IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT, NICOLE CONLEY: YES. ANY COMMENTS, DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? SO WE'RE YES, MR. LAVINE, DICK LAVINE: I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT OF THIS OPTION, WHICH I'VE BEEN USED IN OTHER SITUATIONS, BUT I AGREE IT'S NOT WORTH THE COST, ESPECIALLY NOW, BECAUSE WOULD BE PART OF WHAT WE WOULD BE ASKING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO CONTRIBUTE NICOLE CONLEY: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. MR. HANNA, JETT HANNA: I DON'T BELIEVE THAT COST. I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT IT COULD BE DONE AND I THINK WITH SOME IMAGINATION AND [00:15:05] SOME MORE CHECKING IT COULD BE DONE, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT EVERY OTHER ENTITY THAT I KNOW OF AROUND HERE DOES IT, AND I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S THAT MUCH COST. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DETAILS OF IT. WHAT ELSE INVOLVED, BUT I THINK THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ELECTED PEOPLE BEING INVOLVED NOW, THAT WE SHOULD BRING IN ALL THE RESOURCES WE CAN IN MAKING OUR DECISIONS, AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT WE SHOULD LET LIE THERE. THANKS. NICOLE CONLEY: THANKS, MR. HANNA. ON THAT REGARD, MISS MANN, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS AROUND THE COST? I KNOW THAT OTHER ENTITIES HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THEIR AV SYSTEMS TO ACCOMMODATE THAT. I KNOW THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES, BUT TCAD HAS, AS OF YET, BUT IF YOU COULD ADDRESS MR. HANNA'S QUESTION, AND MAYBE WE CAN - THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN COME BACK AND DISCUSS, OR SOMETHING. LEANA MANN: SURE, SO WE WOULD ESSENTIALLY NEED A COMPLETE SEPARATE BROADCASTING SYSTEM TO DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO THE COST IS BASED OFF OF WHAT WE PAID FOR THE CURRENT SYSTEM WE'RE USING RIGHT NOW. OF COURSE, IF THE BOARD, THEY HAVE Y'ALL CAN ADD THAT TO THE BUDGET FOR 27 OR ANY YEAR MOVING FORWARD TO WHERE WE COULD COVER THE COST, THAT WOULD BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD. NICOLE CONLEY: MR. HANNA JETT HANNA: I THINK ALL THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS THAT IT HAS TO BE ENCRYPTED, AND IT COULD BE ENCRYPTED TO GO THROUGH ZOOM, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THAT DIFFICULT, NICOLE CONLEY: SO WHY DON'T WE GET SOME CLEAR. I'M SORRY, DICK LAVINE: I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, BUT I WONDER, HAVE WE HAVE WE ASKED SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS HOW THEY DO IT? LEANA MANN: YEAH, MANY OF THEM USE THE EXACT SAME SYSTEM, BUT WE HAVE 1% OF THEIR BUDGET. WE WOULD NEED TO PLAN FOR A PURCHASE THAT LARGE. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS CONCERNING IS THAT IF THERE IS A TECHNICAL ISSUE WHILE SOMEONE'S REMOTELY ATTENDING EXECUTIVE SESSION, ANY DISCUSSION BECOMES PUBLIC, SO IT'S NOT PRIVILEGED ANYMORE, AND THAT'S REALLY THE CONCERNING PART, AND FOR TCAD TO THEN HAVE TO MANAGE SOMEONE ELSE'S HOME COMPUTER TO ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE INTERRUPTIONS OR AN INTERNET OUTAGE THAT WOULD JEOPARDIZE EXECUTIVE SESSION DISCUSSIONS, THAT'S THE AREA THAT I'M CONCERNED WITH. WE CAN, OF COURSE, EXPLORE IT MORE, DUSTIN BANKS: AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE EXACT, IT'S IN ANY SESSION, SO IF THE BROADCAST BECOMES INTERRUPTED, SO I EXPERIENCED THIS ON THE GARLAND ISD BOARD WHEN THEY HAD MEETINGS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE LIVE MONITOR, HAS TO BE UNINTERRUPTED FEED, IF THERE IS INTERRUPTION, YOU HAVE TO POSTPONE, LIKE WE'D HAVE TO STOP THE MEETING, TRY TO, YOU KNOW, MITIGATE THAT ISSUE, COME BACK ON LIVE FEED TO THEN TAKE UP THE MEETING ON THE ISSUE AGAIN TO GO FORWARD, AND SO JUST, JUST SOMETHING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON ON IMPLEMENTING, YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION, AND THEN EXECUTION OF THAT TECHNICAL, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTATION, ELIZABETH MONTOYA: I CAN IMAGINE WHERE THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND AISD AND THESE LARGER TAXING ENTITIES DO HAVE THE BUDGET, AND THIS WOULDN'T BOTHER THEM AT ALL, BUT I KNOW THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE DOESN'T HAVE IT, AND I IMAGINE THE SMALLER CITIES DO NOT HAVE IT, AND WOULDN'T APPRECIATE ANY EXTRA EXPENSE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE BOARD. NICOLE CONLEY: AGREED, I KNOW THAT THE LARGER AISD AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE THEIR OWN PUBLICATION CHANNELS, SO WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PUBLIC CHANNELS, YOU HAVE A LOT MORE CAPACITY AND A LOT MORE INVESTMENT IN SUCH ITEMS, AND SO MR. HANNA, DOES THAT SATISFY SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS? JETT HANNA: NO. SEE, THE THING IS, WE'RE ALREADY BROADCASTING IT, AND SO THE THING IS, ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS DIRECT IT TO ONE ENCRYPTED CHANNEL BETWEEN US AND THE PERSON WHO IS REMOTE, AND SO IT'S, IT'S A SIMPLE REDIRECTION OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE, IT DOESN'T TAKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT. NICOLE CONLEY: WELL, YEAH, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO SOME OPTIONS OR PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS. I THINK THE CHIEF APPRAISER HAS SORT OF WEIGHED IN ON THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS, AND BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THE CHANGE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE OUTLAYS AND EXPENDITURES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR MORE EFFICIENCIES, ESPECIALLY AS THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES OVER TIME, TO SEE IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT IT DOWN THE ROAD. IS THAT SATISFYING, MISS MANN? LEANA MANN: YEAH, AND THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WILL MEET FOR THE 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET. WE CAN PREPARE AN ANALYSIS FOR THE COMMITTEE TO [00:20:01] REVIEW, JUST FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION FOR BOARD MEMBERS, NICOLE CONLEY: MISS MANN. ALL RIGHT, ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON MR. ELFANT. BRUCE ELFANT: YEAH, I'M CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN FURTHER EXPLORING THIS, AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS TOO, BUT I HAVE AN UNRELATED ISSUE THAT CAME UP LAST WEEK WHEN WE, THE COMMITTEE THAT EVALUATED YOU, WERE THERE THE CHIEF APPRAISER IN THE OVERLAP BETWEEN THE CHIEF APPRAISER EVALUATION COMMITTEE AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DISCUSS NOW OR AT THAT AGENDA ITEM? NICOLE CONLEY: AT THAT AGENDA, OKAY? SO WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AROUND THAT. SO, THANK YOU, MR. ELFANT. ALL RIGHT, NO MORE DISCUSSION. WE ARE SCHEDULED TO TAKE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED REVISIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS ADVANCED AT THIS [5.B. Discussion And Possible Action On Proposed Revisions And Adoption Of The Board Of Directors Operating Policies] TIME. SO WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 5B IT'S 5B DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MADAM CHAIRMAN, THE RESOLUTION IS ON PAGE 67 AND IT BASICALLY LAYS OUT WHAT I JUST DISCUSSED IS THE CHANGES WITH THE CHANGES ON FOR THE POLICIES, AND THEN A COPY OF THE POLICIES WITH THE APPENDICES ON THE BACK THROUGH PAGE 116 NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, MS. CARTWRIGHT DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MAKE THE MOTION. NICOLE CONLEY: YES, PLEASE MAKE THE MOTION. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ALL RIGHT, I MOVED TO PASS RESOLUTION 20260511 DASH 5B RESOLUTION: THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT TO ADOPT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OPERATING POLICIES AS PRESENTED. NICOLE CONLEY: MR. WANG IS SECONDED BY MR. WANG. SEEING NO MORE DISCUSSION, WE'LL TAKE THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSITION? LET THE RECORD SHOW THERE'S ONE OPPOSITION FROM MR. HANNA, AND THAT ITEM PASSES. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 5C DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE TAXPAYER LIAISON REPORT. [5.C. Discussion And Possible Action On Taxpayer Liaison Officer Report] MR. TRAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING. HE'LL LEAD US THROUGH THIS ITEM. TONY TRAN: SO, MY REPORT ACTUALLY COVERS BEGINNING YEAR TILL APRIL 30. HOWEVER, THE FROM BEGINNING YEAR TILL MARCH WAS COVERED IN THE LAST BOARD MEETING. SO, MY FOCUS DURING THIS PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE ON APRIL. SO, IN APRIL, WE DID RECEIVE 86 INQUIRIES, COMPLAINTS. THAT IS A DOWNWARD TREND FROM LAST YEAR. LAST YEAR, IN APRIL, WE RECEIVED 98 SO 12% REDUCTION FROM LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, IT MORE THAN DOUBLED FROM MARCH. WE ANTICIPATE THIS NUMBER GOING UP AS WE'RE ENTERING THE FORMAL SEASON AND FORMAL SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON MAY 26 SO I DO ANTICIPATE THAT NUMBER GOING UP AS PROPERTY OWNERS ARE COMING IN AND HAVING MORE QUESTIONS OUT OF THOSE 86 THAT WE DID INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS THAT I DID CAPTURE, THE MAJORITY WERE LEVEL ONE, WERE JUST EDUCATIONAL, 59 WERE EDUCATIONAL 19, WHERE THE PROPERTY OWNER BELIEVED THAT WAS AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, AFTER REVIEWING IT, IT WAS PROPERLY ADDRESSED BY THE DISTRICT, AND THERE WERE EIGHT COMPLAINTS THAT WERE WHERE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME MISHAP, SOME ADMINISTRATIVE MISTAKES, IN WHICH I WENT TO THE CORRECT DEPARTMENTS, REVIEWED IT WITH THE MANAGER'S LEAD, AND MADE THAT CORRECTION, AND GENERALLY WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT RESOLUTION DATE DOWN. AS YOU NOTICE, WE'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE