July 20, 2025 • 46 mins
We're back from the National Association of Counties annual conference in Philadelphia, where we successfully passed several key resolutions including a non-discrimination resolution I helped spearhead.
• Reports of unnecessary euthanasia at Bell County Animal Shelter have caused public outcry
• Proposing Bell County become a no-kill shelter with 90% live placement rate
• Workshop scheduled for July 28th to discuss animal shelter reforms
• Commissioner Woodson made controversial comments about JP courts in Precinct 4
• Judge Coleman requested additional clerk to handle heavy caseload in Precinct 2 JP Court
• Police departments choosing to take cases to Precinct 2 instead of their local JP courts
• Workload disparities exist between JP precincts with uneven population distribution
• First day of special legislative session tomorrow addressing flood mitigation, redistricting, and property taxes
• New tentative redistricting map shows Bell County unified in one congressional district
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Louie Minor (00:04):
welcome.
You're listening to the louisminor show.
I'm your host, Bell County Ccommissioner, Louie Minor.
Today is july 20th, 2025 and weare back from naco national
association of county annualconference that was held in
philadelphia and had a greattime over there, was able to
(00:31):
pass some much neededresolutions that go into the
platform for NationalAssociation of Counties.
I'm a member of NACO, theNational Association of Hispanic
County Officials, and therewere several resolutions that we
were supporting and the onethat I was spearheading helping
(00:54):
spearhead was thenon-discrimination resolution.
So we had to take that to twocommittees and so we had to take
that to two committees andluckily, that one passed and all
of the other ones passed thatTanako was supporting.
So, yay, shout out Tanako andall the members that supported
(01:21):
and did all the hard work and,yeah, we did a good job over
there, was excited, made a lotof uh, good information that
able to bring, come back to thecounty and try to get some
things happening.
Uh.
But next week next week, matterof tomorrow I'll be flying out
(01:44):
to Atlanta for the NaleoConference.
That's the National Associationof Latino Elected and Appointed
Officials.
So this will be my second timegoing to Naleo.
Last year was my first time,and this one is definitely much
different because it's obviouslyHispanic officials from all
(02:05):
over the country, but it is citycouncil members, it is state
legislators, county officialsobviously, then federal and
appointed both state and so it'sa really good opportunity
network and see issues that areaffecting the Hispanic community
(02:26):
all over the United States.
So I'm excited to go there andlearn more and bring stuff back
home.
But I do want to touch a coupleof things.
I will play a video You'll beable to listen to it the audio
(02:52):
from the commissioner's court.
There are several things thatcame out in the news since our
last show.
One of them, obviously, was theanimal shelter, and there were
reports that a lot of animalshave been euthanized
unnecessarily and that got a lotof people upset, a lot of
(03:15):
people mad.
I got a lot of emails about it.
I'm sure the othercommissioners did as well.
Commissioner Whitson is on theAnimal Advisory Board and the
sheriff is in control of theanimal shelter and animal
control, so that's hisresponsibility, but there is a
board that's required by law tohave, so they had a meeting this
(03:42):
week about that.
Now on the 28th we're going tohave a workshop item.
I'm putting it on there.
I'd like Bell County to be ano-kill shelter and there is no
certificate or anything likethat, no designation for a
no-kill shelter.
The only thing that I'm awareof the metrics that people use
(04:03):
for a no-kill shelter, the onlything that I'm aware of the
metrics that people use for ano-kill shelter is that you have
90% live placement rate.
So 90%.
You know there are going to betimes that a dog, a pet, an
animal is dangerous or is, youknow, sick beyond help and in
(04:24):
those instances euthanasia willbe appropriate.
So the goal is 90% for ano-kill shelter and that's what
I want to strive for in BellCounty.
So yeah, on the 28th that'll bean agenda item that people will
come talk.
On the 28th that'll be anagenda item that people will
(04:53):
come talk, hear, discuss andadvocate for stuff from the
Commissioner's Court.
But in today's paper, sunday'spaper, we have a Remember I was
gone.
I was gone and they had abudget workshop on Monday.
(05:18):
This Monday I was actuallycoming back on Monday and I
missed the meeting.
I wasn't to use an appropriateword, so I don't have to bleep
myself out later, but it wassome pretty bold comments.
Interpretations of him from himon the JP courts in Precinct 4.
(05:40):
So I want to play.
It happened during a budgetmeeting where Justice of the
Peace Coleman was asking foranother clerk to help him out
perform his duties.
So I want to play that in itsentirety and then I'll have my
(06:04):
comments at the end of that.
So listen to this.
There is no Commissioner'sCourt meeting on Monday.
We postponed it to the 28th,the following Monday, which
happens to be my birthday aswell.
So, anyways, let's listen tothis video from the workshop and
(06:25):
then you can form your ownopinion and I'll give you some
more of the backgroundinformation on that.
Bobby Whitson (06:35):
Coach, how are you doing today?
Everything's alright.
Cliff Coleman (06:44):
This is my second chance, because I had come in
here previously and had atemporary, a full-time temporary
employee, with theunderstanding at least from what
was said in Commissioner'sCourt or possibly workshop and
(07:06):
then went into agenda is that,yes, the full-time spot will be
handled in budget.
So I went into that thinking,okay, we're going to.
You know, this is a full-timedeal, you know, sign on for
October.
I did have somebody in mindthat I wanted that temporary
position.
That didn't work out, and so itcame to a point where basically
(07:33):
for at that time, maybe eightweeks, nine weeks I don't want
to.
It's difficult to hire somebody, or it's not beneficial to hire
somebody just for that amountof time Just can't even really
answer the phones, there'snothing really for them to be
able to do in the office,there's a significant amount of
training that has to take placebefore this person becomes an
(07:58):
asset for the office, and so Ihaven't hired anybody.
So I still have that, whateverthat.
Nine weeks or 10 weeks,whatever that.
Bobby Whitson (08:07):
That we agreed to do that Remember remember last
month.
