If it's we need to do that.

Okay, we're going to go ahead and call a meeting to order meet kind.

A couple.

Mark Allen will be here momentarily from the judge.

And then if Mayor Kinsbow gets here, then we'll go ahead and deal with it.

So let's go ahead and take roles.

Baker?

Here.

Clark?

Here.

Hoover.

Dingman?

Here.

Hearn.

Here.

Judge Hopes is not going to be here.

Mark Allen will be here a moment care.

Mayor Kinslow of Doug Kinslow is not here.

Runyan?

Here.

Seismic.

All right.

Joining us online also is CJ Ingle with the Arkansas 911 board.

Here comes Mayor Genslow.

My apologies.

So I presented you with the updated 2026 budget for the River Valley Communications Center.

As I stated in my memo, this is the operating expenses includes 100% of all RBCC expenses, including personnel and operation cost for 2026.

Having said that, I'm presenting this to you with the understanding that I will be using all of the fund balance in 2026 to cover all 100% of operating costs in 2026.

Okay.

So where we the fund analysis that I sent in the summary shows what the uh amount will be, and then I did break it down per city at the request of the board members.

And I did that specifically to show what an idea of what that breakdown will be.

But I want to reiterate that should this be approved, the plan is to use all fund balance in 2026.

Therefore, no cost would be to any entity.

So with that, um I will um do we have a I just need a motion to approve the 2026 budget.

Anyone talk about we need to get the motion on the floor and then we're going to have a discussion.

So Jeff Dingman, you state?

Okay, so Jeff Dingman moved to approve the budget.

So discussion.

Oh, I just wanted what does that leave the uh fund balance at with this budget as the post?

That will leave the end of 2026 a projected fund balance of 2,347,209.

So this is a hundred percent uh policy that adding to the retirement.

That's correct.

Everything every check.

That's gonna start in January.

Yes.

We're not consolidating this.

That's we're we're we're going towards consolidation.

This the we're since we're going to consolidate mid-year, I budgeted for the entire year.

That could change.

Uh it won't be any more than that as far as consolidation goes.

So with that being said, are you are you considering sometime in early next year of January, February, March to the federal payment from Sebastian County to RBCC and Fort Smith do RBCC?

No.

That's all other rats are on the green costs.

If anything, Sebastian County will invoice me for the cost of their personnel, which is an operating expense.

So the estimates to the communities was for 27.

Yes.

I made the estimates for the communities to give an idea.

If we use the budget numbers in 2023, that's going to be what we need to do is early next year.

We need to start looking into this to this to uh the allocations and understand that we'll be at a minimum this amount.

So I would ask where can we cut the budget?

Where can we reduce the budget?

Everybody in this room works with budgets on identity.

So we we're all familiar with the need to produce a budget.

I would ask where can we reduce this budget?

For 26 and for 27.

They all affect each other.

Well, and here's and it does.

It does.

These numbers that you predicted, here's my phone.

Right?

They're too high.

245% increase to each community.

That's never gonna get lower.

So if you come back in the next year, you say we want COVIDs, we want pay adjustments, we want whatever, all of that's gonna crickle down, and that number is going to go up without any input from these communities.

Okay.

So where can we reduce this number if we need a war?

So the idea for the fund balance for taking the 2026 budget is to get us into and consolidate.

Right?

I get it.

So if this budget is zero to the defendants, that means that starting next year, we can come together as a board and look at these costs and make that determination.

Where do we do with the personnel between the Basham County and Fort Smith?

What are the costs that are going to be eliminated with consolidation?

What costs are going to go up?

What cost can we that we can reduce?

Because once we go into 26 for that to look at the 27 budget, if the intent is to reduce the budget to ease the burden on the cities, that's when you do it.

But I've got to move forward with the 26 budget because we've got to go before the state board on Thursday and ask for a more uh another extension.

And that's that's why I want to do this.

I I understand your concern.

I understand what you're saying, but I'm not gonna vote.

Yes, or so then that I disagree.

But this has got no cost to anybody in 26.

