Oct 12, 2026 Commissioners' Court

[Invocation and Pledges of Allegiance by Mike Dalby.]

[00:00:04]

THEY MOVE THAT TO CENTER. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. WELL GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. LET ME CALL TO ORDER LUBBOCK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE ARE IN REGULAR SESSION. IT IS MONDAY. IT IS OCTOBER THE 12TH IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2026. IT IS 10:00 AND A QUORUM IS PRESENT. AT THIS TIME. I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO PLEASE RISE TO JOIN COMMISSIONER DALBY IN OUR INVOCATION, FOLLOWED BY OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY ON EARTH YOU'VE GIVEN US TO TO PRAISE YOUR NAME, TO BE THANKFUL FOR THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US. LORD, I ASK YOU TO PLACE YOUR ARMS AROUND THIS COURT. I PRAY FOR THE BUSINESS THAT WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR LUBBOCK COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR THE THE MOISTURE. WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT MORE IS ON THE WAY. I ASK YOU TO PROTECT OUR MILITARY, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. BRING ALL OF THEM HOME. AND YOUR NAME I PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COURT DURING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS REQUIRED TO REGISTER YOUR NAME ON THE CLERK'S REGISTRY. PRIOR TO THIS MEETING. SPEAKERS MAY ONLY ADDRESS ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED ON THE CURRENT AGENDA. SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES MAXIMUM, AND IF THERE'S MORE THAN THREE SPEAKERS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE SAME ITEM, THE COURT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO LIMIT THE SPEAKERS. THE COURT CANNOT DELIBERATE OR ACT ON ANY MATTERS THAT ARE NOT LISTED.

THE AGENDA. JOHN SHIPLEY. SHIPLEY. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE REORGANIZATION OF THE ROAD AND BRIDGE AND THE PUBLIC WORKS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO CREATE A BUNCH OF MORE POSITIONS THAT PAY OVER $100,000 TAX MONEY. I'M TIRED OF PAYING A WHOLE LOT OF TAX MONEY. SO SOME OF Y'ALL, I BELIEVE THIS DEPARTMENT CAN DO THAT BY HIRING JUST AN ENGINEER, AN ENGINEER THAT WILL BE IN CHARGE OF ROAD AND BRIDGE. I'VE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT SOME OF THE RACIST COMMENTS SUPERVISORS HAVE MADE AND THE LACK OF ACTION FROM THIS DEPARTMENT THAT'S DONE IT. SOME OF THE UNFAIR PRACTICES THAT'S DONE IT, SOME OF THE UNFAIR HIRING PRACTICES THAT'S BEEN TAKEN PART. COMMISSIONER SHAW HAS INFORMED ME THAT THEY'VE DONE AN AUDIT. WHERE'S THIS AUDIT? WHY ISN'T THIS PUBLIC? WHY ISN'T SOMEBODY HEARD ABOUT IT? YOU TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY ON THE NEWS. YOU TALK ABOUT VOTERS CONFIDENCE. WE WATCH AND WE SEE ALL THE PROBLEMS THIS COURT HAS BY PAYING TWO COMMISSIONERS FOR ONE ONE JOB.

WE SEE THAT YOU HAD TO GO INTO A A GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE TO FIGURE OUT YOUR OWN PAY.