Cliff Coleman (08:12):
Yeah, In the last month it was six weeks ago,
maybe.
Yeah, maybe six weeks ago,cause I remember the eight weeks
is when when started thinkingWhoa, this is.
Bobby Whitson (08:25):
this may be a lot out of September, so he's going
to have a person for threemonths.
April Metcalf (08:31):
Yeah, while somebody's on FMLA.
Cliff Coleman (08:35):
Right One person's on FMLA, Whether they
come back or not.
I don't know Whether they'recoming back or not, but
regardless of that it doesn'tmatter.
I mean, this is still somethingwith the numbers that my court
has.
April spoke to that at workshop.
About that she spoke with at ameeting.
Also, Jim Nichols and DavidBaucham are here regarding to
(08:58):
kind of explain the workload ofmy office in comparison to some
of the other courts.
Bobby Whitson (09:08):
So right now you have how many?
Three, four, you have fourOne's out, so you have three and
we're going to hire a temporary, so you have that fourth and,
as you're understanding, if thefourth comes back, you have that
fourth and it was yourunderstanding.
If the fourth come back andkeep that fifth for the next
budget cycle, and that's the wayyou request it in your budget,
(09:30):
right?
Cliff Coleman (09:31):
okay, but then it got when the budget came out
that was not there.
So here I am saying you know,this is, this is much needed.
Uh, people that have been in myoffice being April and Mr
Baucom quite a bit has seen whatstaff basically just phone
(09:53):
calls that we can't answerbecause everybody else is on the
phone, or people in linewaiting to speak with clerks and
that's great, we're busy butnothing gets done.
We're not doing our civilprocessing, we're not getting
things scheduled like we'resupposed to be doing.
We need I've got to have somemore help.
(10:16):
I need more hands at thatoffice and really one more is a
band-aid.
It's really two more, but I,you know.
Bobby Whitson (10:21):
I just When's your fourth person's schedule to
come back?
There is no schedule.
Six weeks First, september 1st.
April Metcalf (10:28):
Yeah, six more weeks.
The other thing I want to addis just speaking with his
employees, and not to put you onthe judge, but just speaking
with the employees in his office, without going into detail in
great detail.
Office without going intodetail in great detail because
of what they really showed me.
A lot of it is driven fromstress as to why they look at
(10:50):
other positions, why they'relooking to leave, why they're
looking for leave, things likethat because of the workload in
the office, and so and these arepeople that have been there for
a while he, he's got one thatreturned.
I think that she's really kindof probably the only one I have
talked to that's been stressedor negative as to why they're
(11:13):
begging for more help.
Bobby Whitson (11:15):
Well, I've told you every year I'm not sitting
in that seat.
So if you're saying you needanother person, you need another
person and I don't questionthat, I will not question that
at all.
It's just then.
We've also discussed once weget the revenues in and what we
have to spend, we have toprioritize down and go from
(11:37):
there.
So we're talking about we'reprobably talking about what 50?
, 60?
, all in?
April Metcalf (11:46):
57, 503.
Yeah.
Bobby Whitson (11:48):
How much?
April Metcalf (11:50):
57, 503.
Almost 60.
That's what that is.
Also in comparison he has fourpeople in his office, three
deputy clerks and one assistantto the judge, whereas comparison
on, I'm not going to evencompare it to the two in Temple
because they have even less, butcompared to the two in Colleen
(12:12):
they have four in one.
So I mean the workload based onwhat I saw in the numbers and
it's just complete glance.
Some of the numbers that do runthrough his office are very
comparable to what's runningmanually.
Bobby Whitson (12:29):
Again, I don't question the numbers because
they all take different timesand I can't answer that.
I don't need to answer becauseI'm not sitting in that seat.
Cliff Coleman (12:43):
Again, it's just where would we find the?
I mean we'd have to find the$60,000.
And also, just real quick, I dowant.
Mr Baucom will let you knowthat he handles all the criminal
side of all the courts of BellCounty and he will tell you that
.
Well, let him tell you.
(13:04):
But he does.
About 40 or 50 percent of hisdocket comes out of my court.
That's for all six JPs.
Why is that?
Why do they go to?
Bobby Whitson (13:14):
your court Because they can go to any court
.
They want Pretty much and youhave in your precinct.
You have about 20,000 peoplethat live there, so a lot of
half of the cases.
Cliff Coleman (13:27):
Yes, yes, but the people that come through there
is a lot more than 20,000.
Bobby Whitson (13:30):
I understand, they go through Belton, they go
through Temple.
I mean, you're on the same I-35corridor.
I get it Sure, but again, whydo they come to your court?
You gonna answer that, come on,you gonna answer that.
Cliff Coleman (13:50):
We treat it's efficient.
The court is efficient.
It is treated with respect.
Law enforcement is treated withrespect in the court.
Mr Buckham, anything else youwant to add?
Why law enforcement?
Bobby Whitson (14:06):
would come to Precinct 2?
Sure, sure, cool.
David Baqum (14:14):
Gentlemen, my name is David Buckham.
I don't think I've mentioned MrRills.
Yes, sir, but I'm in my fifthdecade of practice in law.
It is an honor and a privilegeto serve in this gentleman's
court, just like it is an honorand a privilege to serve in the
other courts, but they aredifferent.
When I started out, it wasexplained to me that I would be
(14:35):
doing two days in each judge'scourt.
That's sort of the way westarted.
But it quickly became apparentto me that I'm doing four and
five days a month.
So I'm up to sundown sometimesin this gentleman's court.
(14:55):
That's not the only day that I'mthere, because I'm constantly
stopping by to handle this, thatand the other.
In other courts I'm averaging ahalf day twice a month.
In other courts I'm averaging ahalf day once a month.
Other courts in Temple I'mthere two days a month.
Another court I'm averaging ahalf day once a month.
Other courts in Temple I'mthere two days a month.
Nobody has the volume.
Nobody pushes the volume thatwe do in 2-1.
