Jun 22, 2026 Finance & Audit Committee

[00:00:01]

OH, JUST A COUPLE MINUTES LATE.

UH, MY NAME IS MANUEL BARKA.

WE WILL BRING TOGETHER A FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE.

WE HAVE WITH US LEGISLATORS, ANDERSON HUSKY AND LEGISLATORS, FRANKLIN ORDINANCES

[ORDINANCES IN COMMITTEE]

[6098 AN ORDINANCE repealing section 1540.1, of the Jackson County Code, 1984 and enacting, in lieu thereof, one new section relating to the same subject requiring that the Legislative County Auditor maintain a permanent position on the Board responsible for the Administration and Oversight of County Pension and Retirement Systems with an effective date.]

THANK YOU.

1984.

AND ENACTING IN LIEU THEREOF, ONE NEW SECTION RELATING TO THE SAME SUBJECT, REQUIRING THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNTY AUDITOR MAINTAIN A PERMANENT POSITION ON THE BOARD RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTRATION OVERSIGHT OF COUNTY PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT SYSTEMS WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANNA START WITH THE AUDITOR, MR. EXECUTIVE, BY THE WAY.

I'LL JUST RESPOND.

MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS THE COMMITTEE, UH, THE COUNCIL FOR THE PENSION BOARD IS WEIGHING IN ON THIS, AND SHE WAS GONNA GIVE HER OPINION OF, UH, THE, UH, I GUESS HER OPINION OF THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO ADD THAT IN HER, UH, UPS DOWNS, THOUGHTS, LEGAL POSITION ON THAT.

AND SHE HASN'T GOT BACK TO, I THINK, UH, MS. MILLER WAS OUT AND THERE MAY BE TRAINING PHONE CALLS.

SO IF YOU CAN HOLD THAT TO GET THAT, GET YOU ADVISED OF WHAT THE PENSION BOARD'S LAWYER THINKS.

UH, WHAT, WHAT'S THE, THE INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE BASED UPON A COUNTY PERSPECTIVE OF THE INCLUSION.

I MEAN, IS IT'S ONE TRUMPING THE OTHER HERE, WHAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THAT AREA? WELL, IT WOULD, IT WOULD MAKE IT AN EVEN NUMBER.

UH, THERE'S NINE NOW.

IT WOULD MAKE IT 10.

AND THAT'S ALWAYS, UH, DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE A BOARD.

YOU WANNA HAVE AN ODD NUMBER.

UM, AND, AND I GUESS I WOULD, I WOULD JUST HEAR FROM THE LEGISLATURE WHY THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO ADD THE, THE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR TO THE PENSION BOARD.

UH, I THINK THERE'S A, I DON'T MY UNDERSTANDING THIS WASN'T A VOTING MEMBER, SO I THINK THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT.

UM, AND, AND MR. AUDITOR, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAINTAINING AND OPERATING, UH, WITH THE FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE AUDIT PROCESS, UH, FROM THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE.

SO I DON'T KNOW MR. AUDITOR.

OKAY.

SO I, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS EVER A GOAL TO TRY AND CHANGE OR MANIPULATE THE NUMBER.

I THINK IT WAS MORE OF A PRESENCE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY.

BUT, AND I THINK THAT THE, THE PENSION BOARD'S COUNCIL HAS THAT HAS THE RLA MS COUNSELOR, WHITNEY MILLER.

WHITNEY MILLER WITH THE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE.

I'VE SENT HER THE DRAFT LEGISLATION, MAKING SURE IT'S ON.

UM, I, I SENT HER THE DRAFT LEGISLATION BEFORE MY LEAVE AND I JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CHECK IN WITH HER.

I MEANT TO DO THAT THIS MORNING, UM, TO, TO SEE IF SHE HAD RESPONSE OR CONCERNS OR ANYTHING.

UM, SO AS FAR AS WHO, LIKE WHO WOULD KIND OF TRUMP WHO, IF THAT WAS YOUR QUESTION.

YEAH, I THINK MORE, IT WAS MORE AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION SINCE SHE'S MORE OF AN EXPERT IN THIS AREA, UM, THAN I, THAN WE ARE.

SO, FAIR ENOUGH.

ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR THOUGHTS, COLLEAGUES, ANY OPINION ON HOLDING FOR A WEEK ON THIS? ALL RIGHT.

