Good afternoon.

I am Ladina Bolton, your Super District 7 Commissioner and Deputy Presiding Officer.

I also serve as chair of employee relations and public safety.

Thank you for joining us for our meeting.

On serving on this committee with me are also Commissioners Nicole Masaya and Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson.

We do have Commissioner Terry joining us today.

We will be jumping around a little bit in our agenda just because we have quite a few contracts and some discussion.

Oh, we have a lot of contracts and a few discussions that we will need to go through today.

All commission districts.

Okay.

All commission districts.

These are the minutes from the June 2nd meeting.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Motion carries for approval for item 1013.

And we're gonna move to page two item 2026 0823.

All commission districts.

This is a cooperative agreement, bus and other transportation vehicles, parts, and service.

The interlocal purchasing system or tips, contract 260205 for use by police services to obtain equipment installation service for vehicles awarded to Monster Customs LLC, amount not to exceed 156,000.

How you doing, Chief?

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Good afternoon, Commissioners.

This particular item uh actually a positive thing.

Uh we need some more help, but the positive part is in 2025, our SWORN staffing increased from 527 officers to 583 with a 9% growth rate.

And so far this year, we've increased.

We started with 583.

We're up to 624 S'Orne.

Uh so that's a six percent growth rate just for the first six months of this year.

So we've seen a significant increase in our staffing.

Uh with that, we uh offer take home vehicles to all officers.

Uh we have uh several vehicles that are on standby to be outfitted right now.

We only have four available, so this contract will allow us to get additional uh vendors to be able to outfit our police vehicles with the the lights, the radio, the cage, all the equipment needed to put our vehicles in service for our officers.

Okay, do we have any questions or comments from committee members regarding this item?

No, I have not any questions or comments from commissioners.

Okay, do we have a motion for this item?

Uh motion to approve.

Second, all in favor.

I motion carries recommendation for approval.

Next item is 2026 0829.

Also on page two, all commission districts.

This is also a cooperative agreement for technology solutions, products, and services.

This is also an interlocal purchasing system contract number 230105 for use by police services to obtain 160 tough books and docking stations for police vehicles awarded to ProLogic ITS amount not to exceed 636,000 dollars.

Go ahead, Chief.

Yes, ma'am.

This is similar to the previous item that we discussed in outfitting the new vehicles in addition to our tough book laptops that our uh officers have in each vehicle.

Many of them need to be replaced, and the new vehicles need to have them installed, so this would allow Prologics to do that installation, and the funding source for this item is through ceased funds.

I didn't catch the very tail end of what you said.

It allows them to do what now allows them to install the the tough book, the computers in our cars.

Oh, I'll log it.

Any questions or comments from committee members?

I have none.

Any questions or comments from commissioners?

Okay.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Congratulations.

Motion carries recommendation for approval.

All right.

So we are gonna jump to page three.

And I am doing these in the order that I received them as being prioritized.

So on page three item 2026 0132.

This is under fire rescue.

All commission districts.

It's a multi-year for use by the Department of Fire Rescue Services to obtain annual maintenance service and repairs for emergency medical equipment utilized and providing emergency care for a four-year period.

Also ratifying a previously issued purchase order awarded to striker sales LLC amount not to exceed 790,000 64 and 61 cents.

All right, good afternoon again.

Um yes, this is for the uh, as you stated, the uh equipment, this is for life safety, life-saving equipment that we use on a day-to-day basis, AEDs, life pads, Lucas devices, things used for CPR.

Um, this ratification is for that first year of that four-year contract where PO was there so that we can continue uh with the maintenance of this equipment.

Any questions or comments from committee members?

I have no questions.

Okay, any questions or comments from commissioners?

No.

Okay, do we have a motion for this item 0132?

Yeah, I have a motion to approve.

I make a motion to approve.

Second, all in favor, aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval, and we are going to jump back to page two.

And this is item 2026 0897.

This is an item under police services and annual enforcement services.

All commission districts.

Change order number four to contract number 1349075, Cloud Solutions and Services.

It's a statewide contract, number 999, SPDT 0190814-0001 for use by police services and animal enforcement services or open gov software supporting management of license and permitting functions, seeking increase in contract funds and term through September 30th, 2029, awarded to Kerasoft Technology Corp, amount not to exceed 384,161 and 62 cents.

All right, go ahead, Chief.

Yes, ma'am.

So this uh software is used by our license and permit in section in the police department.

Uh we use it uh to issue permits for alcohol sales, adult entertainment, servers, bartenders, and the like, uh, carnival operators, but uh we also utilize it for background investigations for for multiple other things, door-to-door sales, pawn shop dealers, and uh pawn shop um metal suppliers as well.