It got so bad last week when weonly had two people there that
(15:18):
I was answering phones.
Bobby Whitson (15:23):
That's how stressful it is, not very well.
David Baqum (15:25):
But, I'm sorry Better than me.
But it gets so bad, it gets sostressful.
We have so many people comingin.
They're treated well.
Everybody that I see Unlessthey clearly are looking for a
(15:47):
fight gets treated with empathyand respect, and I try to be as
restorative with them as I canbe, given my role in the
criminal justice system.
I walk out, I get cards fromdefendants saying thank you for
how you treated me.
That's how we do it.
That's how I do it in everycourt, and that does not exclude
(16:08):
Judge Coleman's court.
We have a lovely court there.
I love going there.
I love the people there.
They are stressed out, though,and they are handling more than
any other court with less peoplethere, and that's the problem.
That's the real problem, andthey're trying to do a fantastic
(16:29):
job too.
That takes extra effort, and Iam here to support Judge Coleman
in asking this court foranother staff member there,
because it is desperately needed.
Mental health, as April toldyou, is an issue with these
ladies.
I've seen the judge go aboveand beyond to try to do
(16:50):
everything he can to make thatnot an issue, but at the end of
the day, when you've got linesfour or five people deep at each
station, when the phones areringing off the hook.
I have been in cultures.
I've served for years and yearsas the chief legal officer for
banks manufacturers.
(17:11):
I've been department head forcriminal justice in a university
.
I've been on boards, I havelooked at culture and I've
looked at staffing and my wifeis an HR person.
April and I have discussed thatfor all of our marriage.
We talk about culture andstaffing at the house and I see
(17:32):
a great need in this court foranother person.
Bobby Whitson (17:37):
Yes, sir, thank you, and it happens to be the
truth, right it is?
David Baqum (17:40):
It is the truth.
Thank you very much.
Bobby Whitson (17:43):
I don't disagree with any of that.
What our job is to do up hereis make sure that we put to the
commissioner's point is makesure that we are efficient and
effective with the services thatwe provide.
And my concern with JPs overallnot with yours necessarily, but
overall is that we're not asefficient as we could be.
(18:03):
And so if I've got 50% of thecases happening in your precinct
, when you have what 5% of thepopulation, that tells me that
other courts maybe not all ofthem, but some of them aren't
handling their fair share andthose can be filed anywhere you
(18:27):
want to file them in the county.
Belton and Temple are not farapart.
Belton and Slater are not farapart.
On the I-35 court, for a fact,we've got a lot of folks from
Killeen coming to your court andthat's a pretty good drive from
Killeen to go to your court.
They're going out of their wayto go to your court.
So when I look at that and I'mlooking at your numbers and your
(18:48):
numbers, while your numbers aresolid and higher than some of
the other courts along I-35,they're certainly not compatible
with numbers in Precinct 4, butthey're different types of
cases You're doing criminalcases take more time more
trouble than doing evictions oneafter the other all day long,
and I understand that too.
But what I would be looking atmore, rather than adding more
(19:10):
people, is maybe shuffling somepeople around.
And so I'm not certain that ifwe're going to load up in one
court or the other, that wedon't need to pull some
personnel or at least the spotsfrom some of those other places
and add to your court, notnecessarily just add another
body or two or maybe three inyour court.
When I got five over in anothercourt or three over another
(19:31):
court, not doing as many asthose or five or six in your
court, and so when I was goingthrough this last time, when I
went through all the OCA numbers, I wasn't going through based
on how many judges we had.
I was going through based onhow many clerks we had for those
and by clerk number.
You have one of the highestcase per clerk numbers in the
(19:52):
county even though you have20,000 people in your precinct,
which is again I keep sayingthat because it just doesn't
seem right.
But I understand and the reasonI wanted you to answer that
question and thank you, mr Baugh, for answering that question.
I know the reason I'm notasking the question.
I don't know the answer to that.
I want people publicly tounderstand and I know you don't
(20:12):
want to get into any risk withany of the JPs anywhere.
You've got to work together andI get that.
But I want people to understandpublicly the volumes that we're
doing because their own policedepartments don't want to go to
their own JP courts.
And I will say that here andagain and again and again until
we get something worked out onthe JP in Precinct 4.
And it's not necessarily bothof them.
(20:34):
But bottom line is we have gotto this JP problem that we've
got is a big problem.
We have got to this JP problemthat we've got is a big problem.
I mean magistration.
We're going to spend a ton moremoney on that.
We're probably going to have todo something with the inquest
at some point in time becausethat's about to fall over too.
And we've got all thesecriminal cases coming to Little
Obsoleto, texas.
(20:55):
For what?
Because somebody else won'ttalk to a police officer.
That's not my point.
I want to make sure everybodyunderstands this.
And we're talking about thisbecause I think you're right and
I think you need personnel.
But I'm not willing to continueto write checks because some
other JPs don't do their job.
That's what I have a problemwith, because that's every
(21:18):
taxpayer in the county and Iwill say that loudly Some JPs
don't do their job in BellCounty, texas.
Commissioner, I don't know howto fix that, other than move
some clerks somewhere.
Cliff Coleman (21:29):
Commissioner, any time that Bell County, whether
it be any one of thesecommissioners and Judge has
needed something.
At my level, I'm the first andlast phone call and Judge,
Wilkie and Judge.
Wilkie too'm the first and lastphone call and Judge Wilkie, and
Judge Wilkie, we have steppedup, to the peril of my staff,
(21:49):
for the last eight weeks, seven,eight weeks, and what I've done
and what he has done over there, and it has put more stress on
my staff.
So then in that midst of time,when you sit there and then you
know, and I'm thinking I'mgetting another clerk and then I
get budget coming in and youknow, no, we're not doing
another clerk.
I mean it's devastating.
(22:10):
Okay, we are looking forward tothat, that relief that we have.
It's not going to be easy.
This is not like snap yourfingers, it's fixed.