THINGS UNDER A DAY, IF POSSIBLE. AND I, I ALSO ACCOUNT FOR WHEN THE WHEN THE INQUIRIES COME IN, EVEN IF IT COMES IN ON A FRIDAY AT 6PM I'LL PUT THAT AS THE DATE THAT I RECEIVED THE INQUIRY, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY FOLLOW UP ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT WORKING DAY, BUT ALSO INCLUDE THAT AS THE DATE I RECEIVED IT, CONTINUING ON TO THE TO THE INQUIRY TYPES, THE COMPLAINT LOG, SO THIS IS A DETAILED LOG, I FILTER IT UP WITH THE THE HIGHER COMPLAINT LEVELS ON THE TOP, AS MENTIONED, THERE WERE EIGHT LEVEL THREE COMPLAINTS. AGAIN, GOING TO THE CORRECT DEPARTMENTS, REVIEWING IT WITH THE MANAGER, THE LEADS WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THAT IN A PRETTY TIMELY MANNER. MOST WERE RESOLVED WITHIN THAT SAME DAY. ONE TOOK A FEW MORE DAYS AS TRYING TO GET COORDINATED WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS, SO AND THEN REGARDING THE TYPE OF TYPE OF TOPICS THAT WERE WERE MENTIONED IN APRIL LAST MONTH, IT WAS, WE HAD MORE EXEMPTION INQUIRIES THAN MARKET VALUE THIS MONTH, HOWEVER, IT DOUBLED, THERE WAS 15 EXEMPTION INQUIRIES, 31 MARKET VALUE INQUIRY, SO THE MARKET VALUE INQUIRIES DOUBLED, AND REGARDING THE INQUIRIES, I'M NOT SURE IF I MENTIONED IT, BUT THERE WAS A LATE PROTEST ON ON THE 22ND AFTER THAT LATE PROTEST, I HAD FOUR PROPERTY OWNERS COME INTO THE OFFICE AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE. THEY SHOULD EXPECT, AND OVERALL I EXPECT THAT TREND TO CONTINUE AS WE'RE GOING INTO FORMAL [00:25:04] SEASON. SO, I RECEIVED 24 IN-PERSON INITIAL INQUIRIES, 10 PHONE, AND 52 EMAILS. SO, THE MAJORITY ARE STILL EMAILS, BUT STILL GETTING A LOT MORE IN-PERSON AS THEY'RE COMING, AND THE ARB OR THE APPRAISERS ARE GOING TO DIRECT THEM DIRECTLY TO OUR OFFICE, AND THEN OVERALL, REGARDING ZIP CODES, NOT MUCH CHANGE THERE, PREDOMINANTLY STILL ON THE WEST PART, WESTLAKE B CAVE AREA, GETTING MARKET VALUE INQUIRIES, AND ON THE EAST SIDE, DEL VALLE GETTING INQUIRIES REGARDING EXEMPTIONS, BUT THAT DOESN'T CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, AND OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS. NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, MR. TRAN. ANY, WE ANTICIPATED A SPIKE THIS MONTH. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FELLOW BOARD OF DIRECTORS? MISS CARTWRIGHT, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN COMING IN CONFUSED ABOUT WHETHER THEY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A NOTICE OF APPRAISED VALUE OR THEIR AGENCY STATUS, AND THAT SORT OF THING. COULD YOU COMMENT ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? TONY TRAN: SO, REGARDING THOSE, MYSELF AND MS. ARNOLD, THE DEPUTY TLO, WE DO A SYSTEM. I GENERALLY DON'T LOG THAT AS IT'S A QUICK INTERACTION WITH THEM, BUT WE HAVE HAD AN INFLUX OF PROPERTY OWNERS COMING IN STATING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR NOTE, THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR NOTICES THAT WE REVIEW IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE AN AGENT ON FILE, SO WHEN THEY HAVE AN AGENT ON FILE, ALL NOTIFICATIONS GO TO THE AGENT, AND THEN WE, OF COURSE, ASSIST THEM WITH FILLING OUT THE REVOCATION OF AGENCY, SO THEN THEY CAN REPRESENT THEMSELVES, BUT I'LL KEEP A BETTER TRACKING OF THAT FOR FUTURE MEETINGS, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU WOULD DO THAT, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE'S A TREND GOING ON, AND BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, PERHAPS WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO SAY THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS BEING EXPERIENCED AT THE TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE THE NUMBERS. TONY TRAN: DEFINITELY, YEAH. MYSELF AND MISS ARNOLD WILL DISCUSS WITH HER, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THAT AND GIVE YOU A FINITE NUMBER ON OUR NEXT HEARING, OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING. NICOLE CONLEY: THANKS, MR. TRAN. MR. HANNA, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? JETT HANNA: I WAS JUST CURIOUS, IS THIS BECAUSE OF A CHANGE THAT THE LEGISLATURE DID, OR DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A CHANGE LAST SESSION. YEARS AGO, THE NOTICES ALWAYS WENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, WHO THEN SHARED IT WITH THE AGENT, OR WHATEVER. BUT THE LEGISLATURE CHANGED IT, AND IT WAS PROBABLY SOME TIME AGO. I REALLY DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 10,15, YEARS AGO. IT'S BEEN A WHILE. WHERE THAT, IF THERE IS AN AGENT ON FILE, ALL NOTICES GO TO THE AGENT, AND THE PROPERTY OWNER NEVER REALLY KNOWS. AND SO JETT HANNA: I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: BUT IT SEEMS THAT MORE AND MORE THAT TAXPAYERS ARE CONFUSED WHEN, BECAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THEY HAVE HIRED AN AGENT, BECAUSE THE AGENCY CONTRACTS ARE ONGOING UNLESS REVOKED AND SO PEOPLE FORGET THAT THEY HAVE SIGNED AN AGENCY FORM AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOME DIFFICULTY WITH OUR COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT IT'S REGISTERING AGENCY BECAUSE THE CHIEF APPRAISER ADDRESS THAT LEANA MANN: SO THE PORTAL, THE AGENT PORTAL, THEY SUBMIT THEIR AOAS THROUGH THAT PORTAL, AND THE SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY PROCESSES IT. WE DO A SELECTIVE REVIEW, SO USUALLY ABOUT 10 TO 15% AS TIME PERMITS THROUGH THE PROTEST SEASON, AND WE'LL REVOKE THOSE THAT WE HAVE FOUND TO BE IF THERE'S ANY DISCREPANCY, BUT I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW AGENTS, AND AS THEY SIGN UP NEW CUSTOMERS, THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT THAT IS NOT A ONE YEAR CONTRACT, THAT IT IS ONGOING UNTIL IT'S INDEFINITELY. I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE ISSUE COMES UP. WE DO PROVIDE ALL NOTICES OF APPRAISED VALUE ON THE WEBSITE, UNLESS YOU'RE A CONFIDENTIAL OWNER, SO THEY STILL CAN'T ACCESS THEIR NOTICE THROUGH THE PROPERTY SEARCH. NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, MISS MANN. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTION? ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, MR. TRAN, YOU'RE GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THE NEXT ITEM. WE HAVE ITEM 5D DISCUSSION AND [5.D. Discussion And Possible Action On Removal Of Appraisal Review Board Members Who Resigned] POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE REMOVAL APPRAISAL BOARD REVIEW MEMBERS THAT HAVE RESIGNED. TONY TRAN: YES, SO THE FOLLOWING ARB MEMBERS HAVE SUBMITTED A RESIGNATION NOTICE AND NEED TO BE FORMALLY REMOVED FROM THE ARB. JOE MANDRAGON, MS. LYNN WILKERSON, AND NICHOLAS ZAGNICA. NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, MR. TRAN. IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE RESIGNATION OF THESE MEMBERS? MOTION MOTION, MR. HANNA, AND THEN SECOND BY MR. WANG. SEEING NO MORE DISCUSSION, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET THE RECORD SHOW THERE ARE NO OPPOSE. NEXT ITEM IS 5E DISCUSSION. POSSIBLE [5.E. Discussion And Possible Action On Appraisal Review Board Chairperson's Report] ACTION ON THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. WE'RE [00:30:04] HERE FROM MS. BROOKS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MS. BROOKS. MEG BROOKS: SO WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR MOCK HEARINGS WITH OUR NEW MEMBERS, SO WE BASICALLY HAVE CHAIRS AND OTHER MEMBERS ACTING AS ACTORS, BEING THE PROPERTY OWNER IN THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, AND GO THROUGH A HEARING IN A SLOW FASHION, SO THEY CAN ASK EVERY QUESTION THEY WANT TO ASK THAT THEY CAN'T ASK IN A REGULAR HEARING. SO WE'RE DOING THAT YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW, SO ADDRESSED FOR THAT, AND NOT A BOARD MEETING. YEAH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORT, KIND OF THE NORMAL STUFF IS GOING ON. I DID FINALLY GET MY AGENT LETTER OUT, SO I SEND A LETTER TO ALL THE AGENTS, OR THAT EXPLAINS A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROCESS AND WHAT WE EXPECT FOR THE YEAR, AND OUR HEARING PROCEDURES ARE DONE, AND WE'RE READY FOR MAY 26 HOPEFULLY. NICOLE CONLEY: THANK YOU, MISS BROOKS. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? MEG BROOKS: THANK YOU. NICOLE CONLEY: ALL RIGHT, THANKS, MISS BROOKS. OUR NEXT ITEM IS POSSIBLE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ADOPTION OF [5.F. Discussion And Possible Action On Adoption Of Proposed Personnel Policy] THE PROPOSED PERSONNEL POLICY, AND I THINK MISS HARVEY IS COMING UP TO WALK US THROUGH THIS ITEM. KAT HARVEY: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. SO, BASICALLY, THIS YEAR WE REVIEWED OUR PERSONNEL POLICY. WE DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED BASED OFF ANY LEGISLATION OR ANY CHANGES, SO I JUST WANT TO GO OVER WHAT THIS PROCESS KIND OF LOOKS LIKE. SO OUR TCAD PERSONNEL POLICY STATES THAT THESE POLICIES MAY BE UNILATERALLY CHANGED BY THE TCAD BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CHIEF APPRAISER AT A REGULAR MEETING AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SO THESE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE POLICIES MUST BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL STAFF AT LEAST 15 DAYS PRIOR TO THE NEXT SCHEDULED BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING FOR CONSIDERATION AND ACTION ON THOSE CHANGES, SO ANYTIME WE DO MAKE CHANGES, WE PERIODICALLY INCORPORATE THEM INTO PERSONNEL POLICY, YOU ALL REVIEW THEM, AND THEN WE DISTRIBUTE THEM TO STAFF ONCE THAT THOSE CHANGES HAVE BEEN ADDED, SO NEXT SLIDE. OKAY, AND SO PARTICA POLICY, WE DID SUBMIT THESE CHANGES TO STAFF ON APRIL 14 FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT, AND I INCLUDED A COPY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES, AND THEY'VE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED INSIDE OF THE BOOK, AND WE DID RECEIVE A COMMENT, SO I'LL GO OVER THAT. SO, PAGE 171 WAS A LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY PAY POLICY THAT WE ADDED. CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY BOTH HAVE THIS POLICY, SO WE ADDED IT TO OURS AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OF DIFFERING LANGUAGES IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND CITY OF AUSTIN, AND WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH THAT, SO IF YOU WANT TO REVIEW THAT POLICY, THOSE CHANGES ARE THERE. NICOLE CONLEY: YES, WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS. CARTWRIGHT, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. IS DOES THIS MEAN IF AN EMPLOYEE LEARNS A NEW LANGUAGE, THERE'S A SALARY BUMP, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? KAT HARVEY: SO THE PROFICIENCY PAY POLICY IS BASICALLY SOMEBODY THAT ALREADY HAS A LANGUAGE, IS VERY PROFICIENT IN THAT LANGUAGE, CAN SAY, "HEY, I'M IN CUSTOMER SERVICE, I SPEAK SPANISH, I ASSIST CUSTOMERS ALREADY, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM SOMETHING FOR THAT ADDITIONAL ADDED BENEFIT THAT THEY OFFER US. AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT FOUR LANGUAGES THAT ARE PRETTY HIGH IN THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY THAT WE WILL ALLOW FOR THAT PROFICIENCY PAY. DOES AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE APPLY? YES, IT DOES. NICOLE CONLEY: AND THERE'S AN ASSESSMENT IN WHICH WE ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROFICIENT IN WHICHEVER LANGUAGE THEY'RE DESIGNATING, AND DO THEY HAVE TO UTILIZE THE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN SOME CARDIO SERVICE CAPACITY TO RECEIVE THE BENEFIT, KAT HARVEY: IT HAS TO BE RELATIVE TO THEIR POSITION. YEAH, THE NEXT CHANGE THAT WAS MADE IS ON PAGE 180 AND THAT'S JUST RELATED TO FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT. THERE IS A SPOUSAL LEAVE LIMITATION BY THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT, WHICH, SO IF THERE'S LIKE A FAMILY CRISIS OR SOMETHING, AND TWO SPOUSES WORK FOR THE DISTRICT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ALLOWS US TO CAP IT AT 12 WEEKS FOR BOTH HUSBAND AND WIFE, AND SO WE'RE REMOVING THAT SPOUSAL LIMITATION, SO THEY CAN EACH HAVE IT ACCORDINGLY, THEY CAN BOTH HAVE THE 12 WEEKS SEPARATELY, THERE'S NO CAP ON THAT, AND THEN WE ALSO INCLUDED FURTHER DOWN THE PAGE JUST SOME UPDATED LANGUAGE REGARDING THEIR BENEFITS DURING UNPAID LEAVE, IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY AND THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOURS BECAUSE OF THIS EMERGENCY, WE KIND OF ALLOW FOR CONTINUATION OF BENEFITS, AND THEN ONCE THEY RETURN, THEN WE FIGURE OUT. WHAT THAT DIFFERENCE IS, AND HELP [00:35:02] THEM WORK THROUGH THOSE THAT COST THAT THEY INCURRED DURING THAT TIME. NICOLE CONLEY: YES, MISS CARTWRIGHT. AND THEN MR. LAVINE, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: THE STATE USED TO HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL DO KIND OF A SICK LEAVE BANKING KIND OF THING, THAT IF YOU DON'T USE YOUR SICK LEAVE, YOU CAN PUT IT IN THE BANK FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO HAVE, DO WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? LEANA MANN: WE DID YEARS AGO. WE WERE ACTUALLY ADVISED BY AN ATTORNEY TO NOT HAVE THAT POLICY, SO IT'S BEEN REMOVED. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: ALL RIGHT, JUST CURIOUS, IT WAS USEFUL IN SOME CASES, AND WHEN THEY WERE, IF THERE'S A REAL SERIOUS ILLNESS, BUT WHATEVER THE ATTORNEYS SAY, NICOLE CONLEY: MR. LAVINE. DICK LAVINE: JUST A QUESTION ABOUT THE REIMBURSEMENT. IF YOU'VE BEEN ON UNPAID LEAVES, YOU'LL GET YOUR INSURANCE COVERED WHILE YOU'RE ON LEAVE, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT THEN WHEN YOU HAVE TO PAY IT BACK, IS IT DONE BY WEEKLY DEDUCTION OVER A PERIOD OF TIME OR A LUMP SUM? KAT HARVEY: NO. SO, WHATEVER WORKS FOR THEM, WE KIND OF WORK WITH THE EMPLOYEE TO DO PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS, AND WE CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT OUT WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME IF YOU WANT TO PAY IT UP FRONT IN A LUMP SUM, WHATEVER IS HELPFUL TO THE EMPLOYEE ON THEIR RETURN. WE DON'T WANT TO CAUSE ANY MORE ADDED STRESS. DICK LAVINE: ROUGHLY, WHAT'S THE.. IT WAS A 12 WEEKS, WHAT WOULD.. WHAT WOULD BE THE INSURANCE COST FOR 12 WEEKS KAT HARVEY: THAT VARIES BASED ON WHAT KIND OF COVERAGE THAT THEY HAVE. TYPICALLY, WE PAY 100% FOR AN EMPLOYEE, AND THEN THAT'D BE JUST A SEPARATION FOR DEPENDENTS. DICK LAVINE: I MEANT IN DOLLAR AMOUNT. I'M JUST CURIOUS LEANA MANN: WE SEE THIS ISSUE COME UP A LOT WITH FAMILY COVERAGE, AND THAT CAN BE $500 A MONTH, ROUGHLY CHILDREN, I THINK, ARE ABOUT 180 A MONTH, KAT HARVEY: 181 YES. NICOLE CONLEY: ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION RELATED TO THIS ITEM? YES, MR. JETT HANNA: JUST HAD A GENERAL QUESTION. WHAT IS THE PROCESS YOU DO TO COME UP WITH THE CHANGES IN PERSONNEL POLICY? YOU CONSULT WITH A LAWYER, GO TO CONFERENCES. WHAT DO YOU NICOLE CONLEY: MR. WANG. SHENGHAO WANG: QUICK QUESTION, HOW MANY MARRIED COUPLES DO WE HAVE WORKING AT TCAD? LEANA MANN: WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THIS ISSUE UNTIL THIS