WE WILL HOLD FOR A WEEK, UH, RESOLUTIONS

[RESOLUTIONS IN COMMITTEE]

[22303 A RESOLUTION authorizing the County Auditor to execute a Financial Advisory Services Agreement with an entity of their choice for independent financial advisory and consulting services at a cost to the County not to exceed $50,000.00.]

UM, I, I THINK AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE AUDITOR AT THIS POINT, UH, MR. AUDITOR, DO YOU SEE, DO YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD? I THINK THERE WAS A GOAL TO WITHDRAW IT AT THIS POINT.

YES.

OKAY.

SO WE WILL, UM, WE HAVE TO WITHDRAW FROM LEGISLATURE AS A WHOLE, CORRECT.

MS. MILLER? OR CAN WE WITHDRAW HERE? YES.

SO WHAT ADVANCE, OR I CAN DISCHARGE IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT, WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT THAT WAY.

UM, ACTUALLY, IS THE COMMITTEE OPEN TO ADVANCING WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CAN DISCHARGE THAT WAY? UM, OR THEN WE CAN WITHDRAW THAT WAY.

'CAUSE I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW NOT TO RELINQUISH THE CHAIR, BUT I THINK EITHER WAY I'M STUCK.

I'LL MOVE TO REC.

TO REC.

OH MY GOD.

, SAME.

I'LL MOVE.

I'LL MOVE TO, UH, MOVE THIS OUTTA COMMITTEE WITH NO RECOMMENDATION.

SECOND, BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO ADVANCE RESOLUTION 2, 2 3 0 3.

WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE INDICATE BY THE SIGN OF AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? I'LL VOTE.

AYE AS WELL, IT APPEARS THE AYES HAVE IT.

THE AYES DO INDEED HAVE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I WILL MOVE TO WITHDRAWAL AND LEGISLATURE AS A WHOLE FOR THAT ONE.

UH, 2, 2 3 0 4

[22304 A RESOLUTION establishing the Unincorporated Jackson County Fund and directing the County Executive and County Administration to develop policies and procedures for the administration of said fund.]

MR. EXECUTIVE, ANY THOUGHTS OR I CAN SHARE MY CONTEXT TO THIS? UH, I, I HAVE TO GET SOME DIRECTION.

I MEAN, THIS BODY AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TOO.

I'VE NEVER BEEN ASKED ABOUT DEVELOPING ANY POLICIES, PROCEDURES.

WE HAVE SOME, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT CREATING A FUND.

I WOULD, UH, WE HAVE MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL ONE FOR THAT.

I, I DON'T KNOW THE NEED FOR IT, SO I REALLY CAN'T SPEAK TO IT.

UM, I'M HAPPY TO GIVE CONTEXT.

UM, AND, AND FOR OPPORTUNITIES OF FUTURE DISCUSSION AS WELL.

UH, I THINK AFTER HAVING CONVERSATION, I THINK TALKING, I CAN'T REMEMBER WITH WHICH OF MY COLLEAGUES,

[00:05:01]

THE REQUEST WAS, IS THERE A WAY TO ISOLATE FUNDS JUST FOR, UM, THE UNDESIGNATED, UH, AREA? AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

WE CAN LOOK AT AN EQUITABLE FUNDING MODEL.

THIS COULD BE THAT METHODOLOGY.

UH, WE HAVE CREATED FUNDS, I BELIEVE, FOR, UH, THE ARPA EXPENDITURES AS WELL AS OTHER DIFFERENT, UM, UNRESTRICTED PROCESSES AND THOUGHT THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BUDGET EACH YEAR IN THAT METHOD.

UM, SO IF THOSE, THERE'S A CHOICE NOT TO DO IT, I'M FINE WITH THAT.

BUT THIS WAS MY COMMITMENT TO THOSE FOLKS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA TO CONSIDER A FUND FOR THAT VERY REASON.

IT COULD SIT THERE AS WELL WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC FUNDING IN IT.

BUT I THINK THAT, UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, IF THERE'S, IF IT'S NOT BUDGETED, IT'S NOT A PRIORITY.

SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEARLY DISPLAY THAT THERE IS AN EFFORT TO TRY AND DIRECT FUNDING TOWARDS THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF JACKSON, JACKSON COUNTY.

SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

I'M HAPPY TO MOVE IT TO LEGISLATURE WHOLE, IF THAT'S AN, AN EFFORT.

IF THERE'S MORE DISCUSSION AS WELL, PREFERENCE FROM COMMITTEE.

I CAN'T ADVANCE ANYTHING MYSELF HERE.

SO THIS IS UP TO YOU ALL.

JAYLEN WELL, YOU CATCH YOUR THOUGHTS.

ALLEGED.

ANDERSON, UH, IF I MAY SPEAK, I, I KNOW THAT LECHE ANDERSON AND HUSKY, UH, I THINK ALLEGEDLY PEYTON HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN MR. AND CHAIRMAN BARK.

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE IN UNINCORPORATED QUITE A BIT, AND THEY HAVE PROBLEMS, A LOT OF PROBLEMS, I THINK.

WELL, I KNOW THEY'VE NOT HAD THIS MUCH ATTENTION FROM THE LEGISLATURE AND THE EXEC OFFICE IN A LONG, LONG TIME.

YEAH, SO I DON'T THINK THIS ISSUE MEANS WE'RE IGNORING THEM.

I THINK THAT THERE'S FUNDING ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THEIR PRIORITIES.

AND I THINK THE FIRST STEP IS THAT YOU'RE THERE.

I, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS, YOU'VE BEEN TO MEETINGS IN, IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I'M, I WANNA MAKE SURE NO ONE, NO ONE THINKS THAT MYSELF OR THIS BODY DOESN'T THINK, THIS IS NOT A PRIORITY.

BUT WHAT THIS LEGISLATION IS ACTUALLY CREATING AN ADDITIONAL FUND, AN ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT, ADDITIONAL, UH, BUDGET ITEM, UH, FOR UNINCORPORATED JACKSON COUNTY, WHICH WE HAVE THE GEN GENERAL REVENUE FUND.

WE CAN ALWAYS MOVE MONEY THAT WE WANT TO.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THAT.

AND I THINK IN THE ARPA FUNDING, THAT'S, UH, IN, IN FRONT OF YOU TOO, THERE, THERE IS AN, AN ASK FOR AN CORPORATE AREA, ESPECIALLY BLUE SUMMIT FOR SOME SIGNS, SOME, UH, CAMERAS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

SO I GUESS I WOULD JUST SPEAK TO THAT.

AND I, I SORRY TO JUMP IN THERE, ANDERSON, BUT I THINK, UH, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS, UH, IT'S, IT'S A PRIORITY TO THIS BODY AND ME ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS CREATING A, AN ADDITIONAL FUND DOES ANYTHING, BUT JUST PUTS MORE, UH, LINES ON AN EXCEL SHEET MOVE TO ADOPT.

UH, I'M SORRY, YOU WANT TO, YOU OKAY.

OKAY.

LEGISLATIVE PAYTON, UM, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

COUNTY EXECUTIVE LAVO AND I HAVE BEEN OUT IN BLUE SUMMIT.

IT IS A GRAVE CONCERN OF MINE AS WELL AS BUCKNER AND, AND TARLEY LAKE.

I, UM, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND.

AND REALLY, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THIS FUND WOULD DO.

BECAUSE WE USE MONIES FROM PUBLIC WORKS.

WE USE MONIES FROM, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR FUNDING BASE TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF UNINCORPORATED BY HAVING A FUND.

MY CONCERN IS THE RESTRICTIONS IT WOULD PUT ON THOSE AREAS.

IF WE SAY, THIS IS THE FUND AND THIS IS THE MONEY THAT'S GOING IN THE FUND, WILL WE NOT OPEN UP UN-DESIGNATED FUND BALANCE MONEY IF THERE'S A PROBLEM? WILL WE NOT OPEN UP, UM, FUNDING FROM PUBLIC WORKS? WILL WE BE RESTRICTING WHAT PUBLIC WORKS CAN ACTUALLY DO AND PROVIDE BY HAVING A FUND WITH A BUDGET, UM, AS OPPOSED TO BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS? BUT I TOTALLY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO INVEST MORE MONIES IN THERE.

AND I HAVE SEEN SOME, YOUR PLAN FOR, UM, ARPA FUNDING, WHICH IS GOING TO PUT MONEY INTO THOSE AREAS.