THERE'S PROBLEMS IN THIS DEPARTMENT, IN THIS COURT. Y'ALL HAVE Y'ALL HAVE THEM. I'M SURE IT'S HARD MAKING THE SAUSAGE IN HERE, BUT WE CAN'T OPERATE AS A GOOD OLD BOY AND LET ANOTHER GOOD OLD BOY OPERATE IN THE ROAD. AND BRIDGE NEEDS TO STOP. IT NEEDS TO COME TO A STOP. NOW. THERE'S EMPLOYEES THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD. THEY'VE TALKED TO Y'ALL, BUT THEY'RE AFRAID OF THE RETALIATION BECAUSE THIS DEPARTMENT IS KNOWN FOR RETALIATION. I'VE APPLIED FOR THREE JOBS IN THE BACK. I WASN'T FIRED, I WAS I RETIRED FROM THIS DEPARTMENT. I HAVE APPLIED FOR JOBS AND I GET NO CALL. THEY SAY I'M ON A NO HIRE LIST. I WANT TO SEE THE NO HIRE LIST. I WANT TO SEE WHY I'M NOT BEING REHIRED OR NOT EVEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AN INTERVIEW. TO ME, THAT'S MORE RETALIATION OR EVEN DISCRIMINATION. NOW, I'VE TALKED SEVERAL TIMES TO Y'ALL AND I HEAR NOTHING, NOTHING IN THE NEWS. BUT WHEN IT AFFECTS YOU, YOU GET ON THE NEWS AND YOU SAY SOMETHING. MISTER SHIPLEY, YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. THANK YOU SIR. JUDGE, WHEN YOU STARTED, YOU GAVE ME THIS BOW TIE PIN. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE IT BACK TO YOU. I DON'T WANT TO WEAR IT NO MORE. THANK YOU. MR. RODRIGUEZ. YOU DON'T HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM WHICH YOU WISH TO ADDRESS. IS THERE AN AGENDA

[00:05:03]

IT'S FOR Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION. I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE IT TO Y'ALL. YEAH. THAT'S ALL. I'LL DO THAT AFTER THE MEETING. YEAH. CAN I JUST WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO GIVE IT TO HER. IS THAT OKAY? NO, SHE SHE DOESN'T HAND OUT MATERIAL, BUT YOU'RE YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY HERE.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO MEET WITH US AFTER THE MEETING. THAT'S FINE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND IF I ALLOWED TO TURN THIS INTO. Y'ALL HAVE A CLERK? IS THAT OKAY? I'M NOT. I'M NOT TRYING TO SELL Y'ALL NOTHING FOR Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION IN YOUR PRIVATE TIME. WELL, YOU CAN MEET WITH US INDIVIDUALLY. THAT'S FINE. OKAY. YOU WANT TO LEAVE IT DOWNSTAIRS AT OUR OFFICE? YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I I'M NOT I I 2.5 HOURS AWAY, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE UP ANYBODY'S TIME, BUT I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO PRIVATELY CONSIDER THIS POLICY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OH. THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR OUR PUBLIC COMMENT TIME. AND WE'LL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM

[1.00 27-0003 Discuss, consider and/or take action to approve the Minutes from Regular Commissioner’s Court dated September 14,2026.]

[2.00 27-0007 Discuss, consider and/or take action to approve the Minutes from Regular Commissioner’s Court dated September 21,2026.]

[3.00 27-0008 Discuss, consider and/or take action to approve the Minutes from Regular Commissioner’s Court dated September 28,2026.]

[4.00 27-0024 Discuss, consider and/or take action to Authorize Payment of Claims: General Accounts (Pooled Cash).]

[5.00 27-0023 Discuss, consider and/or take action regarding Auditor and Financial Matters including Budget Adjustments, Transfers, and Amendments.]

[CONSENT AGENDA (ITEMS 6-16)]

[17.00 27-0019 Presentation and discussion on behalf of Ronnie Keister, Tax Assessor-Collector, regarding the Venue and Short-Term Rental Tax Collections.]

[00:10:08]

$26,183,587.27. TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH $7,910,640.62. BALANCE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH. $18,770,437.38. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SANCHEZ? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM 18 IS TO DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND OR TAKE ACTION TO AUTHORIZE

[18.00 27-0018 Discuss, consider and/or take action to authorize the County Judge to sign Quote 163003 with Southwest Solutions Group for the purchase of Cop Shop Evidence Lockers for the Medical Examiner’s Office.]