YEAR, BUT WE HAVE TWO COUPLES THAT ARE BOTH EMPLOYED THAT ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS SITUATION. KAT HARVEY: YES, NICOLE CONLEY: AT LEAST THERE'S BALANCE. YEAH, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS? DICK LAVINE: JUST WONDERING IF THEY MET HERE. KAT HARVEY: NO, NO. LEANA MANN: WELL, ONE DID ONE DID, AND ONE DID NOT. AND FOR CHILD LEAVE AND HAVING YOUR A CHILD, WE THINK THAT BOTH PARENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENJOY THAT TIME, AND THIS PROHIBITED KAT HARVEY: OKAY. AND NEXT SLIDE IS THE SUGGESTION. SO THE ONLY SUGGESTION I DID GET WAS BASED OFF THE ACCRUAL FOR VACATION TIME. RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT WHEN YOU REACH 10 YEARS, YOU GET 5.5 HOURS OF VACATION. WE HAVE A SLIDING ACCRUAL, AND THEY SAID COULD WE GO UP TO SIX HOURS. I REVIEWED, YOU KNOW, FEEDBACK OVER THE YEARS AND COMPARISON OF PEER APPRAISAL DISTRICTS, AND YOU KNOW, CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND BASED ON THAT REVIEW, THE ACCRUAL STRUCTURE IS PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING, AND SO WE DID NOT RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES TO THAT POLICY AT THIS TIME. RECOMMENDATION, NICOLE CONLEY: WELL, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS, THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE PERSONNEL POLICY? MOTION BY MS. MONTOYA AND SECOND BY MR. LAVINE. AND WE'LL TAKE THE VOTE. ANY ALL IN FAVOR? LET THE RECORD SHOW THERE ARE NO OPPOSITIONS. THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE HAVE IS FROM THE CHIEF APPRAISER. CHIEF [5.G. Discussion And Possible Action On Chief Appraiser's Report To Include: 2026 Mass Appraisal Report, 2026 Protest Season, Homestead Verification Program, Community Outreach, And Taxpayer Experience Snapshot] APPRAISER'S REPORT TO INCLUDE 2026 MASS APPRAISAL REPORT, 2026 PROTEST SEASON HOMESTEAD VERIFICATION PROGRAM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE SNAPSHOT, MISS MANN. LEANA MANN: THANK YOU. WE'VE PREPARED OUR 2026 MASS APPRAISAL REPORT, AND AS A REMINDER, THIS IS JUST WHEN YOU GET A FEE APPRAISAL DONE, YOU GET A PHYSICAL REPORT. THIS IS THE MASS APPRAISAL VERSION OF THAT, SO IT OUTLINES HOW WE APPRAISE PROPERTY, LIMITING CONDITIONS, AND. DEFIES THE INFORMATION, AND [00:40:02] FOR THIS 2026 MASS APPRAISAL REPORT, THE TOTAL MARKET VALUE WAS $484,995,664,905 THE FULL REPORT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE. OUR PROTEST SEASON IS IN FULL SWING. AS A REMINDER TO THOSE WATCHING REMOTELY, THE PROTEST DEADLINE IS TOMORROW, MAY 15. SO, MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PROTEST PROTESTS IN BY THAT DEADLINE. INFORMAL MEETINGS ARE BEING CONDUCTED BY RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DIVISIONS. AND THEN OUR FORMAL HEARINGS WITH THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD WILL BEGIN THE DAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY, MAY 20-SIXTH. AS A REMINDER, THERE'S THE PROTEST PROCESS IS A SIMPLE THREE-STEP PROCESS. FILE YOUR PROTESTS BY MAY 15. YOU HAVE THAT OPTIONAL INFORMAL MEETING WHERE YOU CAN SIT DOWN INFORMALLY WITH AN APPRAISER AND DISCUSS YOUR PROPERTY, AND THEN IF YOU DO NOT REACH A RESOLUTION DURING THAT PROCESS, YOU CAN THEN GO ON TO STEP THREE AND ATTEND YOUR FORMAL ARB HEARING FILING ONLINE. YES, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: MA'AM, I'M SORRY. REAL QUICKLY, I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE AN OPTION FOR INFORMAL MEETINGS, EITHER IN PERSON OR ON OVER THE PHONE, OR THEY'RE LEANA MANN: ALL REMOTE, BUT YES, DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: SO THEY MOST ALL OF THEM ARE REMOTE, LEANA MANN: ALL ARE REMOTE. YES, UNLESS WE GET A REQUEST FOR AN ADA ACCOMMODATION. DEBORAH CARTWRIGHT: OKAY, ALL RIGHT. WASN'T SURE ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. LEANA MANN: SO, FILING YOUR PROTEST, JUST AS A REMINDER, ONLINE IS THE EASIEST AND FASTEST WAY YOU CAN UPLOAD ALL OF YOUR DOCUMENTATION YOU'D LIKE US TO REVIEW. YOU'LL RECEIVE ANY INFORMAL SETTLEMENT OFFERS THROUGH THE PORTAL, AND YOU CAN ACCEPT OR REJECT THEM THROUGH THERE AS WELL. YOU ALSO CAN EASILY SCHEDULE YOURSELF FOR A TIME THAT WORKS FOR YOUR INFORMAL MEETING, SO THAT YOU CAN WORK WITH YOU WITHIN YOUR CALENDAR, AND IF THERE'S A WAIT, YOU'RE DOING THAT IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME. YOU CAN, OF COURSE, STILL FILE YOUR PROTESTS IN PERSON HERE AT OUR OFFICE. WE ALSO HAVE A NIGHTLY DROP BOX THAT YOU COULD DROP IT IN AFTER HOURS, OR YOU CAN SEND IT BY MAIL. IF YOU ARE SENDING YOUR PROTEST BY MAIL, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO BE AWARE OF THE NEW POSTER USPS PROCESSING RULES. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY POST DATING MAIL THE DAY THEY RECEIVE IT, SO BE SURE YOU MAIL IT EARLY, ASK FOR A HAND-CANCELED POSTMARK. YOU HAVE TO GO INSIDE THE POST OFFICE TO GET THAT, OR SEND IT CERTIFIED MAIL, SO YOU HAVE A TRACKING NUMBER. AND THEN ONE LAST TIP: DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO FILE. WE HEAR EVERY YEAR PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE TRYING TO FILE AT 11PM AT NIGHT, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR PIN NUMBER, THEY ENCOUNTER SOME TECHNICAL ISSUE, AND OUR STAFF IS NOT AVAILABLE TO HELP THEM FILE EARLY, SO THAT IF YOU HAVE ISSUES, WE CAN ASSIST YOU, CAN REACH OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TIME, MORE TIME TO DO YOUR INFORMAL, YOU MAY GET FEEDBACK FROM THE APPRAISER OF ITEMS THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR YOUR FORMAL ARB HEARING, AND THAT ADDED TIME GIVES YOU AMPLE TIME TO PREPARE ALL OF YOUR DOCUMENTS FOR YOUR PROTESTS. AS OF YESTERDAY MORNING, WE WERE JUST UNDER 180,000 PROTESTS. OUR STAFF HAS DILIGENTLY BEEN WORKING INFORMALS, AND WE ARE SEEING, AS OF THIS MORNING, ABOUT A 10% OWNER, 90% AGENT FILED PROTEST LOAD. WE HAVE FINISHED UP OUR HOMESTEAD VERIFICATION PROJECT FOR 2026 WE HAVE A FEW OUTSTANDING WHERE WE'VE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, BUT ANY PROPERTY OWNERS WHO DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATIONS, THEIR EXEMPTIONS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THEY WERE REMOVED PRIOR TO THEIR NOTICE OF APPRAISED VALUE GOING OUT, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR, JUST BECAUSE OF TIMING WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION. BUT THEY DID, THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN ON THEIR NOTICE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE EXEMPTIONS, AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED SEEING PEOPLE NOW RESPOND AND PROVIDE THOSE DOCUMENTS TO GET THEM ADDED BACK ON WE HAD A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL GROUP OF PROPERTIES LAST YEAR THAT AFTER THE TAX BILL WENT OUT, THEN THEY GOT US THE DOCUMENTATION WE NEEDED, SO WE COULD ADD IT BACK, SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT'LL HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR, DICK LAVINE: AND HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE TO REESTABLISH THEIR HOMESTEAD? LEANA MANN: WE CAN GO BACK TWO YEARS, SO AS LONG AS THEY RESPOND WITHIN THAT TWO YEARS WE CAN REINSTATE IT. DICK LAVINE: AND YOU KNOW, SINCE I'M ASKING, I MEANT TO ASK ON THE INFORMALS, WHETHER THE INFORMAL WELL, FIRST ON THE ONLINE SETTLEMENT, IS THAT DETERMINED BY THE APPRAISER WHO DID THE INITIAL APPRAISAL OR BY SOMEONE ELSE WITH JUST LEANA MANN: IT'S A, IT'S BOTH, SO OUR SYSTEM DOES SOME ANALYSIS AND PROVIDES OFFERS THROUGH AN AUTOMATIC FASHION IF IT'S WITHIN CERTAIN THRESHOLDS, AND THEN AFTER THEY'RE INFORMAL, THE APPRAISER WILL REVIEW THEIR DOCUMENTATION AND THEN MAKE ANOTHER OFFER IF WARRANTED, DICK LAVINE: BUT IT IS THE APPRAISER THAT DID THE INITIAL, AND SAME FOR THE INFORMAL, IN-PERSON REMOTELY, BUT. SO IT'S [00:45:01] SOMEBODY WHO'S KNOWLEDGEABLE ON THAT PROPERTY, IN PARTICULAR, FOR LEANA MANN: MORE COMPLEX PROPERTY, THERE MAY BE A MANAGER REVIEW THAT TAKES PLACE, BUT THE APPRAISER THAT DOES THE INFORMAL IS THE ONE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION. DICK LAVINE: OKAY. THANK YOU. LEANA MANN: WE HAVE ALSO DONE A FEW COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS THROUGH MAY, WE'VE DONE OUR DVCC PRESENTATION FOR NOTICES AND PROTESTS. WE ALSO DID THE ANDERSON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. WE DID A TCAD 101 FOR THEM, AND THEN THE AUSTIN VA CLINIC. WE'VE GOT YESTERDAY WE HAD THE GET TO KNOW YOUR VETERANS BENEFITS, AND THEN WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE NEXT WEEK WITH BETTER TOGETHER RESOURCE FAIR, AND THEN AS OF RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE EVENT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE, WHICH IS TCAD 102 WITH STANBURY REALTORS, AND THIS IS A MORE DEEP DIVE INTO THE PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY MORE COMPLEX EXEMPTION QUESTIONS, AND THEN OUR TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE SCORE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS RECEIVING A 4.65 OUT OF FIVE, AND WE'VE STARTED OUR PROTEST SEASON SURVEYS AS WELL, AND CURRENTLY OUR APPRAISERS ARE AT A 4.68 OUT OF FIVE, AND I INCLUDED SOME COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WERE POSITIVE, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE. NICOLE CONLEY: ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, MR. WANG? SHENGHAO WANG: YEAH, A QUICK QUESTION, A FOLLOW-UP OR A PRE KIND OF PRE QUESTION TO DICK'S MS. LAVINE'S. SO, AS I UNDERSTAND, THE FIRST APPRAISAL LEVEL IS THE MASS APPRAISAL, AND SO HE ASKED SOMETHING ABOUT, IS THE APPRAISER WHO MAKES THE OFFER THE SAME ONE WHO DID THE INITIAL APPRAISAL? IS THAT, LEANA MANN: THINK, HE WAS ASKING IF THE INITIAL OFFER WAS MADE BY THE APPRAISER THAT DID THE INFORMAL, SHENGHAO WANG: IS LEANA MANN: THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? DICK LAVINE: I THINK IT IS ASKING FIRST ON THE E-PROTEST. YOU SAID THAT'S OFTEN DONE BY AUTOMATION, LEANA MANN: RIGHT? DICK LAVINE: BUT WHEN YOU DO HAVE A FACE-TO-FACE OR TELEPHONIC INFORMAL, THAT'S DONE, THE TAXPAYER GETS TO