It's going to take severalmonths, if not a year, to train
somebody, to make them an asset,that they're productive A
little production here at a time.
But that education level at thejustice level is much different
(22:33):
and much greater than at thecounty court law or district
level.
They are specialized, whetherit be civil or whether it be
criminal, in what they do.
This is the whole, this iseverything, as Henry Garson
would say the whole banana.
Bobby Whitson (22:45):
So I say all that to say would you be willing to
take another clerk from another?
Cliff Coleman (22:52):
That is not my call.
Commission, you're not makingthe call.
Bobby Whitson (22:56):
Both I'm saying if I put a call out to clerks in
other areas I have to interviewsomebody somebody that works.
Cliff Coleman (23:05):
That person has to match and mesh with my staff
Absolutely and when we interviewpeople, that is very important
and just you deciding who thatperson is not gonna work.
Bobby Whitson (23:14):
I'm not moving the person, I'm saying if I were
to put a call out and say, hey,we need somebody over here, the
position is open, would you, ifyou would like to apply, apply
that you don't get anyapplications saying if I were to
put a call out and say hey weneed somebody over here.
The position is open.
If you would like to apply,apply.
If you don't get anyapplications, we'll fix it
another way.
But if you get threeapplications and you like one
and you hire them, they'realready trained up and they're
going and they're ready to go.
Cliff Coleman (23:33):
I can tell you this Okay, that's a good
question In the political,creating a political issue with
another judge, possibly if Itake one of their clerks because
I open it up.
No, I'm willing to do it, oryou is what I'm asking, right?
(23:54):
So I will tell you this I don'thave anybody in mind for this
new position, and so I wouldopen you this.
I don't have anybody in mindfor this new position, and so I
would open it up, and if peoplewanted to apply from a different
court, I would look at theirapplication.
Okay, I would give it fullconsideration.
Bobby Whitson (24:11):
Because anything other than?
Cliff Coleman (24:12):
that I'm putting myself in a corner.
Bobby Whitson (24:13):
No, I understand and I appreciate that the reason
I say that is because I alsodon't want to go to another JP
and say, hey, five of y'all workhere, now One of these getting
fired.
We're taking the position awayand I don't want to cost a good
employee their job.
If they can just move over toanother court, if they want to,
and you want them to, I wouldlike to make that.
I can't, I can't, no, no, no,I'm just taking, I'm moving
(24:34):
positions, is all I'm saying.
But tell people in these othercourts that you can apply for
this whole position and if youget hired, you get hired.
But if you don't get hired,this position, one of these
positions, is going to go awayand then that judge in that area
has to figure out which one'sgot to go.
So you haven't taken a positionfrom another JP, absolutely
(24:55):
which one?
Which court?
From Johnson's Court.
Is he the high priority Placeone Now?
Cliff Coleman (25:12):
I do not want it to get out that I came to this
court trying to deal with one ofJudge.
Johnson's clerks.
You're asking for a bizarre andwhoever's watching this is not
my idea.
I did not.
Bobby Whitson (25:25):
That is not what I'm advocating at all what.
I'm saying, though, is I hadKPD telling me they don't take
cases to Johnson's court becauseof various reasons, and they go
to your court instead.
So if you're going to be takingthose cases, I think some of
his personnel, at least one, butJudge Johnson has.
Cliff Coleman (25:43):
I mean he has magistrated, and I will tell you
his weekends.
There haven't been any issuessince January.
I mean he's done his job andhe's done it well.
I'm talking about criminalcases from KPD.
Bobby Whitson (25:56):
If you you probably don't want to talk your
head, but you might how manycases do you get from KPD?
Cliff Coleman (26:05):
So there's different kinds of cases.
I do search warrants, I doarrest warrants.
I have done most of thecitations that are cleaned, are
handled in the city, unless ithappens outside the city, and
then, yes, I do them as well.
It's got to be egregious, so,but yes, I've done that.
Bobby Whitson (26:24):
Would you say that 50% of your work comes from
Precinct 4?
Cliff Coleman (26:28):
No, I would not say that, I would say 50%.
April Metcalf (26:37):
Well, I don't have that number, but I would
say maybe 50%, but maybe notquite the 50% handle is outside
my precinct.
Cliff Coleman (26:44):
as far as the criminal side, I don't know.
Bobby Whitson (26:49):
Non-solid right.
Cliff Coleman (26:50):
Maybe, yeah, I mean, so it happens.
Bobby Whitson (26:57):
So you're doubling your work on criminal
cases in precinct two.
I bet if you did the math, it'smaybe higher than that.
And I'm only saying thatbecause 20,000 people live in
all of your precincts versus400,000 people in Bell County.
Just by the sheer numbers, ifyou have that much volume in
(27:21):
your cases and I have to know alittle bit about Salado I'm
pretty sure there's not a largecriminal on Salado Right.
Cliff Coleman (27:28):
I do a lot of CV, a lot of commercial vehicle
stuff with DPS.
And it doesn't matter if it'sExpo Center or where it is, they
send it to me or where it is,they send it to me.
And I think a lot of that isthe efficiency that we handle
this in and then also someeducation that I've had
regarding CVs and with thefederal laws regarding that, and
(27:48):
they're appreciative of that,that I'm up to speed on that end
of it.
So a lot of overweights andcommercial vehicle stuff come to
my court.
A lot of overweights come.
A lot of overweights andcommercial vehicle stuff come to
my court and, to be quitehonest, we have folks from
Travis County, Williamson Countyand McLennan County.
(28:08):
Those troopers, those CVtroopers, come in and work 10 or
12 at a time and do this and wemay get loaded with 80 to 100
citations a day on that.
David Baqum (28:27):
Easily.
So it's just like it is what itis.
We're going to take care of it.
I can say one more thing aboutthe CV issue.
There is a lot of legislationthat goes on before we can
handle that kind of a ticket.
It's a very different ticket tohandle.