And the 384 takes us through September 2029 to speak on that.

I I just want to confirm that I would have to double check that September 2029.

Is that something you would have, Director Butler?

My apologies, I needed to uh look through some paperwork.

Uh yes, it is this is a subscription, so the uh and it's a multi-year.

So with it being a multi-year, it's about around 100 per year for the software.

Any questions or comments from committee members?

No, I have not.

Okay, questions or comments from commissioners.

All right, do we have a motion for that item?

Motion to approve.

Second, all in favor, aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval.

Next item is also on page two.

Next section E911.

This is item 2026 0898.

All commission districts change order number one to contract number two zero zero zero zero two three to CAB County E911 call handling system for use by E911 communications to obtain emergency call handling system seeking increase in contract scope and funds awarded to ATT Enterprises LLC amount not to exceed 1,219,732.

All right.

Good afternoon.

So the uh change order that we're submitting is for two additional features for the phone system.

One is called um event assist, and what that does is transcribe what the call taker and caller are saying, which allows the call taker to focus more on what the caller is saying instead of typing.

It allows them to copy and paste that information into the call so that our responders can see it.

The other features call um admin assistant.

What it is is a virtual agent that we'll use to answer routine calls, um, anything that we get on a regular basis that doesn't need an operator to answer.

We uh allow the system to answer those routine questions and also implement any trigger words that would require um human intervention.

We use the um AI technology to be able to answer those questions.

It will um answer the routine question, it will send links to the caller if they request to any website or any additional information they may need.

So we'll use that to answer some of those routine administrative calls so that we can free up the 911 operators to focus more on true emergencies.

And to clarify, I missed it if you did state it when answering those routine questions.

Was that through a phone call and selecting prompts, or was it is it through text messaging?

A phone call and answering prompts.

And those are based on I guess a study that was done to determine what is frequently asked, or is that something that's provided by the platform administrator?

Through research and what the frequently asked questions are and it is set with any trigger words, so someone says sick or injured or anything like that, it'll automatically transfer them to a 911 operator.

Okay, and the increase in the funds is still with the same expiry date, or was it that previously extended?

It's with the same inspiration.

Okay.

Do you have what that is?

It's the end of time contract zero eight nine.

It's currently December 31st, 2029.

Oh, okay.

Any other questions or comments from committee committee members 2029?

Get it to and I have no questions.

Okay.

Any questions or comments from commissioners?

All right.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

Second, all in favor.

Aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval.

We are moving over to page three.

Next item is under fire rescue.

It is item 2026 0775.

All commission districts.

It's in change order number five to contract number one two four six seven three six.

Emergency medical supplies.

It's an annual contract with two options to renew for use by fire rescue to obtain emergency medical supplies for fire rescue and emergency medical service units vehicles.

It's an annual contract with two options to renew for use by fire rescue to obtain emergency medical supplies for fire rescue and emergency medical service units vehicles seeking to increase the contract funds and term through September 30, 2026, awarded to a boundary medical LLC, amount not to exceed 225 or 225,000 dollars.

Go ahead, Chief.

Thank you so much.

Um yes, so this contract is for equipment that we use that are consumables, gloves, masks, gowns, um, as well as um drugs that we order as well.

Okay.

You said gowns.

Gowns.

So just if we if we're running various calls that we need more PPE to cover us up.

Got you.

Sounds mad on rescue.

Okay.

All right.

Absolutely.

So madam chair, uh, with that date of September 30th, uh, we will request that we move it out to uh another three months to December just to make sure that we have enough time to complete the the process.

Okay.

And still with the same amount, even with the extension three more months.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Through the end of December 2026.

Okay, any questions or comments from committee members?

Just one and good afternoon.

How are you doing?

Um, would you need a substitute?

You can just say September to December.

We'll provide a substitute.

Yes, if you vote for the date change, we will bring the substitute to the meeting.

Oh, okay.

They'll bring something to the committee.

Okay, so make a motion.

Yeah, I make a motion to approve to December of 2026.

Yes.

Second, all in favor.

Aye.

Congratulations.

Motion carries recommendation for approval through December 30, 2026.

Or is it 31?

Whatever the last day in December is.

31.

Okay.

We are going to move to page four.

At the top of page four, item two zero two six one zero zero one.

All commission districts change order number two to contract number one two zero zero zero six six.

Emergency ambulance service provider for DeCAP County, Georgia.

This is a multi-year contract for use by fire rescue services to obtain emergency ambulance services and direct billing billing collections for ambulance transport and non-transport services to DeCAP County Citizens, seeking increase in contract funds, award to Metro Ambulance Services Inc., DBA, American Medical Response Inc.