Then it shouldn't be on there.

It's the the fund balance is taken care of.

Well, that that's directly still a cost.

I mean, it's the same cost.

It's gonna come out of the bottom line if we if we don't if we don't use the fund balance, and like Tony said, we we take in money from the cities, it's gonna come out the same, but we'll just delete our fund balance, and then will we ever build the idea the the idea behind this is so that we can move forward to consolidation.

Okay, I've got to take to the board that we made progress.

This gets us into 2026.

If we don't do that now, we risk losing any type of funding from the state.

But if we want to tell me what I want to do is I want to get us into 26.

So I'm yes, I'm using this fund balance to do that.

So we don't have to take the, I mean, we're we're getting towards the end of the year.

The city votes on the budget tonight, the county votes on the budget tonight.

Uh we've got to have this moving forward.

I did this as a way to get us into 26, but then we can start looking at the cost allocations.

Because the cost allocations is what Tom's talking about because of the increase to the cities.

Right.

But if we improve this the way that you're presenting it, if you're telling us that this is going to be the starting numbers for 27 to these communities, we did it too.

Well, and then that's what I'm saying.

So then 26.

The time to cut it now.

Right.

And so in 26, then, if we want to cut these numbers before 2027, that's what we do, but we do it in 26.

You're looking at 2.3 million, you're projecting back at the end of this year.

We would have more in that to possible operating costs for 27.

I'm sorry, Senator.

So we have looking at the operating cost right now with the ending fund balance of in 26.

We'd actually have more money than the operating costs for what I'm proceeding.

If you have 2.3 million dollars estimated at the end of 1860.

At the beginning of 2026, the fund balance is 1.6 million.

Right.

Okay.

The projected revenue is 4.1.

Yeah.

And then we have a $3.4 million almost $3.5 million for 2026 expenses.

Once that's gone, then that's going to leave $2,347 in the five.

And then next year in 27, what we'll do is we will operate on the understanding of the operating expenses.

So if we have the uh operating expenses of $3.5 million, then we will use the $1.86 million in revenue, and then the offset is what we would determine for the cities and the counties.

Because the uh the interlocal agreement as it sits right now is 69.7 to the city, 30.3 is the county.

That's what we have to go on now because that's the uh that's the agreement in effect.

If we change that next year, that's up to this board.

But we got to get to next year.

He said the uh revenue for next year was how much 1.8 backwards or not here backwards.

He said the revenue, what we have now is uh I'm out of this industry to have okay.

So you said the non-1 fund balance, I think you said with 1.8 check.

Okay, the fund balance beginning of 27, end of 26, end of 27 vote is 2 million, 347.

Start earlier starting with the beginning of 26.

Okay, the beginning of 26 is 1,665.

And then the revenue we get is going to be 4 million 1774.

What that includes is the revenue from the state, plus the transfer of the remaining fund balance from Sebastian County to Fort Smith.

That's why I was trying to figure out how the money I think it did sound, it sounded backwards today, too.

Okay.

I mean the uh glad we both think back on therapy.

The color of our hair.

Okay, and see this would be this has been the challenge with this with this budget, is because you've got these entities that we're trying to consolidate into one.

Once it's all consolidated, and we move forward in the 2027 with consolidated budget, it's going to be a lot easier to decide.

So sorry.

And I'm slow to here.

Um not two, sorry.

Uh I got that.

Isn't it the talking about Cooper?

Yeah.

Is it is it am I hearing what the the beginning of 27 there will be more in the fund balance then than there is now the beginning of 26?

Isn't that correct?

Yes.

So more money to help out with what I'm concerned about and your concern about for these other towns too that we can possibly do something about the 20 years.

We'll have to figure that out.

Okay.

So the one million you're talking about on the county is basically all the end for this.

Yes.

It's just not steady in the same bank.

That's all you're saying.

It's not really revenue, it's already taken from one pocket.

Right.

So that's not revenue.

Transport money.

Well, in the in the R C C budget, it is because it's transferring money from Sebastian County into the RDCC.