I DON'T WANT US TO, UM, APPEAR TO BE NEGLIGENT IN OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO UNINCORPORATED.

THAT WOULD BE A CATASTROPHE.

BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT US TO BOX OURSELVES IN AND FUTURE LEGISLATORS IN AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO TO MEET THE NEEDS OF UNINCORPORATED.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN IN THAT REGARD.

DOES THAT QUESTION, DO YOU WANT IT'S UP TO YOU.

I I, I EXACTLY SEE YOUR POINT.

SO THE, LET'S DO THIS HYPOTHETICAL.

THIS FUND'S CREATED, IT'S FUNDED WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY IN IT, IT'S SPENT, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S SOME, SOME PROBLEMS. DOES THE NEW NEXT LEGISLATURE SAY, WELL, IT WAS FUNDED.

WE CAN'T TAKE THE MONEY OUTTA PUBLIC WORKS.

IT'S IN THE UNINCORPORATED FUND.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

SO I, I, I DEFINITELY SEE YOUR CONCERN OF BOXING IT IN.

UH, IT, IT MIGHT HAMSTRING A FUTURE LEGISLATURE, WHICH CAN BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS FACILITIES AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER BUDGETS.

[00:10:01]

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LEGISL SAY, ANDERSON, YOU HAD A DIRECTION, I MEAN, I, I'M HAPPY TO RESPOND AS WELL.

UM, BUT MR. ANDERSON, I DUNNO IF YOU HAD AN ACTION YOU WANTED TO DO.

UM, I, I, I GUESS I WILL.

UH, I, I, I KNOW LEGISLATOR HUSKY HAD ASKED WHAT I THOUGHT I, I WANTED TO INQUIRE OF HER WHAT SHE THOUGHT WE SHOULD, UH, DO WITH THIS.

BECAUSE I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF WE LOOK AT THE OVERALL FOCUS OF THE COUNTY, WE'RE THE DIRECT GOVERNMENT FOR UNINCORPORATED JACKSON COUNTY.

THERE'S NO IN-BETWEEN IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

AND THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR, UM, OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE LITERALLY MADE TO TAKE CARE OF UNINCORPORATED AND THEN THE THINGS THAT WE OWN, UM, I THINK THE FUNDING STREAMS IN AND OF ITSELF SHOULD BE MORE FOCUSED TOWARDS UNINCORPORATED.

BUT THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DISCUSSION IN AND OF ITSELF.

UM, BUT ANYWAY, I WANTED TO ASK OF LEGISLATOR HUSKY IF SHE AGREED WITH, I THINK YOU'D MENTIONED PASSING IT OUT OF COMMITTEE OR, OR JUST, UH, THE LEGISLATION AS A WHOLE.

YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I AGREE THAT WE CAN HELP THEM WITH.

YEAH.

THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'VE CREATED ON THEIR OWN.

BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO HAPPEN, AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, I WANT PUBLIC HEALTH TO GO OUT THERE BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A MESS IN ONE OF THE AREAS.

AND I DON'T THINK THEY WANT US TO BE THAT DRASTIC.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM MAKING THE MOTION TO MOVE IT OUT OF COMMITTEE, IF THAT'S A, IS THAT THE CORRECT MOTION, MS. MILLER? WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION OR WITH, WITH, WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO DO, I, I DON'T, I I'M NOT AGAINST IT, SO I WOULD JUST MAKE IT WITH RECOMMENDATION.

SO I'D MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT.

THEN YOU WANNA MOVE TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OR MOVE TO MOVE IT THE LEGISLATURE WITH NO RECOMMENDATION.

WHAT WOULD WELL, WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF YOU RECOMMEND IT? THAT MEANS TO ADOPT IT, ISN'T IT? YEAH.

SO YOU EITHER MOVE IT OUTTA COMMITTEE AND RECOMMEND ADOPTION OR MOVE IT OUT COMMITTEE WITH NO RECOMMENDATION.

OH, THE TIMES .

OH, THE TIMES.

MR. ANDERSON, CAN I JUMP IN HERE BEFORE YOU MAKE A MOTION? I, I, I WANT, I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE THE BUDGET BOOK HERE.

UM, SO, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE PROSECUTOR'S BUDGET.