And then in an amount not to exceed $1,480,000.

All right.

So as you all are aware, we're really excited to begin this uh new contract that will start in July 1st of uh 2026.

These funds are to carry us through this extension period that goes through June 30th.

Okay.

Give me those dates again.

You I heard you say June 30th and July 1st.

And what was happening at those two dates?

So June 30th, we're still working off the extension.

That's what those funds are requested for, and July 1st is when we begin the new contract period.

Any questions or comments from committee members?

No.

Any questions or comments from commissioners?

Okay.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

1001.

Second.

All in favor.

I motion carries recommendation for approval.

We are going to move on to contracts under facilities management and fire rescue.

Item 2026 0938.

This is all commissioned districts.

It's also a change order.

It's number two to contract number 128, 8050.

It's for the purchase inspection service and repair of fire extinguishers.

It's an annual contract with two options to renew for use by the departments of facilities management and fire rescue to obtain the purchase inspection service and repair of fire extinguishers ratifying term increase and increase in contract funds and term through October 30th, 2026 awarded to All-Star Fire LLC amount not to exceed 25,000 dollars.

Right.

So this uh another piece of mandatory equipment that we have on all of our units as well as the expect the inspection of fire extinguishers extinguishers that we have within the facilities.

What was the original expiration date for the contract so that we know how long the extension is?

I know it's through October 30th, but how many additional months is that I do not have the what that is right now.

Okay.

It looks like Director Butler may be pulling that up.

And ultimately the question will be the 25,000 dollars would be just for I'm gonna assume that's like a three-month extension.

Hi, Commissioner.

Uh July 31st, 2026 is the current expiration date.

Okay, so what is the ratification for if the expiration hasn't been reached yet?

It says ratification for term increase.

My apologies to me and to dynamics.

Uh the original was April uh 30th, 2026.

Um to make sure there was an active contract, uh, there was an internal increase to July 31, 2026 to make sure that you had something to review.

Okay.

And that all of that will be covered.

That extension is will be covered by the 25,000 dollars from April through October, or is it from July through October?

Uh user department indicated it is covered.

Okay.

All right.

Any other questions or comments from committee members?

Okay.

Any questions from commissioners?

No.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

Second, all in favor.

Aye motion carries recommendation for approval.

All right.

So we are gonna move down to contracts under HR, so human resources and merit system, HRMS item when we are on page four, item two zero two six zero seven six six.

This is a renewal impacting all commission districts.

Contract number one three five four seven one four pre and post employment has mat physical examinations and drug and alcohol testing services, annual contract with four options to renew for use by the Department of Human Resources and Merit System to obtain employment testing, exercising second renewal option through May 31st, 2027 to include payment of outstanding invoices and a price increase, also ratifying a previously provided term increase awarded to occupational health centers of Georgia, PC, DBA Consentra Medical Centers amount not to exceed $890,000.

Yes, ma'am.

Good afternoon, commissioners.

Good afternoon.

The purpose of this contract is for our post-offer, pre-employment health screenings, our annual evaluations that fire conducts, our fitness for duty physicals, CDL examinations, and also our random reasonable suspicion and post-accident testing.

As um Chief Padrick mentioned earlier, we have seen an increase in police hiring and also fire hiring.

And their physicals are a little bit more in depth, so a little bit more expensive.

In addition, the vendor did implement a 3.7% increase in their contract due to the cost of goods and services inflation.

Okay.

And so that ratification would be from May 31 of this year through to date, essentially.

Correct.

Okay.

All righty.

Any other questions or comments from committee members?

I have not.

Okay.

Any questions from Commissioners?

All right.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval, and that was 0766.

Continuing.

Under human resources, we have item 2026 1007.

All commission districts.

This is also a renewal.

It's contract number 2000 234 pre and post employment psychological testing.

Annual contract with four options to renew for use by the Department of Human Resources and Mirror System to obtain psychological testing.

Exercising the first renewal option through August 31st, 2027 to include payment of outstanding invoices awarded to Joseph A.

Hill, PhD LLC, amount not to exceed 200, and we do have an error right there as a semicolon, 225,163.

The purpose of this contract is to provide psychological evaluations for public safety departments and our other county agencies to ensure our employees are mentally fit for their roles.

These evaluations include our pre-imposed employment screenings, fitness for duty evaluations, and also critical incident debriefings.

Okay.

Any questions or comments from committee members?

I have none.

None from commissioners.

All right.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval of item 2026-1007.

And we are moving along to page five.

Contracts under police services in E911 at the top of page five.

Item 2026 0935.

All commission districts.

This is a change order.

Change order number three to contract number 124308.

Uniforms for public safety personnel.