So from my perspective, it is revenue.

I'm getting money from Sebastian County, and I'm getting money from the state in one second.

And you haven't discussed how you're going to take care of, are you so January 1, you're taking over all the dispatching for Sebastian County?

No.

So we haven't got to that plan yet.

Yeah, two weeks.

Well, what I mean is that operationally speaking, nothing changes with the first half of the 26.

Except you don't reimburse for under a previous degree.

That was yes.

You did not reimburse internet because that was not an allowable expense.

Okay.

Having said that, if you the board want to add that back in the 26th, you can do it.

If that's what you want to do, that will then cut into that remaining fund balance because that's the operating cost of that.

So if the board wishes to do that, that's fine for 26, because we've got to understand that's not an allowed expense.

If that's something that needs to happen in the end room before we are able to do DMD, which we're not going to be able to.

When we consolidate in July, the only thing that changes is that Sebastian County dispatchers will come to the police department.

I'm setting it up to mirror what is happening right now.

Once we get in here, once we start working on the keys, once we start figuring out what's going on, we will then ease into it, and we will figure out then what we're doing.

And in that aspect, what was left into that budget included Pro QA.

We approve this budget.

I'm not going to need that expense.

So that expense is there, that will go back into the fund.

So we might use.

Is that so?

Okay.

I mean, you know, I'm I just wanted to go to 911, right?

Spatter it out.

Well, and I agree that we do need to do that.

And when somebody calls 911, I'm going to send whoever's available to that emergency.

Whether it's Sebastian County, Fort Smith, Barnum, Central City, anybody.

And that includes first responders from the fire department.

Right?

EMS is a critical aspect of this because of the emergency medical protocol dispatching.

It's a lengthy process to be able to do this.

Fort Smith EMS handles that for us.

Okay.

But that's just sending the ambulance out.

Also, page out first response, page out the fire department.

Fort Smith, they don't do that.

We do that.

Okay.

In June in July, in the consolidation, I'm proposing none of that changing.

Until we get in here, we get set, we get to oscillating, and then we come back and take a look at what we can ease in to do it.

What can we start piecing together?

Because it'll start off with the with the fire department.

What ways that we need to be able to do this to do better?

Is it paging that needs to be better?

Is it dispatch from the from the consoles that need to be better?

What do we need to improve?

What do we need to remove?

What do we need to keep the same to get to that point?

Ultimately, EMD, I can imagine, will not happen until we are in a larger facility.

What I'm doing in July is consolidating 911 service to handle the emergency dispatch within Sebastian County.

We're not merging the dispatch function.

Because I want to get everybody in and set and understand.

We'll just be getting into the new.

So all of this is going to take time throughout 2026 to get where we need to be.

And ultimately, we're still going to have to send you the 911 calls for emergency meta.

The question is going to be who sends the fire department.

In July, nothing changes.

Only after that we make this change, can we start looking at seeing what is the best option and what can and cannot work?

Okay.

So that means that our reimbursement should continue.

It's only 20%.

It's not 55% like everyone else.

And I'm still okay with that.

When we raised it, it could have been easy to say, well, we should all get that.

I'm okay with 20% where product for the funding profit starts.

Okay.

So but to be left out of the budget, that's still expected from all the same duties.

I don't think it's fair.

To abide by the state law within 911.

Is it possible that the county and the city pay so what it is is 30,000 608 for this if this is something that would be requested by pay it out of 911 funds?

Does it revert back to the county's obligation to pay that's a request of negotiation that's what that would have to be yes?

What that would have to be is an MOU, an understanding with Fort Smith for a contract for service.

Is he a contract for services?

Exactly.

And so if it's going to be a contract for services, then we have to go out and we have to bid out the service.

But that would be left to the county and the city to do because it wouldn't be within the scope of 911 service.

And we're of agreement that if that were to happen, the contract services with Fort Smith EMS or whoever to handle uh emergency medical dispatch until we're capable of doing that through the RBCC, that that cannot be funded by state 911 funds, right?

That's correct.

The last eight years been done wrong.