UM, SO THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY BUDGET HAS SEVERAL DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT FACILITATE THE COMPLETE FUNDING OF THAT OFFICE.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF SETUP THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, IS THAT THERE'S NOT A RESTRICTION OF WHAT COULD OR COULD NOT BE THERE.

IN FACT, THE CREATION OF THIS DEDICATES A FUNDING SOURCE TO BE PUT THERE FOR SOMETHING.

AND SO AS FOLKS COME TO US AND SAY, WELL, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING IN UNDESIGNATED, UH, OR THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF JACKSON COUNTY, WE CAN ACTUALLY REFER TO THE LINES WHERE WE SAY AND PARKS, HERE'S WHERE IT GOES AND PUBLIC WORKS.

HERE'S WHERE IT GOES FOR THESE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS.

IT ALSO GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO BUDGET FOR IT IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER IT'S UNINCORPORATED JACKSON COUNTY, WHERE WE KNOW OUR GOOD FRIEND TRACY RICE IS, OR OTHER PARTS.

AND SO THIS TO ME, IS CREATING A, A, A FOREFRONT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SAY WE CARE.

AND THIS IS HOW MUCH EACH YEAR IN THE BUDGETING PROCESS WE DO.

IT'S UN LITERALLY AN UNRESTRICTED FUND.

IT'S NOT RESTRICTED BY ANYTHING UNLESS THE LEGISLATURE PUTS IT IN THERE.

AND WHERE I AGREE WITH THE EXECUTIVE THAT YES, WE CARE, UM, MAJORITY OF US HERE ARE NOT GONNA BE HERE NEXT YEAR.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN POINT OF PUTTING THIS FORWARD, TO SAY WE CARE SO MUCH THAT WE WILL CREATE A FUND.

WE CARE ALSO ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IN BUDGET IN THE FUTURE.

YES, MADAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND, UM, COMPARISONS ALWAYS HELP, BUT THEY HELP MORE WHEN IT'S APPLES TO APPLES AND ORANGES TO ORANGES.

UM, AND FOR US TO SAY, AND LET ME PREFACE THIS BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, MY HEART FOR UNINCORPORATED JACKSON COUNTY, WHICH IS WHY I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

UM, SO UNLESS WE PUT SOMETHING WITHIN THE LEGISLATION THAT IS GOING TO DEFINE IT BETTER, MY CONCERN IS STILL THE SAME THAT WE WILL BE BOXING OURSELVES IN AND LIMITING OUR, UH, ABILITY TO SERVE THOSE AREAS.

I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD IDEA.

NOT AT ALL.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT RIGHT NOW AS IT STANDS, IT DOESN'T GIVE US THE LATITUDE TO, UH, DO AS YOU ARE SUGGESTING.

WHICH LINE WOULD YOU LIKE TO MODIFY? UM, I DON'T KNOW.

I'D HAVE TO, I'D HAVE TO SIT DOWN IN CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW.

I UNDERSTAND THE REASONING, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND THE INTENT ABOUT HOW THE SPONSOR WANTS THIS TO BE DISTRIBUTED.

BUT I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

I WOULD LOVE IT TO BE BUDGETED.

I THINK THAT'S THE INTENT.

MM-HMM .

AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE SAYING THAT WE LOVE UNINCORPORATED, THIS IS THE

[00:15:01]

AND IT CAN COME FROM ANY OF THE FUNDS AND ANY OF THE LINES.

IT'S JUST SAYING THAT WE WILL HAVE A PAGE THAT SAYS, WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT YOU THAT WILL FUND YOU.

SO THAT'S THE GOAL HERE.

LET'S SAY UNDERSTAND.

YEAH.

AND I I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

YEAH, AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT AGAIN, UM, I DON'T WANT TO BOX US IN.

AND THAT IS MY CONCERN.

THANK YOU.

UM, SAY I UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY THANK YOU.

THE REASON WHY I AM, I AM LEANING FOR THIS IS BECAUSE BEING HERE SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS, MY ENTIRE FIRST TERM, NOTHING WAS DONE.

I MEAN, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE PULLING TEETH WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS I GAVE IT.

YOU COULD NOT GET FOLKS TO GO OUT THERE.

YOU COULD NOT GET PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT.