TALK TO THE APPRAISER WHO'S FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROPERTY, NOT JUST WORKING OFF OF DATA IN FRONT OF THEM, IS THAT RIGHT? LEANA MANN: SO, THE INFORMAL APPRAISER IS KIND OF A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, SO IT'S WHOEVER IS AVAILABLE, BUT ONCE THEY REVIEW THAT PROPERTY AND GO THROUGH THE INFORMAL WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, THEY'RE THE ONES MAKING THE OFFER TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, SO THEY, THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPERTY, WITH THE EVIDENCE THE OWNERS SUBMITTED, AND THEN AN OFFER IS MADE IF WARRANTED, DICK LAVINE: THEY'RE FAMILIAR BECAUSE OF THE HEARING, NOT BEFORE THE HEARING, LEANA MANN: RIGHT? WE, OH YEAH, WE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO REVIEW INFORMAL EVIDENCE BEFORE THE MEETING. DICK LAVINE: NO, I DON'T THINK THAT WHAT I MEAN IS WHEN I, AS A TAXPAYER, AM HAVING MY INFORMAL HEARING, WHO AM I TALKING TO? IS IT JUST AN APPRAISER WHO REVIEWS WHAT I'VE PRESENTED AND WHAT THE DISTRICT HAS, OR IS IT SOMEBODY WHO ALREADY HAD BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE APPRAISAL? LEANA MANN: NO, NOT NECESSARILY. IT IS A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE FOR WHICHEVER APPRAISER IS AVAILABLE. NICOLE CONLEY: ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? OKAY, HEARING NONE. [5.H. Discussion And Possible Action On Performance Review And Compensation For Chief Appraiser] THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF THE CHIEF APPRAISAL REPORT. NO [00:51:40] ACTION IS NEEDED ON THIS ITEM, BUT WE DO NEED ACTION ON THE NEXT ITEM FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHERE WE DISCUSS IMPOSSIBLE [00:55:33] ACTION ON PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND COMPENSATION FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER, SO CAN I GET A MOTION. THE BOARD MAY MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE ON ANY MATTER AUTHORIZED BY [01:01:12] TEXAS GOVERNMENT AND CODE SECTION 551 DOT 001 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, CITING SECTION 551 DOT 074 PERSONNEL MATTERS, TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT ABOUT EMPLOYMENT [01:06:35] EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT DUTIES, DISCIPLINE, OR DISMISSAL OF THE CHIEF APPRAISER OR OTHER PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, OR TO HEAR [01:10:44] A COMPLAINT OR CHARGE. IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION? HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. LEVINE. IS THERE A SECOND? MR. WANG, SECOND BY MR. WANG. ALL IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE IN [01:16:46] EXECUTIVE SESSION, I OKAY, THE TIME IS 12:58 AND THE TCAD BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS RETURNED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE WENT INTO [01:20:50] EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE RECORD AT 12D20 WHERE WE DISCUSSED ITEM 5H DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND COMPENSATION FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER. DO WE HAVE A MOTION [01:26:45] ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ITEM? DICK LAVINE: YES, MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ON WHICH I SERVED, AND I MOVE THAT THE BOARD TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE CHIEF APPRAISER: SET A BASE SALARY OF $278,532 EFFECTIVE MAY 14 OF THIS YEAR, 2026 MAKE THE CHIEF APPRAISER ELIGIBLE FOR THE MERIT PROGRAM PROVIDED TO ALL OTHER TCAD STAFF. DIRECT THE PURCHASING AND CONTRACT REVIEW COMMITTEE, IN CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, TO PREPARE AN AMENDED EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT FOR THE CHIEF APPRAISER, PROVIDING FOR A THREE YEAR TERM AND REMOVING ANY SEVERANCE PROVISION, AND THE PROPOSED AMENDED CONTRACT, TOGETHER WITH ANY RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS, SHALL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AT ITS NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING. BRUCE ELFANT: I SECOND NICOLE CONLEY: WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND. I JUST HAVE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. SO IT IS GOING THROUGH CONTRACTS COMMITTEE AND NOT EVALUATION COMMITTEE DICK LAVINE: FOR REVIEW. NICOLE CONLEY: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT WE HAVE ON THE TABLE, THE CORRECT RECORDS SHOW THAT THERE WERE NO ABSTENTIONS OR NO ABSTENTIONS AND NO OBJECTIONS. NEXT, WE'RE AT ADJOURNMENT. CAN THEN GET A [6. Adjournment] MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS FINE MEETING. MISS CARTWRIGHT, AND THEN SECOND BY MISS MONTOYA TO JOIN THE ADJOURN THE MEETING BEFORE WE OFFICIALLY RETURN, ADJOURN. I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS THURSDAY, JUNE 11 AT 11:30AM SO, I TRUST THAT YOU ALL WILL BE THERE. WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING SOME MAJOR ITEMS, LIKE THE BUDGET, AND, AND, AND WE'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.