Is that done wrong under the old standards of the consolidation standards?

Under the existing law.

See, the law was enacted in 2019.

Any other discussion?

So my math doesn't work either.

Yeah.

So if it's 30,000 a quarter and we'll have the contract out for service meeting again.

Whenever we decide to, you know, basically it would be in January until we cease meeting to dispatch EMS.

Oh, yeah.

And so I mean, really, you're going to need it for at least a couple of years until we get a better bigger facility.

And the 911 funds cannot be used for that, so the county pays for EMD until Zitz.

Well, and if you want to look at it, there is some cost involved.

You've got two 911 positions, I believe, right?

Three increase.

That's part of the investor system that this 911 board is paying.

That's 911 system that we are paying that that cost.

Because that is within the scope of what we're doing.

So and the 911 monies will begin to be uh that are transferred from county to RBC now.

Have been now that that money is shrinking.

I see your unbalanced projected revenue, which is counting that money twice, but not then what's the money come from?

You're asking the county to pay that right from our county.

Well, I mean I I think that it would be the one center because the non-1 center count for those fifties.

And so we're gonna have to perform four.

I don't want to go back 30 years.

Yeah, we don't want backwards for the story.

That's we have got a possible floor for the budget that's written.

We decide what to do with that fund, and then we can then visit back if we want to add those costs to this budget.

I think that the L set and ended out.

Right before January one gets here, so we're we'll extend.

Well, it's 30.

I mean, you could do quick math right now.

What is it?

30,000 words 30 is a change.

It was 123,000.

That's about it.

Yeah, but five out of that I had was about between 123 and 124,000.

Well, it's supposed to be a 20% reimbursement since we've been working on consolidation a little bit aggressively in the last year or so.

I've not raised or changed my salaries once it went up.

Okay, but like I said, I'm still okay for that number about the flavor here.

So then do you have a motion to amend the 26 budget to selfish for me to make money?

Okay, and I'll say that.

Okay, good.

And so the motion is to amend the 26 budget to include the personnel reimbursement for Fort Smith EMS in the amount of 1234,000, what it was in early.

Second, okay.

Are you able and you alluded earlier?

And just because I don't remember, let me ask.

Any line particular line item to offset that cost and the total amount doesn't change.

Yes.

I can I can save this, I can save this budget $381,000 by having into it.

I won't be pro QA.

Not for now.

So we're gonna gain 100 80,000.

Right.

And yeah, my intention was being that the overall the bottom line spend doesn't increase by that amount of cost or something.

That's correct.

We still have to buy that software and feature.

Yeah, and then we'll just re we'll revisit it when it comes to the stock market.

You add that in the version coming from again?

The 911 fund.

We should we couldn't do some four people.

This is the 911 fund is hand in operating cost.

I have I have $381,000 for in expenses that I am no longer going to need if we allow if we do this with Fort Smith so we can cover that.

So instead of 381 negative, we're only going to be half that.

I think maybe to go sidequarter, we need to we'll need to work on the contract for services to make that engagement to be able to make that payment as an operating payment for something that we can't perform ourselves.

Well, and that's I mean that is that's something that we're gonna have to to do before the first payment is due, but we can budget for it in the eventuality.

Oh I'm sorry, I heard my name.

Can you hear me?

Are you listening to this CJ Sting?

Yeah, I am.

Can you hear me okay?

I can.

Okay.

What do you think were you asking?

What were you asking, Chief?

If this is going to pass Buster, what what's being discussed?

You utilizing 911 funds to reimburse Fort Smith EMS for emergency medical dispatch.

Pay for a contract for services.

Yes.

So as I as I talked about in the last time you guys met, that wouldn't in theory be considered an authorized expenditure.

Now a complaint would have to be filed and an audit performed before any action could be taken from the state board.

But um I mean you think at this point at this point you you've got one year of service, you're trying here you are up against the clock.

Um what if it were what if it were done as as a contract for services with the RBCC uh as an operational cost, operational expense rather than a personnel reimbursement as it is historically been done.