[19.00 27-0020 Discuss, consider and/or take action for the authorized County Official to apply for and accept the Texas Secretary of State reimbursement grant offered to offset costs associated with processing voter registration records resulting from the mass data transfer conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety.]

OKAY. TO AMEND THIS AUTHORIZED COUNTY OFFICIAL TO THE COUNTY JUDGE. SECOND MOTION BY.

COMMISSIONER SHAW. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RECHLER. CHANGED THE AMENDMENT THAT WOULD DELETE THE. THE WORD AUTHORIZED COUNTY OFFICIAL TO THE COUNTY JUDGE. YES, SIR. YES. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE QUESTION ON THE AMENDMENT ONLY.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AMENDMENT CARRIES. AND NOW THE ITEM IS TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT THE TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE REIMBURSEMENT GRANT APPROVED.

WE'VE GOT I'VE ALREADY HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THAT. I'VE GOT A MOTION BY

[00:15:01]

[20.00 27-0013 Discuss, consider and/or take action to reclassify and re-title position 109001001 Director of Public Works - AD04 to Assistant Director of Development Services - AD03 and to re-title position 109004001 Environmental Health & Safety Manager - SC06 to Floodplain & Right-of-Way Administrator - SC06.]

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES. I'D LIKE TO AMEND THIS TO VOTE ON EACH POSITION INDIVIDUALLY.

NOT BOTH OF THEM AT ONE TIME. OKAY. THE THE AMENDMENT OFFERED BY COMMISSIONER SHAW IS TO BIFURCATE THE TWO POSITIONS AND VOTE ON EACH AS INDIVIDUALS. IS THERE A SECOND. SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SHAW. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORLEY TO AMEND THE ACTION ITEM TO VOTE INDIVIDUALLY ON. ON EACH OF THE ITEMS PRESENTED. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UNANIMOUS. WE WILL VOTE ON EACH ITEM INDIVIDUALLY OR EACH POSITION INDIVIDUALLY.

WE'LL START FIRST WITH THE. RETITLE, THE RECLASSIFICATION AND RETITLE OF POSITION 109001001. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO A DO4804 TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. A D OH THREE. OKAY, I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RATCLIFFE AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DALBY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM ONLY? YES. THE REASON I WANTED THIS.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO COMBINE THE PUBLIC WORKS WITH THE ROAD COMMISSIONER. I WANT A TWO HEADED DEAL THERE. AND THIS POSITION THAT WE'VE FOUND THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR. HE'S QUALIFIED TO BE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. SO I DON'T WANT IT ALL COMBINED UNDER ONE HEAD.

I WANT I WANT THE PUBLIC WORKS, AND I WANT MR. MOORE IN HIS POSITION. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ON IT. I WILL RESTATE WHAT I DID IN THE WORKSHOP. I FEEL LIKE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS THE DIRECTION THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO GO. BECAUSE WE HAVE WAY TOO MUCH GOING ON IN THAT IN THAT SECTOR, OUR SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS NEED TO BE REWRITTEN, THAT ALL THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE HANDLED. I CANNOT NOT BE DONE WITH A PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. NOT I MEAN, NOT JUST ONE PERSON LEADING THE WHOLE TEAM, BUT WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TAKING CARE OF THAT AND YOU TAKING CARE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES YOU HAVE. SAID BEFORE, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THE ROADS AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE TAKE IN HEAVILY IMPACT HOW WE MAINTAIN THOSE AREAS. SO AGAIN, WE WE HAVE IN THE LAST YEAR HAD TO FIX ISSUES WITH THINGS NOT BEING DEVELOPED PROPERLY, WHICH COST MONEY THAT THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE. PUTTING THESE TWO DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER WILL STREAMLINE THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE DEVELOPED APPROPRIATELY. SO WE'RE NOT GOING BACK FIVE TO 10 TO 15 YEARS LATER, UNDOING THINGS THAT WERE DONE. BUT THE

[00:20:01]