UH, AND AND ONLY IN THIS LAST LEGISLATURE, UH, SINCE 2023, HAVE WE HAD FOLKS TAKE THAT AS A PRIORITY TO TRY TO GET THINGS DONE.

UH, SO THAT, THAT IS MY GREATEST WORRY.

'CAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF UNINCORPORATED JACKSON COUNTY, UH, JUST IN MY EXPERIENCE, WE DID NOT IN THE FIRST FOUR YEARS OF, OF MY TWO TERMS, UM, THIS TIME AROUND WE HAVE, SO I I, I SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I FEAR THAT WE WILL GET BACK TO A MOMENT WHERE WE HAVE TO PULL TEETH JUST TO EVEN GET, YOU KNOW, THE, REMEMBER THE, THE STREET SIGNS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN, UH, 2019 AND IT TOOK UNTIL, YOU KNOW, WHEN DID WE FINALLY GET THEM IN THIS LAST YEAR? MM-HMM .

UH, SO, UM, IT, I UNDERSTAND BOTH, BUT MY MOTION IS, UM, I, I I GUESS I'LL ASK, UH, LEGIS OR, UM, THE CHAIR, UM, SINCE THIS IS YOUR LEGISLATION, DID YOU WANT TO, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, LEGISLATOR PEYTON WANTS TO, UM, POSSIBLY WORK, UH, I DON'T KNOW, WITH THE LANGUAGE OR WHATEVER THIS IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD RATHER US DO, WORK ON IT IN COMMITTEE OR WORK ON IT AS A LEGISLATURE'S WHOLE.

UM, I THINK, UH, BECAUSE LEGISLATOR PAYTON IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, I WOULD SAY LET'S PROBABLY ADVANCE IT OUT OF HERE OKAY.

AND THEN DO IT IN LEGISLATURE AS A WHOLE, IF THAT'S THE GOAL.

OKAY.

THEN I'LL MOVE TO ADOPT.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, THE ONLY THING I WILL SAY IS THAT, UM, I'M FINE HOLDING IT, LEGISLATOR PAYTON AND THE LEGISLATURE AS A WHOLE, AND WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON WHAT CHANGES YOU WANNA SEE.

UM, I DON'T DISAGREE THAT THE TERMS OF BOXING US IN IS NOT THE GOAL.

I JUST WANNA BOX US INTO FUNDING HIM, PERIOD.

AND SO WHETHER WE DO IT OR HOW WE DO IT, I THINK IS UP TO THIS EXECUTIVE AND THIS BODY THIS YEAR.

BUT AFTER THAT, IT'S GONNA BE UP TO THE NEW BUNCH.

SO, AND I TOTALLY AGREE.

SO I TOTALLY AGREE.

MM-HMM .

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YEP.

YEP.

WHEN 2027 COMES, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT, OH WELL YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY, SO WE'RE DONE.

WE, I, SO WE'RE DONE.

SO NO, I JUST DON'T WANT, 'CAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

AGREED.

WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

WE'LL, WE'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO FOLKS LIKE YOU AND OTHERS HERE.

THAT'LL BE AROUND.

UM, ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY THE SIGN OF AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? IT APPEARS THE AYES HAVE IT.

THE AYES DO NEED HAVE IT.

MOVING ON TO 2 2 3 1 6.

[22316 A RESOLUTION declaring certain County-owned land as surplus real property and authorizing the Administration to solicit bids for selling fifteen (15) surplus parcels.]

MR. EXECUTIVE, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, IT'S VISUAL AID TIME.

YAY.

WE, UH, UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF SURPLUS PROPERTIES HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY.

AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING FOR A LONG TIME THAT COULD BE UTILIZED FOR SALE, FOR DEVELOPMENT FOR SOMETHING.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME GIGANTIC BIG PARCELS, FOR EXAMPLE, OUT IN LEE SUMMIT.

OTHER ONES THAT, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET ONTO THE SURPLUS LIST.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE JUST HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT 'EM OUT FOR BID OR DO SOMETHING WITH THEM.

UH, THIS IS NOTHING SPECIFICALLY TO DO WITH ANY PIECE OF EACH PARCEL, BUT WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD, EVEN GET ANY BIDS OR TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE, UH, USE OF THESE PROPERTIES.

UH, UNTIL THEN AND NOW I'VE GOT SOME, AND NOW LAUREN'S GONNA PASS OUT SOME VISUALS, AND I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH EACH PARCEL WITH YOU.