Annual contract with four options to renew for police services and E911 to obtain work uniforms.

Ratifying price increase and seeking increase in contract funds awarded to Gals LLC total amount not to exceed $200,000.

Yes, sir.

Yes, ma'am.

The bulk of this contract is used by police services and kind of the recurring theme today was the increase in staffing.

We need the uniforms for the additional staff that we've been able to hire.

In addition to the increase in staffing, uh the company has raised their prices, so that's affected us as well.

Um so we're asking for this increase for those purposes.

Okay.

Is that correct?

We haven't had a renewal as of yet.

Since this is an annual contract with four options to renew.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any questions or comments from committee members?

I have none.

From commissioners.

Okay.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

Second, all in favor.

Aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval of item two zero two six zero nine three five.

Item 2026 0936.

This is all commission districts.

Change order number two to contract 1217878.

Law enforcement equipment cooperative agreement for use by the Department of Police Services to obtain conducted electrical weapons or tasers.

Training and support of conducted electrical weapons.

Ratifying increase in contract funds for 100 additional tasers and previously issued purchase order awarded to Axon Enterprise Inc.

Amount not to exceed 1,442,514.

Yes, sir.

Yes, ma'am.

Again, this is uh we just um upgraded our tasers to the to the latest um model and with the increase in staffing uh we will want to uh make sure that all of our new officers get the new tasers as well uh to make sure they're properly outfitted and the 100 additional that covers birth both current and um new recruits uh for for now yes ma'am for now okay quite honestly I hope it doesn't I hope we continue to increase staffing and we have to come back again absolutely and you've been doing an amazing job consistently coming to support any new recruits.

All right, any questions from committee members?

I have none.

Commissioners all right.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve.

Second, all in favor, aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval of 2026 0936.

Moving along to the next contract under police services.

Also on page five, halfway down.

This is item two zero two six zero nine six five, all commission districts.

Change order number two to CPA 2000, emergency responder supplies, equipment and services, cooperative agreement for use by the Department of Police Services to obtain the purchase, installation, and all ancillary needs for the outfitting of police vehicles, excluding radios, ratifying term increase, and an increase in contract funds and term through March 31st, 2027, awarded to Prologic ITSLLC amount not to exceed 100,000 dollars.

This is similar to the uh previous agenda item 2026 0829.

Uh, this is the vendor that we buy the tough books and docking stations from, and this will allow them to complete the install for those items.

Okay.

So one was for the equipment and the one is to pay for the installation?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

All right.

Any questions from committee members?

I have none.

And both of these contracts are through March 31st, is that correct?

0829 in 0965 for the equipment and the installation.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Any questions from commissioners?

Okay.

All right.

Do we do we we didn't uh make a motion on this one yet, did we?

No.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve 0965.

Second, all in favor, aye.

All right, moving down to the bottom of page five.

This is police services and animal enforcement services.

Item 2026 1014.

All commission districts change order number five to contract number one two five seven six five zero.

Body worn body camera system multi-year sole source for use by the marshal's office, police services and animal enforcement services to obtain body worn comprehensive camera systems and supporting hardware and software accessories, increasing contract funds and contract term, contract funds and contract term through June 30th, 2027, awarded to utility associates, Inc.

Amount not to exceed 833,606 dollars.

Yes, ma'am.

Police services uh utilizes the body worn camera systems as well as the marshal's office and animal enforcement, but uh this is a request to extend the contract uh an additional six months to compile information for a new contract period.

Uh but we're also asking for the increase in funds again for the additional staffing to ensure that all of our officers are equipped with the body worn crap cameras you said extended an additional six months, yes ma'am.

Okay, so that the expiration would be December, end of December this year.

Is that correct?

Yes, ma'am.

1231 26.

Okay.

All right.

Any other questions or comments for this item?

I have a question.

Is this does this include 2026?

So it's a 2027.

So actually, I I I do have a correction to make that the way it was written up, and it has it is asking to increase the contract term through June 30th, 2027.

Right, which is um why I was asking uh does the original contract end in December because you indicated it would be a six-month extension, so through June 30, 2027 would be 12 months.

Otherwise, if we do it from today, major meeting.

Um that right there.

This is what your paperwork has, so this is why we have the June 2027.

So extend utility from here to here, and then you asked to extend for six months to June.

So it basically has to come over here.

Um not sure how to separate it like that, but we are asking for a year extension, not the six-month extension.

Okay.

Does that mean we confirm, Director Butler, that it expires this month in June?

Yes.

So the contract does not expire until December of this year, but the ask of the user department is through June of 2027.

Um the breakdown is probably related to their internal information, and some of that is on their sheet, but um they've broken down their information by their costs, and all of that all in June 2027.