25 BEING MADE. I'M TALKING ABOUT HISTORICAL THINGS BEING SPLIT TO WHERE THE ISSUES WE HAD IN MUSTANG RIDGE WERE PRIOR TO. YES, OUR TURNOVER, YES. BUT AT THAT TIME, AT THE PRIOR TIME, WE HAD ONE INDIVIDUAL RUNNING EVERYTHING. I CAN SHOW YOU EXAMPLES WHERE WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS SAME SETUP 20 YEARS AGO. YES, THE COUNTY HAS TRIED THIS BEFORE. IT JUST YOU NEED YOU NEED SOMEBODY AT THE HEAD OF THE SHIP. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE STEERING THE WHOLE OPERATION.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE ON TO RECLASSIFY AND RETITLE THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR. TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. 803 ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NAY, NAY. MOTION. MOTION CARRIES 3 TO 2. 1 TO 2.

MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER SHAW. AND NOW AS TO THE ITEM OF 109004001 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGER SC06 TO FLOODPLAIN AND RIGHT OF WAY ADMINISTRATOR S TO SC06. I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RATCLIFFE, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DALBY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? ON THIS RETITLED ITEM? HEARING NONE. CALL FOR THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. ITEM 21 IS TO

[21.00 27-0025 Discuss, consider and/or take action to authorize the County Judge to sign a Loan Agreement with the City of Abernathy in the amount of $80,000.00 for the purchase of a replacement cab and chassis for a small brush truck.]

[22.00 27-0015 Discuss, consider and/or take action to authorize the County Judge to sign a Pit Run Caliche Agreement with Kay Thomas as awarded in ITB 260709.]

MR. DALBY, DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY. I MOVED TO POSTPONE TO OCTOBER 20TH. OCTOBER 26TH PENDING SOME CONTRACT LANGUAGE AND. YEAH, IT'S IT'S A IT'S A SAFETY CONCERN. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION BY BY COMMISSIONER DALBY, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RECHLER TO POSTPONE CONSIDERATION OF ITEM 22 UNTIL OCTOBER 26TH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE POSTPONEMENT? HEARING? NONE. CALL FOR THE QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 22 IS POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 26TH. ITEM 23 IS TO DISCUSS,

[23.00 27-0016 Discuss, consider and/or take action to authorize the County Judge to sign a Pit Run Caliche Agreement with 5-S Farms as awarded in ITB 260709.]

[24.00 27-0017 Discuss, consider and/or take action to authorize the County Judge to sign a Pit Run Caliche Agreement with Kahlich Farms as awarded in ITB 260709.]

[00:25:08]

SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORLEY TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SIGN THE PIT RUN AGREEMENT WITH FARMS. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

HEARING NONE. CALL FOR THE QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[25.00 27-0014 Report on the status of County Road Projects, Department Staffing, Training, and Safety, unpaved and paved road maintenance, signs, parks, and fleet management report.]

STARTING WITH THE DEPARTMENT. STAFFING AND TRAINING. WE HAVE TWO EQUIPMENT OPERATOR POSITIONS AND A ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSPECTOR POSITION. UNPAVED ROADS HAS 32 OPEN POSITIONS. HEDGEROWS HAS 36 SIGNS. HAS 11 OPEN WORK ORDERS. PARKS HAS ZERO. FLEET MAINTENANCE IS THERE'S ROUTINE COST THERE. AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 79 OPEN WORK ORDERS READY FOR. WAIT. YEAH. YEAH. MOST OF THE. I KNOW THAT LIKE 5500 IS NOT FIXED. BUT OVERALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IS EVERYTHING PRETTY MUCH PASSABLE NOW? YES. OKAY. ALL

[26.00 27-0011 A quorum of the Commissioners Court may attend the following events: The Texas Tech University Administration Building Landmark celebration on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 10:00am at 1508 Knoxville Ave (Administration Building, North Side) Lubbock, Texas.]