OKAY, PERFECT.

THAT'S ALL GOOD.

THANK YOU.

AND AS WE MOVE ALONG AT, IN THE NUMBERS, THE NUMBER ONE, THE FIRST PARCEL IS THE JACKSON COUNTY ELECTION BOARD BUILDING.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, YOU DO KNOW, BUT MANY OF YOU DO KNOW IT IS IN HORRIBLE SHAPE.

UH, WE'RE SPENDING TIME OUT THERE ALL THE TIME WITH THE FLOODS AND IT'S JUST FALLING APART.

UH, THE CITY OF INDEPENDENCE HAS A NEW DEVELOPMENT, UH, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

UH, THERE ARE WHISPERS AND RUMORS THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO

[00:20:01]

SO FOR US TO EVEN THINK ABOUT MOVING THE JACKSON COUNTY ELECTION BOARD SOMEWHERE, IT'D BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT AND THE ABILITY TO DISCUSS FUTURE USES FOR IT, AND THEN COME BACK TO THIS BODY AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO BUY THIS OR DO SOMETHING WITH THAT.

SECOND PARCEL IS, IF YOU WILL REFER TO YOUR SECOND LIST, THAT IS THE HILLTOP SCHOOL OUT IN LEE, SUMMIT, MISSOURI, OFF GREGORY AND LITTLE BLUE OR LEE SUMMIT ROAD.

THE HILLTOP SCHOOL IS A, THE PARCEL ITSELF IS A MULTI HUNDRED ACRE PARCEL, AND WE WANT TO PARCEL OUT THE LAND TO THE EAST, INTO THE WEST TO MAKE, TO CREATE NEW PARCELS, UH, OF SEVERAL HUNDRED ACRES EACH, NOT TOUCHING THE BUILDINGS OF THE HILLTOP SCHOOL.

AND A BE ABLE TO ASK THOSE TO BE SURPLUS AND SEE IF WE CAN DO DEAL WITH THOSE, OR I'M SO SORRY.

CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS TO GO ALONG OR WE, I THINK IT'D BE BEST IF YOU EACH ONE.

I THINK EACH ONE DO EACH.

OKAY.

I THINK SO.

SO LET'S, LET'S PAUSE IN EXECUTIVE AND GO BACK TO YOUR FIRST ONE.

YEP.

SO THIS IS TWO 15 NORTH LIBERTY INDEPENDENCE, THE ELECTION BOARD BUILDING ITSELF.

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.

HAS, UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN.

UH, MR. EXECUTIVE HAS THERE, UH, WITH MOVING THIS, I, I KNOW WE DON'T, SO I KNOW.

MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC KNOWS.

IT JUST ALLOWS THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE BIDS ON THESE THINGS.

I JUST HAD A QUESTION OF, HAS THERE BEEN ANY MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FINDING A NEW BUILDING FOR THE ELECTION BOARDS ELECTION BOARD? YES.

THAT'S GOOD QUESTION, JAMES.

WE'RE TRYING TO LOCATE, UH, AND WE, WE'VE TALKED TO THE ELECTION BOARD, UH, MEMBERS TOO, AND THEY ARE IN THIS CONVERSATION.

UM, THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE FURTHER SOUTH THAN THE SQUARE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

UM, THEY DON'T THINK THEY NEED TO BE UP ON THE SQUARE.

THEY'D LIKE TO FIND A LOCATION, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, AN OLD GROCERY STORE WITH SOME REALLY SQUARE FOOTAGE ALL ON ONE, UH, LEVEL WITH SOME BIG GARAGES IN THE BACK FOR THEIR, THEIR ISSUE.

SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING ACROSS THE COUNTY, LOOKING FOR A LOCATION CONSTANTLY TO FIND A, A MOVE GOOD LOCATION.

AGAIN, ONE OF THESE PROPERTIES, THE DOMINOES HAS TO FALL FIRST.

WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE SELL THIS PROPERTY, BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE OTHER ONE, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON TRYING TO FIND A NEW LOCATION FOR THE ELECTION.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

YEAH.

UM, SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE INDEPENDENCE LOCATION? ALL RIGHT.

MOVING ON TO, LOOKS LIKE THE NORTHWEST GREGORY PARCEL, LISA, MISSOURI.