They aren't asking to take anything through December 2027 right now.

Okay.

I think we're having two different conversations.

And that's okay, because we can talk through it really quickly.

So we're currently in June, and the contract expires in December, which is about six months from now.

And we're asking for an extension, a six-month extension from December 2026 to June 2027.

Correct.

Okay.

All right, and Commissioner Davis Johnson, you were getting ready to ask something.

Okay.

And you you're asking for a year and a half extension.

What so loan?

Half a year.

It's the it's a 12-month extension.

Well, no.

What I'm understanding is that it's a six-month extension, but they're asking for it six months in advance.

Right.

Which is I think where the confusion is coming from.

We're asking for it very well in advance.

I don't have an answer.

Um, well, the preference for us is that we asked for extensions earlier than what you've kind of been seeing.

Okay.

Um, but the paperwork that's been provided, it appears that they are trying to be proactive and making sure that they have already obtained the approval for any increases they're looking for.

Um the contract does expire December of 2026.

The paperwork that's been provided to us is asking to move to um extend the contract through June 31, 2027.

June 30, 2027.

Okay.

Okay.

Did you have a follow-up question?

Yes.

Uh-huh.

And I would assume these body cams would be for new recruits and in police services.

Um Marshall's office and animal enforcement.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

I have nothing better.

Okay.

Any questions or comments from commissioners?

I guess go ahead.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um just a quick question related to research.

So while the marshals, while the police, while animal enforcement are in the field, are 100% of them wearing cameras?

I could speak for the police, all of our officers that are patrol on patrol, okay are wearing cameras.

How about um marshals or animal enforcement?

Oh, hello.

I know you can speak to animal enforcement.

Animal enforcement does wear them once they're sworn in.

Okay, once they're sworn in, so every time they're deployed in the field, they go to someone's home a hundred percent of the time.

Correct.

Okay, excellent.

All right, thank you.

Yield back.

And I would assume that's for the marshal's office also.

I would assume.

I'd I'd okay.

We'll find out.

Okay.

And are 100 percent of animal enforcement officers sworn, or do you guys have civilians as well?

Well, I guess if you're an officer, you are we have civilians in the office, but when the like right now we have three trainings, so they're not sworn in, so they don't have cameras.

And their duties and responsibilities are limited because of that.

I'm sorry.

Their duties and responsibilities are limited until they become sworn.

Is that right?

Okay.

Yes, they don't sign citations, they're just gonna shadow until they're sworn in.

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

And do we have a motion for that item?

Uh motion to approve.

Uh 10 14.

Second, all in favor.

Aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval.

Okay, that's all okay.

Is it all about?

Yeah, that is all of the questions.

Well, what about did we get 05960728?

Oh, seven, six left.

We we've only done the contracts.

We haven't done any of the resolutions yet.

Oh, okay.

Oh, item and then we do 09.

Mm-mm, not yet.

Going back to page one, police services item two zero two six zero nine five seven, all commission districts, acceptance of federal forfeiture property to police services.

Can you talk through that, Chief?

Yes, ma'am.

Uh each year uh we participate in asset forfeiture sharing uh predominantly through our heida unit, uh narcotics unit, um, and we are asking for it uh the ability to accept federal forfeiture funds from the U.S.

Treasury and the U.S.

Department of Justice up to amount of 600,000.

Historically, uh our federal forfeiture funds last year we received 590,000.

Um years previous was approximately 2024 was 502,000 approximately, and the year before that was 508,000.

Okay, and what was the current amount that you're looking to accept?

We're asking for up to 600,000.

You said up to 600,000.

Yes, ma'am.

It just carries us through through the term depending on our uh asset forfeiture and our seizures.

Okay.

And just to clarify, the other amounts that you provided, the 590 and the 502 is what was actually utilized, but was the up to amount the same?

It was what we actually received in uh federal forfeiture funds in previous years.

Oh, the 590 and the 502.

I think you said another amount, but I didn't know.

Yes, ma'am.

590 in 2025, approximately 502,000 and 24 and 508,000 in 2023.

Oh, 508 is what I missed.

And this year up to 600,000.

Yes, ma'am.

Is what you're requesting.

Okay.

And is that based on um an estimate that you guys calculated or simply because you've consistently seen?

Yes, ma'am.

I mean, we we continually, you know, see uh asset forfeiture, but just historically we've been around that six hundred thousand dollar mark.

And once it comes over, we would ask for, we would come back and ask for additional.

Okay.

All right.

Any other questions or comments on the asset forfeiture from committee members?

I have no questions.

Questions or comments from commissioners.

No.

Okay.

Do we have a motion for this item?

