MEMORANDUM DATE: December 18, 2023TO: Members of the Commissioners CourtFROM: Margaret J. Gomez, County Commissioner, Precinct 4Brigid Shea, County Commissioner, Precinct 2 SUBJECT: Proposed 2024 Commissioners Court Calendar The agenda item for Commissioners Court 2024 Calendar was postponed three times due to concerns expressed by various Court Members. Most recently, the Calendar item was on the first version of the posted 12/19/23 agenda as Item #46, but after the revised agenda was posted late Friday, we discovered the Calendar item had been removed. The last opportunity for the Commissioners Court, before year end, to approve the 2024 Calendar is during the soon to be posted 12/21/23 Special Voting Session or setting a Special Voting Session for the morning of Friday 12/22/23 to consider this item. Therefore, we request that the Commissioners Court Calendar agenda item be added to the Court's Special Voting Session agenda; we can sponsor the item, if needed. Please see our proposed Calendar Skip/Consent Days below: Commissioners Gomez and Shea’s Proposed 2024 Calendar Skip Days (5)
February 13 (NACO Legislative Conference)
May 28 (Monday holiday - Memorial Day)
September 3 (Monday holiday - Labor Day)
December 24 (Tuesday Christmas Eve)
December 31 (Tuesday New Years Eve)
Consent Days (7)
January 2 (Need meeting to prevent 18-day meeting void from Dec 22-Jan 9)
February 20 (Monday Holiday – President’s Day)
March 12 (Spring Break)
July 9 (July 4th is on the Thurs before)
November 5 (Election Day)
December 23 (Monday before Tuesday holiday)
December 30 (Monday before Wednesday holiday)
Commissioners Court Agenda Calendar for 2024Background: Over the past three years, the Commissioners Court the number of Skip Days and Consent Days on the Commissioners Court calendar has been increasing. The number has increased from 4 Skip Days in 2020 to 5 in 2021, 6 in 2022 to 11 in CY2023. The calendar agenda item on the December 12, 2023, proposed 12 skip days and 8 consent days, which means more approximately 36% of the Courts meetings would not allow for department staff to make important presentations and meaningful discussion with the Court. The increasing practice of skip and consent days has presented a challenge for County Staff and the County Auditor’s Office in making timely payment of accounts payable to agencies, organizations and individuals due across the myriad of services that the County provides, as the Court routinely approves these payments before checks and electronic payments are released on behalf of Travis County on a weekly basis in accordance with the State’s Prompt Pay Act. (See correspondence from the County Auditor). Based on the cost of skipping Court approval for checks and payments, the County Auditor has calculated that an annualized cost of postponing Court approvals can be translated into the loss of an estimated $108,000 in taxpayer dollars. Issues and Opportunities: During the December 12, 2023 Voting Session, the Court decided to reconsider this issue at the following Voting Session and after members of the Court and staff could post possible solutions to the Message Board for consideration. While members of the Court understand the wisdom of minimizing the Court’s involvement around holidays and special events, like Election Day, the Court cannot abdicate its responsibility to its constituents and community partners.Recommendation: We recommend acceptance and approval of this proposed Commissioners Court calendar/schedule for 2024.Budgetary and Fiscal Impact: The County Auditor has calculated that an annualized cost of postponing Court approvals can be translated into the loss of an estimated of over $108,000 in taxpayer dollars to Prompt Pay interest and fees at a rate of 9.25% based on our previous skip week/vacation.
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