The fines and penalties arevery different and many times
they're represented by attorneysand I don't want this to get
(28:50):
out, but it's so much easier tohandle a case without an
attorney.
It doubles or triples the timewhen counsel gets involved and
when we have these kinds ofcases when an attorney here is
going to be somebody, and I'llgive you an example.
That happened just this morning.
I had to take a baby attorney bythe hand and show her what
(29:11):
commercial legal law was, whatanti-masking is, what the
exceptions were.
That's not just time in myoffice, that's time for his
court.
And I have to do all of thatbecause we have a reputation, a
judgmental reputation, ofhandling these things pretty
efficiently and properly.
Bobby Whitson (29:30):
Yep sure.
Okay, again, I'd be okay withhowever we come up with the
dollars.
I'm okay with an extra positionand I don't know that the three
of us could determine thattoday.
Anyway, quite frankly, it'sgoing to be something that we
discuss in the budget and how wehave this, but we're going to
balance, but we'll get it doneone way or the other.
I've got a kid nod and we'regoing to get it done one way or
(29:51):
the other, we're going to, we'regoing to, we're going to cut
something to.
You have to cut something,right?
We're balanced.
We're balanced and we're goingto be balanced.
We're not going to go unbalanced, obviously, or we can tell
everybody that Judge Goldmanmeans us to raise the tax rate.
(30:11):
Either way, you want to go,judge, it's up to you.
Cliff Coleman (30:14):
I'm in such a desperate need of a clerk, I'm
willing to take the hit.
April Metcalf (30:17):
We've got some things.
We could go again, it wouldn'tbe in the one cent.
Bobby Whitson (30:25):
I should.
Keep it but I'm not sayingabsolutely Right.
April Metcalf (30:32):
Well, we've got other decisions to make too.
This is the first time thaty'all talked about looking at
other JPs.
Bobby Whitson (30:37):
I know, I know I'm just trying to get traction
there.
You got a JP that doesn't workon Friday and does weddings all
day long in our offices anddoesn't see court on Friday.
Cliff Coleman (30:51):
That's 20 percent .
That's one of five clerks youdon't need anymore.
I have had to.
Let me let you know this, justjust.
I don't want to knock myshoulder on a socket, pat myself
on the back too hard, but but Iwill tell you.
You, we used to have courttuesday, wednesday, thursdays,
kind of give us mondays.
I used to come to thecommissioner's meeting, we used
to do that, and fridays was yourday to kind of catch up on
everything.
We now have court.
I mean, I had to schedule, Ihad to change things around this
(31:11):
afternoon to be here.
We have court monday throughfriday.
Now we are every single day ofthe week we are having some sort
of court.
What that is.
And then when I had to do themagistration, it was so much
work, not only on the front endof it, and when I told everybody
I said, hey, this is what I'mdoing is that we had to move all
my nine o'clocks, ten o'clocks,we had to move everything back,
and that just threw everythingin a little frenzy.
(31:33):
You know, for a while as well,it's not easy just say I want to
do something.
There's a whole lot of thingsthat happen, that happen behind
that.
Greg Reynolds (31:40):
I do remember every JP requested another head,
did they not?
Cliff Coleman (31:45):
No.
Greg Reynolds (31:46):
They didn't in Precinct 4.
Cliff Coleman (31:48):
Precinct 4 did not request anybody, because
they were here.
Greg Reynolds (31:52):
But the numbers I'm looking at and I'm in
alignment with CommissionerSnyder.
We're here to help supportwhatever it is you need, as long
as we can get the balance inour tax dollars.
That's our job.
I'm also in alignment withlooking at the numbers.
You've got 16,000 cases so fartoday.
You've got right now 4,000 ofthem that are penal code or
(32:12):
other state law which they canconsume some time, if I
understand properly.
But that's the highest numberin any country and I think also
one of the.
Compared to the four, it's10,000 and about 3,000.
Cliff Coleman (32:27):
One of the things that I hesitate in talking
about, but I'm actually costingthe taxpayers money.
We're actually costing thetaxpayers money by not having a
staff member there.
There are probably ballparkbetween 2,500 and 3,000 FTAs
that have not been filed.
(32:47):
A figure two appears that havenot been filed in my court.
We just don't have time.
If you look at, say average,it's up to $500, but you know,
say average $200 to $300 is whatwe charge on those.
Think about those receivablesthat should be coming into my
court that I just don't havetime to do.
They get pushed back.
We're not there and it'll be.
(33:07):
I mean, we'll still try to getthem done.
Greg Reynolds (33:10):
So if you're able to get those done with this
extra head, you're basicallypaying for the salary.
April Metcalf (33:14):
You can look and see what stays at the county
versus what goes to county.
Cliff Coleman (33:18):
That's true, but it's still money that come in,
that's it 100%.
Greg Reynolds (33:25):
So those places for place.
One has 10,700 cases thatthey've processed to date that
are on the docket and they haveabout 1,300 penal or state.
Most of those are foreclosures,not foreclosures.
Cliff Coleman (33:42):
I are evictions.
I mean evictions, Thank you.
April Metcalf (33:46):
Okay, one more thing.
David Baqum (33:48):
One more thing about the FDAs.
What it does is it shows up.
In the past we haven't beendocumenting it very well.
That started to change about ayear and a half two years ago,
when I started submitting an FDAform after everyone was
offended and didn't show up.
So we now have documentation inour files.
It's just a matter of time toget back in there and go back
(34:11):
into those laws and make thatcharge and bring it back into
court and get it repaid.
So the documentation is in thefiles.
We're ready to go.
Bobby Whitson (34:21):
If we just don't have the resources to do that
are those documented enough to apoint where they will show that
they've not been resolved, sothat when they go to do their
registration, they'll have tocome scofflaw and omni and omni
right right, right, separatelyfrom omni and Omni and Omni,
(34:42):
mm-hmm, for the questions too.
Cliff Coleman (34:44):
Right, jim Lange Parker.