Motion to approve 0957.

Second, all in favor.

Aye.

Motion carries recommendation for approval 0957.

Okay, and we received a request from District 1 to get this long-standing item off of our agenda.

We're on page 2 under Board of Commissioners District 1 at the bottom.

Oh, we have not.

Okay, well, we're gonna go back to page one.

We have a request to go back to item 2026, 0941, all commission districts.

Home rule ordinance to amend the pension code of DeCab County, Georgia, 1962, GA Laws 3088 as amended to add a death benefit for beneficiaries of certain plan participants who die in the line of duty as officers, employees, or deputies of DeCab County on or after September 1, 2026, and to provide for compliance with certain updates to federal tax law.

And there were a few um concerns that were brought to our attention by Mr.

Ed Wall.

I'm hoping that we can address some of those today as well as the concern that we had about the retroactivity of this item.

But go ahead, please.

Yes, thank you.

Um good afternoon, commissioners.

Uh I should probably start with the uh February presentation that Mr.

Ed Wall uh presented to ERPS Committee, in which uh they broadly discussed enhancing uh the pension plan to address those that die in the line of duty.

And included in that conversation uh was uh the conversation was primarily focused on public safety.

And at some point uh during that presentation, uh the committee asked Mr.

Wall, would everyone be covered by this new benefit?

Uh at some point, Mr.

Wall uh asked me uh uh would everyone be covered, and my response to him was yes.

The context meaning not just public safety, but all departments and all employees.

So uh I'm uh not sure if the context of that question was asking specifically for the two fallen officers, but when Mr.

Wall asked me would everyone be covered, what I'm hearing is would all departments and all employees in all departments be covered, and my response was an affirmative, and that is the way that it was costed out $64,000 to cover all employees in all departments.

Uh, up until that point, the discussion had focused more or less on public safety.

So that was a clarifying point that I sought to make.

Okay.

There was also uh an additional items that the pension board chair uh and their attorney asked us to amend the ordinance that was first read in the first meeting uh in June.

Um is a housekeeping item, uh, the other is more substantive.

Uh the more substantive item that was not included in the original original home rule ordinance was a provision that would address an individual that dies in the line of duty who had named no beneficiary for pension specifically.

Uh I would say uh in my experience um it's infrequent, but it does happen.

Uh we may have one or two percent of our individu of our employees that retire or have passed away uh without naming a pension beneficiary, and it does create some some challenges for us.

And so the pension board attorney did ask us to amend the home rule ordinance to include a provision that would address that uh occasion in which someone dies in the line of service without naming a pension beneficiary, and so I would like to ask if we could uh defer this home ordinance to the first meeting in August to include these provisions uh as uh supported by the pension board attorney.

Uh one addressing that scenario in which no beneficiary was named, and the other is um more of a housekeeping item uh where uh often uh individuals retire, they start receiving a pension benefit.

They had already named a pension beneficiary or a joint survivor beneficiary as we call it, or joint and survivor annuitant.

Uh divorce occurs in our life.

Uh the way that we've applied the rule over the years is that once you retire and you receive that first pension check, you cannot change your joint annuity.

Um it's been challenged uh a lot in the last year or so, and so the pension board asked us to add clarifying language to this ordinance that makes it abundantly clear that after you retire and receive your first pension check, you cannot change your joint annuity.

Uh and uh that would be the second item that we would like to bring back to the board, uh added to the existing ordinance and presented to you on August 11th and again on August 25th with those two primary changes.

Okay.

You go ahead.

Yeah, my question is if I got rid of my spouse, I'd have to keep that I couldn't put my new spouse on that.

Yeah, Commissioner, if you worked for the county for 30 years and was married for 30 years, retired and after one week decided that you wanted a divorce, which I'm saying that because it happens.

You cannot change your beneficiary at that point.

Okay.

What?

Is that by law or by choice?

Uh it's it's I mean, do we have an option?

I mean, is the uh it's it's been in the code and we've administered the plan uh and it's and since the plan is existed in that way, but for a layman like myself and our pension team, the language was ambiguous.

This takes away any ambiguity and makes it very clear that once you uh you can change that pen and pension beneficiary when you leave our pension office and you signed up for and uh on a Thursday, and let's say the first is a Friday.

Uh you have until the first to make that change, but after you receive that first pension payment, which is always on the first of the month, you cannot go back and change your joint uh annuity.

And so my last question is suppose you do not designate a beneficiary, then will it go to uh the administration uh under your will?

Yes, and this is the other item that the pension board asked us to include in the ordinance uh for that very instance.