Yeah, I think I think you wouldn't would be much better off doing it that way than you would is just sending money to a private entity for personnel cost.

Yeah.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

The other discussion.

So the motion on the floor is to amend the 2026 budget to allow for uh a contract expense, operation expense at Fort Smith EMS for 911 services.

I feel a lot better if we did not include the twenty-seven numbers.

The twenty those numbers right there, those are just for your benefit.

That's not a part of that is but no sir.

That is just that's just for that is just for your planning and understanding benefit.

All right, Fern.

Yes.

Oh yes.

Kinslow.

I think yes, but let me can ask a question or reiterate what you just said that those numbers are not participant disposed.

Because that's those are the folks, but yes, no, that's an answer to yes, and we need this move.

Yes, yes.

Runyon?

Yes.

Baker?

Yes.

Clark?

Yes.

Hooper?

Yes.

Dingman?

Yes.

Motion carries.

741.

Yes.

So now that that amended budget motion has enacted, we need to go back to the original motion on the floor is that the 2026 budget for approval.

As amended.

Okay.

Yes.

Kinslow?

Yes.

Runyon.

Size number.

Baker?

Yes.

Clark?

Yes.

Cooper?

Yes.

Engman?

Yes.

Erns?

Yes.

Motion carry seven four one against.

Or eight four one against.

All right.

So the next item on the agenda then is the consolidation plan.

I've submitted this to you.

Uh to kind of give a high-level overview of what the plan is moving forward.

Right now I am in the first phase of the status audit as formation.

I am meeting with uh dispatchers of both Fort Smith and Sebastian County, figure out what her needs are.

I just had uh this morning an audit with Motorola determine what our needs are as far as radio goes.

Um I mean is the needs is what do I need to do to be able to have Sebastian County dispatch out of Willow Smith and that's where that audit is.

Next thing on the list is I've got to get with ATT and look at the 911 festive positions, and then the task force that I've got is of our dispatcher.

So they're going to get together and they're going to determine my idea of the difference to get together to determine how is this going to look.

How are we going to do this?

Umctionally, though, starting in July, they will essentially cease operating at the sheriff's office, start with this part.

We have a meeting with the network team, uh, which uh working with some uh access permissions that I need to speak with you uh about uh some logistics with that uh of having me in the police department after after this.

Once we get that, we will be in uh the technical and network integration.

I've been meeting with several um police and fire chiefs in the county.

I've been meeting with uh your IT as well to get us up in the pro feet because the priority is get them CAD system unified, and to be able to get the CAD system unified, I've got system admin training uh set in February.

Uh I've got um of the 18 seats, I've got 14 coming uh that's going to be able to learn how to build this system out.

I've then been working with uh multiple uh police and fire agencies in Sebastian County uh in order to get uh the needed information to enter into the system.

I'm looking to possibly have uh connectivity for Sebastian County before the end of January as we work through uh some network access procedures.

Once we get that up and running, we're gonna need you to be able to set up the test, these connections, and start working on them.

I've got a test environment uh at dispatch.

For the dispatch clients, I've got a sheriff's deputy uh that I we're gonna hook up on his car to make sure we've got that.

I've been talking with Kevin Smith uh with Sebastian IT and J.

Century with Fort Smith.

Uh so we're gonna need to mail that and get that up and running.

There is an update to Pro Phoenix that's coming the first quarter of 2026 that's going to assist with the connectivity issues that we have.

Uh it's just that we actually get upgraded to do that.

And I don't want to wait for the buzz up and running for that upgrade.

We'll deal with it downstream as we get there.

Once that happens, then July 1st is the date that I'm shooting.

As I've said multiple times.

June 30th, you leave the surveyor sheriff's office, and on July 1st, that first police department.

We are gonna we're gonna chef rate it out.

Okay.

Um Fort Smith is going to keep doing Fort Smith.

Sebastian County is going to keep doing Sebastian County.

One of the issues that the dispatchers have about what schedule is going to be.

I see no need in changing the schedule right now.