Right, separately from Scott,right, separately from that,
separately from Omni, separatelyfrom right.
We go.
Those are the three avenuesthat I know.
Bobby Whitson (34:49):
So, even if you don't go after those people, so
to speak, if they go to registerthe vehicle, they or come to
subject, if you recall.
Cliff Coleman (34:58):
Yes, if it's put in Omni or Scofflaw Right, right
.
Bobby Whitson (35:02):
Is it put into those at least Once?
Cliff Coleman (35:06):
we file it, yes, Once it's filed.
Once it's filed and they'regiven, they're sent that
documentation 30 days, I think.
Is that what it is?
I think it's 30 days and if wehaven't received a response,
then it goes to Linebarger.
Louie Minor (35:21):
Once Linebarger puts it into scoff law, we send
it into.
Cliff Coleman (35:23):
Omni.
But that's what you're saying,correct, that's correct.
Bobby Whitson (35:28):
But the violence is what you say.
You don't have time to do.
That's correct.
Cliff Coleman (35:32):
So they're not going to get hit at scoff law
Right now.
I think it's 2,500 to 3,000.
I think it's 2,500 to 3,000.
I think that's the number.
It may be higher, it may be alittle bit lower, but I'm pretty
sure it's at least 2,500.
It was at 2,000 in February orMarch, they told me.
I looked at the number so I'mfiguring it's that much now
(35:55):
because we haven't done it yet.
So we have made some changes.
We don't answer the phones nowuntil 9.
We open the doors at 8.
It's going to kind of give us achance to get civil, you know,
get our things in order eachmorning.
It's just once 9 o'clock hits,you know it's boom.
Bobby Whitson (36:08):
So one of the reasons JP precincts are the way
they are is for convenience.
Well, obviously it's notinconvenient for people to come
to you.
So if we were to change thosemeets and bounds on your
precinct, pick up more of thewest side or central side of the
county, would that?
Cliff Coleman (36:26):
be reasonable.
I'm happy to look at any linesthat are redrawn, but anything
that would do would justincrease the workload for the
precinct, I know, but it woulddecrease the workload for other
precincts.
Bobby Whitson (36:39):
Hypothetically it won't, but hypothetically we
could decrease the number ofclerks that need if we line
those up and you have a largerarea too and bring clerks to
your office.
But the problem is if 10 yearsfrom now you have a different
set of keys.
It's not about the size, it'sabout number of clerks and where
(37:02):
they're going.
Where's the work going?
It's all going there, right, soyou can cut it however you want
to cut it, and they continue togo there.
It's not going to make anydifference.
And you can say well, I'm thisbig so I need five curves, I'm
this big so I need three.
That's not how they come towork with it.
Cliff Coleman (37:20):
Well, I understand.
Every time you try to put me ina corner, every time, bobby.
Bobby Whitson (37:29):
Try to get me to say something.
I need people to.
I need the county to understand.
You said it's going on.
I don't have to.
You said it.
I don't know what I'm talkingabout.
You're the jp, just like yousaid any other, any questions?
Greg Reynolds (37:44):
maybe his point.
You know I can't be spendingthe position I've had to make
decisions for people that didn'tknow what they did and that
kind of thing and that's prettyuncomfortable just to me, but
the numbers don't dispute me.
I would say that your largest,your biggest time consumers
would be criminal.
Is that fair?
Cliff Coleman (38:05):
Yes, just because it's your number yes.
Greg Reynolds (38:09):
OK, so there's not, yeah, so I'm just saying
there's the evidence to me isthere's no question.
You've got to have anotherhedge.
I'm not, I'm not, I'm withRussell.
I don't.
I don't challenge that, and Ijust know that we've got to
figure out how we're going topay for it that's why y'all get
the big bucks.
Bobby Whitson (38:28):
Anything else, alright thank you April.
Cliff Coleman (38:33):
Tina.
Thank y'all so much,commissioners county clerk's
office.
David Baqum (38:39):
County attorney's office.
April Metcalf (38:42):
I see are y'all done with that?
What'd you have to do after me?
Louie Minor (38:46):
that could be other items that's funny so there you
heard Commissioner Woodson justblasting precinct.
Four JPs not working, not doingtheir job, not hearing cases,
not being useful, helpful, withlocal PD, local PD Now, all JPs
(39:13):
do weddings, all of them.
They all do weddings in thecounty buildings and then they
do weddings outside of that.
They manage their own time forthat.
What he didn't say are some ofthe other judges, some of the
other JPs around the county.
They work for other cities aswell and hold court as well.
(39:38):
Now I doubt that they're doingit in the evenings and I doubt
they're doing it on the weekends, so they're doing it during.
You would assume should betimes that they should be doing
county business, but they're not.
(39:59):
And specifically, I think whatCommissioner Woodson is
referencing and maybe I thinkyou even heard Judge Coleman
mentioning it he mentionedarrest warrants and search
warrants.
So the and, like I said, I usedto be a deputy constable a long
(40:22):
time ago and I would be sittingin the JP's office, judge Ivey,
many times and a detective orpolice officer would come by,
pop in, you know, just show upunannounced with a warrant for
the JP to sign.
They just look over thedocumentation, make sure it's
(40:45):
correct, make sure that you knowprobable cause exists and then
they sign it and the officergoes execute it.
It's really really quick, it'snot like it's taking up a lot of
time.
Now I think clerks have to, youknow, do that paperwork, but
that's you know.
They're choosing to go overthere to precinct two.
(41:07):
He mentioned redrawing thelines.
I've talked about that in aprevious show, redrawing the
lines Based off of the census.
Precinct 4JP, which isdifferent from precinct 4,
county Commissioner, precinct4JP and Constable takes up all
(41:27):
western Bell County, takes upall western Bell County and it's
like 270-something thousand217,000 constituents, so more
than half the county, thatthey're representing two JPs
(41:48):
versus four JPs for the rest ofthe population.
So I mean there are disparitiesin the workload.
There are disparities.