If a person dies in the line of service uh without having named a pension beneficiary, uh the actual equivalent of a 10-year benefit will be paid to their estate in the form of a lump sum payment, and that would be done as soon as administratively practical and what would happen is that the administrator of the estate would have to uh deal with it at that point.

But we would issue the equivalent of a 10-year benefit to the estate.

Okay, thank you.

Were there any other questions?

Commissioner Patrick.

Uh yes, madam chair.

Um I thought we had a presentation at our last meeting that sort of went into some of this.

Um, but I don't see it in our uh emails here.

Um I the only person that represented that actually happened.

It did.

But we talked about public safety.

That was it, public safety.

And then it is expanded to all employees.

That was that is correct, and that was the original intent uh with this original legislation.

Okay.

Could a copy of that presentation be sent over?

Um I'm assuming the all commissioners if they're interested.

Uh is it uh which presentation is Commissioner?

Uh I thought it was a presentation talking about the benefits going from uh one percent multiplier to 2.75 percent multiplier.

Oh yes, yes, we can provide that.

I think that was a February presentation that Mr.

Wall uh made.

Uh it was very high level at that point.

Um since then, we're putting a finer point on on those details.

Okay, and would like to come back perhaps early this fall with another presentation on moving participants from the less rich group three plan to the more robust group two plan.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And again, that was focused only on public safety, is that that is correct.

Okay.

And uh we've been advised that it's uh uh a very complex uh thing.

And so that time is needed uh uh for our partners in the law department to uh craft that legislation.

And just for clarity, is that separate?

This is that is separate from this.

Yes, that would be a separate item.

All right, separate item.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

Okay.

Were there any other questions from Commissioner Long Spears?

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Nice to see you always, Mr.

Jacobs.

Thank you.

Okay, so you stated that you want to bring this item back to ERPS on August 11th.

Is that correct?

Uh we'd actually like to bring it to the board for first reading on the full board on August 11th.

That's correct.

Okay.

With the stop and ERPS.

I don't know the date of that ERPS committee.

Well, that's um one of the reasons I was asking, um, but for confirmation, so I guess you're looking for a recommendation at a committee today.

Yes.

Okay.

That's correct.

And then want to bring it back on Tuesday, August 11th, to a business meeting.

That's correct.

Okay, and so you're seeking approval then.

That's correct.

And that will be the first of two readings uh on August 11th and with the uh final adoption on August 25th.

Okay, so if there's any questions between the 11th and the 25th, um those could be addressed in committee?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, yes, ma'am.

Um Chief of Staff May.

There you are.

Uh just FYI, I don't see any committee meetings on the schedule yet for when we return from recess.

Yeah.

So if we could populate that sooner than later, that would be good.

Just so that if it has to go to committee, the staff knows when it is.

Absolutely.

If you all would kind of just take a note, July 7th and July 9th, we will have uh all five committees.

Well, we haven't sent it out just yet, because we were waiting on final approval by a couple of uh uh uh committee chairs, and so I think we should be able to send that out by the end of the day, if not by tomorrow.

So for the seventh and ninth or for after the recess?

My quick my my comment relates to after the recess after the recession.

After the reassess, gotcha, yes.

Because I haven't seen anything from you yet to do that.

So we'll update that, yeah.

Okay, I just if Mr.

Jacobs does need it to go in front of the committee again.

Um I just want to make sure there's time because what I'm reading in the agenda item, we have to have this finalized by September 1.

Is that correct?

Uh the item we're uh going to be presenting in August, we would like to have it finalized before in order to be submitted to the Secretary of State, and then it would be effective October 1st.

Okay, our original uh stab at this was September 1.

Um, but because we're changing the original ordinance, we need that additional cycle, and uh it would move us from a September 1 approval or go live date to an October 1 go live date.

So um if we weren't able to advance this before September 1, that that leaves us a little lick wiggle room before October 1, or do you need it that one month to get to the state?

I'm just trying to understand this time sensitivity around this.

Yeah, so after the board's second and final adoption on uh August 25th, then uh the law department submits it to the Secretary of State, and if I understand correctly, it would take about a month.

So we need the minutes.

Oh they would need the minutes, okay.

So that I mean that could be expedited, I would assume if you had that.

Okay, all right.

So you really just need the minutes.

That's the only only barrier that you would have before the October one thank you, Laura, for just clarifying.

Yes, Commissioner, after the two approvals, we would like to have the minutes of both approvals to send to the Secretary of State the other materials.

So we do build in a little bit of time.

As you should.

Fantastic.

Thank you so much.

Yield back.

Okay.

Did you have anything, Commissioner Terry?

No, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Would this become retroactive if someone is would this become retroactive if someone was killed in the line of duty like today?