THAT'S JUST TO THE EAST OF TRUMAN MEDICAL CENTER.

SO THIS IS THE, THAT'S TWO PARCELS IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, MR. EXECUTIVE.

CORRECT.

AND THE, THE, THE MIDDLE PARCEL THERE, THAT WOULD REMAIN, THAT'S THE, ACTUALLY THE HILLTOP SCHOOL WITH ALL THEIR BUILDINGS.

THANK YOU.

AND JUST TO THE WEST AND EAST WOULD BE CREATE TWO NEW PARCELS.

AND HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE COURTS ABOUT ANY OF THIS? I KNOW ALL OF IT.

OKAY.

YES.

ON, ON THE PHONE WITH BEV NEWMAN TODAY.

OKAY.

QUESTION? YEAH.

PAGE.

UM, I, UM, DON'T AGREE WITH THESE TWO PIECES OF PARCEL BECOMING SURPLUS.

UM, I THINK THAT THEY ARE NOT THAT ALL OF THIS LAND IS NOT EXTREMELY VALUABLE BECAUSE IT IS, BUT THIS LAND IS, UM, VALUABLE TO ME AND I THINK TO THE LEGISLATURE WHEN IT COMES TO FUTURE PLANS, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO HOUSING.

AND, UH, THESE PARCELS ARE AVAILABLE THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED MORE READILY THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS.

I DO NOT WANT US TO SURPLUS THESE TWO PARCELS OR AT ALL.

AND LEGISL, PEYTON, REMEMBER THE SURPLUS ONLY ALLOWS US TO FIND IDEAS AND TO, TO GET THERE.

AND IT HAS TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY TO DO ANYTHING.

WE CAN'T THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHETHER WE HAVE A DEVELOPER THAT COULD COME IN AND TAKE THAT CORNER OF LEE SUMMIT AND LITTLE BLUE AND PAY US MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR IT.

AND THEN ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, WORK ON THE OTHER PARCEL TO THE RIGHT AND PUT SOME HOUSING.

WE WE'RE NOT SELLING IT.

THIS IS JUST ALLOWS US TO EXPLORE.

WITHOUT THAT, WE CAN'T EXPLORE, WE CAN'T THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX ON ALL THIS PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE.

I'M GOING ANYWHERE UNTIL YOU SAY IT GOES SOMEWHERE.

JUST GIVES US, AND I'M GOOD WITH THAT.

I'M GOOD WITH US NOT THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX ON THESE TWO PARCELS, PLEASE.

OKAY.

OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ABOUT THAT PORTION? I WANNA BE COGNIZANT OF OUR TIME HERE, UH, KNOWING THAT WE DID HAVE ONE OTHER COMMITTEE BEFORE THE STARTED THE LEGISLATIVE MEETING, WHICH IS NOW, UM, MR. EXECUTIVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY,

[00:25:01]

OKAY.

YOU BET.

UH, APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S BEING PRESENT.

UH, I THINK WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, UH, IN FURTHER DETAIL AND, UH, CATCH UP WITH THE EXECUTIVE AS WELL.

SO WE'LL HOLD RESOLUTION 2, 2, 3, 1 6.

UH, DO WE HAVE TO ADOPT THIS AMENDMENT OR IS THIS JUST THE, FOR SAKE OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENING? THAT IS, WAS A REQUEST, I BELIEVE, OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ADD ONE MORE PARCEL.

OKAY.

UM, SO YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND ACCEPT THAT NOW OR WAIT UNTIL WE UP NEXT WEEK.

IS THAT ALL RIGHT? OKAY.

MS. CHAIRMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TAKE BACK YOUR PACKET SO YOU DON'T SO I CAN GIVE IT BACK TO YOU NEXT WEEK? YEAH, AND WE HAVE THEM ELECTRONICALLY.

OH, YOU DO? UHHUH.

.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

I DO, I I WANNA, I I'M AN OLD SCHOOL GUY.

I GOTTA HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.

SO I, I WILL TAKE IT BACK SO I HAVE IT, IT ON NEXT TIME OR YOU CAN TELL ME YOU KEEP IT AND, OKAY.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

UH, ANY OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE? HEARING NONE WILL ADJOURN.

FINANCE AND AUDIT.