I'm not saying that JudgeColeman doesn't need help.
That's something that we'lltalk about.
It did sound like he has a lotof issues, a lot of workload
from DPS and I think there'sways to address that workload
(42:11):
from DPS versus signing awarrant from KPD.
Kpd can go to their municipalcourt judge, but they're
choosing to go all the way toSalado.
I don't know I'm going to haveto call the chief on that and
(42:33):
get an answer on that.
Who's signing their searchwarrants and arrest warrants and
where are they going to getthose signed?
Is KPD going all the way toSalado to get that signed, or is
JP Precinct 2 driving toKilleen and signing them?
(42:54):
But yeah, no, there's a lot ofmisinformation.
I don't think CommissionerWoodson has all the facts.
And JP4 is the busiest JPPrecinct in the county.
They hear the most cases, theyget the most cases and they
dispose of the most cases.
So we need to continue tosupport JP Precinct 4, and
(43:21):
that's what I'm going to do.
That's what I'm committed to dois take care of my constituents
, our constituents.
So, anyways, hope you enjoyedthe show.
Like I said, I'm going to begoing to Naleo tomorrow.
Tomorrow's also the first dayof the special session where
they're going to talk aboutflood uh, flood mitigation and
(43:43):
funding that they're going totalk about, uh, thc, and they're
also going to talk aboutredistricting.
So that's something that we'llgo over next month I'm sorry
next week's show, because theydid have a tentative map that
came out for the congressionaldistricts and I think, for the
(44:04):
first time that I can rememberand over you know since 2013 of
me being involved in politicsthat Bell County Congressional
District covers the entirecounty.
Killeen has always beengerrymandered but at least in
this tentative map that I'veseen, the entire Bell County is
(44:29):
one congressional district andthen they split up Williamson
county.
So more more to come on that.
There's going to be a lot ofinformation.
They're going to be I'll.
I'm going to be down in inAustin advocating for, for us
there.
They're also going to look atproperty taxes and ways to limit
(44:53):
government local governmentsfrom increasing property taxes.
So it's only 30 days.
Special session is only 30 days, so let's hope they cannot do
too much damage in those 30 days.
Help the fled victims that needto be helped, help the fled
victims that need to be helpedand let's see what is going to
(45:15):
shake out of this legislativetree.
So we will talk to you nextweek.
We'll be you next time.
welcome.
You're listening to the louisminor show.
I'm your host, Bell County Ccommissioner, Louie Minor.
Today is july 20th, 2025 and weare back from naco national
association of county annualconference that was held in
philadelphia and had a greattime over there, was able to
(00:31):
pass some much neededresolutions that go into the
platform for NationalAssociation of Counties.
I'm a member of NACO, theNational Association of Hispanic
County Officials, and therewere several resolutions that we
were supporting and the onethat I was spearheading helping
(00:54):
spearhead was thenon-discrimination resolution.
So we had to take that to twocommittees and so we had to take
that to two committees andluckily, that one passed and all
of the other ones passed thatTanako was supporting.
So, yay, shout out Tanako andall the members that supported
(01:21):
and did all the hard work and,yeah, we did a good job over
there, was excited, made a lotof uh, good information that
able to bring, come back to thecounty and try to get some
things happening.
Uh.
But next week next week, matterof tomorrow I'll be flying out
(01:44):
to Atlanta for the NaleoConference.
That's the National Associationof Latino Elected and Appointed
Officials.
So this will be my second timegoing to Naleo.
Last year was my first time,and this one is definitely much
different because it's obviouslyHispanic officials from all
(02:05):
over the country, but it is citycouncil members, it is state
legislators, county officialsobviously, then federal and
appointed both state and so it'sa really good opportunity
network and see issues that areaffecting the Hispanic community
(02:26):
all over the United States.
So I'm excited to go there andlearn more and bring stuff back
home.
But I do want to touch a coupleof things.
I will play a video You'll beable to listen to it the audio
(02:52):
from the commissioner's court.
There are several things thatcame out in the news since our
last show.
One of them, obviously, was theanimal shelter, and there were
reports that a lot of animalshave been euthanized
unnecessarily and that got a lotof people upset, a lot of
(03:15):
people mad.
I got a lot of emails about it.
I'm sure the othercommissioners did as well.
Commissioner Whitson is on theAnimal Advisory Board and the
sheriff is in control of theanimal shelter and animal
control, so that's hisresponsibility, but there is a
board that's required by law tohave, so they had a meeting this
(03:42):
week about that.
Now on the 28th we're going tohave a workshop item.
I'm putting it on there.
I'd like Bell County to be ano-kill shelter and there is no
certificate or anything likethat, no designation for a
no-kill shelter.
The only thing that I'm awareof the metrics that people use
(04:03):
for a no-kill shelter, the onlything that I'm aware of the
metrics that people use for ano-kill shelter is that you have
90% live placement rate.
So 90%.
You know there are going to betimes that a dog, a pet, an
animal is dangerous or is, youknow, sick beyond help and in
(04:24):
those instances euthanasia willbe appropriate.
So the goal is 90% for ano-kill shelter and that's what
I want to strive for in BellCounty.
So yeah, on the 28th that'll bean agenda item that people will
come talk.
On the 28th that'll be anagenda item that people will
(04:53):
come talk, hear, discuss andadvocate for stuff from the
Commissioner's Court.
But in today's paper, sunday'spaper, we have a Remember I was
gone.
I was gone and they had abudget workshop on Monday.
(05:18):
This Monday I was actuallycoming back on Monday and I
missed the meeting.
I wasn't to use an appropriateword, so I don't have to bleep
myself out later, but it wassome pretty bold comments.
Interpretations of him from himon the JP courts in Precinct 4.
(05:40):
So I want to play.
It happened during a budgetmeeting where Justice of the
Peace Coleman was asking foranother clerk to help him out
perform his duties.
So I want to play that in itsentirety and then I'll have my
(06:04):
comments at the end of that.