I'm not gonna touch that one it would only apply to us in the line of duty after the effective day, which would be October one if it's passed in time to get it to the Secretary of State by October one.

It that's when it becomes effective, and so that's when it would start to operate.

Okay, so I would just say if we could do it as soon as possible.

So that if someone is killed in the line of duty, um they could be included there.

Um included in this.

Yeah, yes, and I think just for for context, it's it's certainly a tragedy.

Anytime anyone dies in the line of duty, but we did a uh 50-year look back to see how many employees, regardless of departments, have died uh on the job in the last 50 years.

The records are getting a little sketchy when you get 30 years back because they're all on paper, but we couldn't find any more than 15 deaths over the certainly over the last 35 years, and we don't think it was much more if we look at that 50-year window, probably less than 20.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Yes.

I mean, those numbers are good unless you have one in the 20.

Correct.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I just wanted to make sure we did, and you may have alluded to this, but that we are addressing two of the concerns, and I've pulled up its email.

Uh, and one of the things was in the event that there is no spouse and there are multiple children named as beneficiary, the way it's currently written, arguably the plan would have to pay both of them out the full amount, which I know is not the intention, and that's being addressed or will be addressed over this period of a deferral.

Is that right?

That is correct.

The new ordinance that we'll submit uh probably uh will probably get it advertised.

We actually have to have it advertised before July 2nd, and it'll be submitted to this board uh prior to that uh so that when you have your first reading, the first meeting in August, you'll already be familiar with it, but it does address those concerns that the uh Mr.

Wall and the pension board attorney uh brought forth.

Okay, and um since everybody was not on this chain, one of the other things that he wanted addressed or had concerns about is if in a state was named, the beneficiary uh there would be difficult in currently how the document is written.

Um we would have to calculate actually in a lump sum, but he's indicating that's not possible to calculate a lump sum payout if there is no life to measure that amount by or use in the calculation, so that as well will be addressed, correct?

That's correct, and that's the reference to the uh 10-year uh the actual value of a 10-year payout.

That's the lump sum payment.

I gotcha.

Okay.

And I think that may be it for me, but I did want to clarify your uh initial comments uh about the video were you indicating that you were not aware that we we were asking about the this home rule amendment being retroactive to the two employees when you said yes, is that what you were saying?

Yes, that's correct.

So when I was hearing the question from Mr.

Wall, uh, will everyone be covered?

My response was with regard to yes, everyone in every department as opposed to just police and fire.

That's correct.

Okay.

I and if you watch the rest of that video, I specifically make this statement, and the answer was still yes.

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

Uh uh I probably didn't come back to the mic at that point, but uh the uh it's not the response the way I understood it was addressing the whole population.

Uh and in my mind, it was not specifically related to the fallen officers, but I can understand uh when you listen to the conversation, uh you're saying one thing and we may be hearing something different.

Okay.

Well, as long as COO Williams and his team has come up with another option to support those families since they were the reason for this home rule ordinance.

I think that will be sufficient, but we still have time to figure that out.

Yep.

So the next item, you wanted to address that.

Yeah, I was I was just gonna see, madam chair, was that a question for me?

Um not necessarily a question, just reiterating what we can discuss.

Yes, and then we are, and I'll be happy to share with you offline.

Okay, thank you.

Oh, yes, sorry, go ahead.

Um Larry, Larry, how long did you want this item to be deferred?

I I think you said if uh we can defer it until the August 11th meeting.

Oh, okay.

I make a motion to defer this item to the August 11th meeting.

Second, all in favor?

Aye.

Motion carries recommendation for deferral of 0941 until the August 11th meeting.

And we have about 10 minutes.

You want your time back, or would you say you have a long if if we can do it in 10 minutes, I'd be grateful.

If not, we can continue it on to the next meeting.

Okay, we'll have we'll do a heart stop in 10.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

We're having another meeting in uh before December or before July 7, right?

This is the last when is our next ERPS meeting?

Madam Chair, your next ERPS meeting is proposed for July 7th.

Uh staff would like to send that uh confirmation out probably within the next 24 hours.

I know we've got a holiday coming up, so either by the end of today or Monday, uh we'll send out that confirmation.

So ops ERPS PWI July 7th, and uh we are coordinating with Fab and PECS committees for another meeting um that week as well, possibly the 9th of July.

Would you rather wait until that meeting or would you like to proceed?

If it can get done in 10 minutes, I'd be grateful.

If not, if you gotta go, you gotta go.

We're we'll we'll make it five.

We'll make it work.

Let's go.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

Well, we we I won't have a quorum in like 30 seconds, so we're gonna have to go ahead and adjourn and hold everything else in committee.

Do we have a motion?

Motion to adjourn.

Second, all in favor.

I