If you're on the 12-hour ship for Sebastian County, you're gonna be on a 12-hour ship, just gonna be doing it up here instead of across the street.

Fort Smith, we're gonna keep doing what we do.

Once we get in and get set and get moving and work through McKinks to dispatching and taking calls because call taking is going to end up being in the same system.

Ultimately, I'm gonna have the call information coming into the CAD system in both locations before we consolidate.

So they can just they can it'll be all in one system, they log in, everything is going.

I'm trying to mitigate the transition pains as much as possible for the dispatchers.

Once that happens, we get transition, we're move, we spend the rest of 2026 learning the learning the systems, how we need to operate, what needs to do better, so that as we go into 2027 and begin the 2027 budget process, we'll have a good idea of what we need to operate.

Right.

After the consolidation, uh we are going to uh can continue follow-up between three, six, you know, nine months to a year to see where see where we're going.

I'll need to be bringing uh these updates to you as well so you know who we are.

Okay.

So having said that.

All I need is a motion to approve the consolidation plan for July 1st.

So move.

Okay, so make your move turn second.

Discussion.

Somebody asked, is there a good transition retention plan board, Sebastian County dispatcher?

We're just talking about that.

So on January the 7th, I have a meeting with our HR director.

I've had some questions about that.

We're going to get that together and we're going to start working out those questions.

Functionally speaking, right now, I've got 16 dispatchers, five supervisors at Fort Smith.

And then 11 dispatchers.

Or is it 12?

There's 12 countries.

So that 12th dispatcher, that was a so you had that 12th position.

That's a supervisor position.

That's correct.

Okay.

So what we have to work out in 26 is because of the interlocal, your dispatchers have the option to remain a county employee.

Or they can become a city.

So we have to figure out which way they're going to go.

Sure.

What I would not, what I would like to ask this board is very early on, January, February, meaning is we find out what we do with those 12 positions.

Okay.

I've got 16 positions at Fort Smith.

So does that mean we would bring 11 positions over and then that one supervisor position and merge that?

That's what we need to determine.

I just think clarification volume.

We have 24 dispatch positions right now.

We have 24 dispatch positions.

However, the the budget includes the elimination of eight vacant positions.

Eight dispatcher positions?

Yes, sir.

Is there's eight vacancies right now?

Yes, sir.

So I suppose I suppose if you bring county employees over, they might be able to handle the float, but that's a whole other discussion.

All right, I understand where you're getting 16.

Any stations?

What do you have available?

We'll have eight stations.

I'm going to need six radios monitored 24-7.

Fort Smith, Maine Police, Fort Smith Police Channel 2, Fort Smith Fire 1, Sebastian County Maine, H Law, and Sebastian County Fire.

And see, that's that's one of the issues that I plan for this task force is we're going to look at these top groups.

We actually start having we're having a meeting tomorrow.

Uh the Will Sappington with emergency management has taken a lead on help us looking at all of the radio channels and what we can do in terms of Motorola, and that's one of the priorities that we've got to look at once we start operating.

But at minimum, I gotta have those six radio top groups monitored 24-7.

That means I've got two call taker positions.

And we're you know, call taker, that's that's all that is is they answer the phones and put into information indicating.

Some of the radio positions will have to do to be good.

I know that the police channel two and fire channels sometimes will answer the phone calls as well.

Uh that's just that's that's the reality.

So I'm gonna use the the space that I have as most efficiently as I can.

Yeah, discussion.

Yes.

Yes, Sizmo?

Yes.

Yes, Clark?

Yes.

Cooper?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Motion carries.

And that's it.

Uh any other new business.

Unless I passed out, we didn't approve the minutes from the previous meeting.

We didn't approve the minutes.

Would you would you carry move move to approve the case?

I'll move to approved the minutes.

Thank you, sir.

Second.

Okay.

I'm going to approve the minutes.

All in favor?

All right.

Any opposed.

Anything else?

Motion to adjourn.

So move.

Good Christmas.

Very great Christmas.

Thank you all, gentlemen.

We will see you in January.

I'll be moving out soon to set a date.