So listen to this.
There is no Commissioner'sCourt meeting on Monday.
We postponed it to the 28th,the following Monday, which
happens to be my birthday aswell.
So, anyways, let's listen tothis video from the workshop and
(06:25):
then you can form your ownopinion and I'll give you some
more of the backgroundinformation on that.
Bobby Whitson (06:35):
Coach, how are you doing today?
Everything's alright.
Cliff Coleman (06:44):
This is my second chance, because I had come in
here previously and had atemporary, a full-time temporary
employee, with theunderstanding at least from what
was said in Commissioner'sCourt or possibly workshop and
(07:06):
then went into agenda is that,yes, the full-time spot will be
handled in budget.
So I went into that thinking,okay, we're going to.
You know, this is a full-timedeal, you know, sign on for
October.
I did have somebody in mindthat I wanted that temporary
position.
That didn't work out, and so itcame to a point where basically
(07:33):
for at that time, maybe eightweeks, nine weeks I don't want
to.
It's difficult to hire somebody, or it's not beneficial to hire
somebody just for that amountof time Just can't even really
answer the phones, there'snothing really for them to be
able to do in the office,there's a significant amount of
training that has to take placebefore this person becomes an
(07:58):
asset for the office, and so Ihaven't hired anybody.
So I still have that, whateverthat.
Nine weeks or 10 weeks,whatever that.
Bobby Whitson (08:07):
That we agreed to do that Remember remember last
month.
Cliff Coleman (08:12):
Yeah, In the last month it was six weeks ago,
maybe.
Yeah, maybe six weeks ago,cause I remember the eight weeks
is when when started thinkingWhoa, this is.
Bobby Whitson (08:25):
this may be a lot out of September, so he's going
to have a person for threemonths.
April Metcalf (08:31):
Yeah, while somebody's on FMLA.
Cliff Coleman (08:35):
Right One person's on FMLA, Whether they
come back or not.
I don't know Whether they'recoming back or not, but
regardless of that it doesn'tmatter.
I mean, this is still somethingwith the numbers that my court
has.
April spoke to that at workshop.
About that she spoke with at ameeting.
Also, Jim Nichols and DavidBaucham are here regarding to
(08:58):
kind of explain the workload ofmy office in comparison to some
of the other courts.
Bobby Whitson (09:08):
So right now you have how many?
Three, four, you have fourOne's out, so you have three and
we're going to hire a temporary, so you have that fourth and,
as you're understanding, if thefourth comes back, you have that
fourth and it was yourunderstanding.
If the fourth come back andkeep that fifth for the next
budget cycle, and that's the wayyou request it in your budget,
(09:30):
right?
Cliff Coleman (09:31):
okay, but then it got when the budget came out
that was not there.
So here I am saying you know,this is, this is much needed.
Uh, people that have been in myoffice being April and Mr
Baucom quite a bit has seen whatstaff basically just phone
(09:53):
calls that we can't answerbecause everybody else is on the
phone, or people in linewaiting to speak with clerks and
that's great, we're busy butnothing gets done.
We're not doing our civilprocessing, we're not getting
things scheduled like we'resupposed to be doing.
We need I've got to have somemore help.
(10:16):
I need more hands at thatoffice and really one more is a
band-aid.
It's really two more, but I,you know.
Bobby Whitson (10:21):
I just When's your fourth person's schedule to
come back?
There is no schedule.
Six weeks First, september 1st.
April Metcalf (10:28):
Yeah, six more weeks.
The other thing I want to addis just speaking with his
employees, and not to put you onthe judge, but just speaking
with the employees in his office, without going into detail in
great detail.
Office without going intodetail in great detail because
of what they really showed me.
A lot of it is driven fromstress as to why they look at
(10:50):
other positions, why they'relooking to leave, why they're
looking for leave, things likethat because of the workload in
the office, and so and these arepeople that have been there for
a while he, he's got one thatreturned.
I think that she's really kindof probably the only one I have
talked to that's been stressedor negative as to why they're
(11:13):
begging for more help.
Bobby Whitson (11:15):
Well, I've told you every year I'm not sitting
in that seat.
So if you're saying you needanother person, you need another
person and I don't questionthat, I will not question that
at all.
It's just then.
We've also discussed once weget the revenues in and what we
have to spend, we have toprioritize down and go from
(11:37):
there.
So we're talking about we'reprobably talking about what 50?
, 60?
, all in?
April Metcalf (11:46):
57, 503.
Yeah.
Bobby Whitson (11:48):
How much?
April Metcalf (11:50):
57, 503.
Almost 60.
That's what that is.
Also in comparison he has fourpeople in his office, three
deputy clerks and one assistantto the judge, whereas comparison
on, I'm not going to evencompare it to the two in Temple
because they have even less, butcompared to the two in Colleen
(12:12):
they have four in one.
So I mean the workload based onwhat I saw in the numbers and
it's just complete glance.
Some of the numbers that do runthrough his office are very
comparable to what's runningmanually.
Bobby Whitson (12:29):
Again, I don't question the numbers because
they all take different timesand I can't answer that.
I don't need to answer becauseI'm not sitting in that seat.
Cliff Coleman (12:43):
Again, it's just where would we find the?
I mean we'd have to find the$60,000.
And also, just real quick, I dowant.
Mr Baucom will let you knowthat he handles all the criminal
side of all the courts of BellCounty and he will tell you that
.
Well, let him tell you.
(13:04):
But he does.
About 40 or 50 percent of hisdocket comes out of my court.
That's for all six JPs.
Why is that?
Why do they go to?
Bobby Whitson (13:14):
your court Because they can go to any court
.
They want Pretty much and youhave in your precinct.
You have about 20,000 peoplethat live there, so a lot of
half of the cases.
Cliff Coleman (13:27):
Yes, yes, but the people that come through there
is a lot more than 20,000.
Bobby Whitson (13:30):
I understand, they go through Belton, they go
through Temple.
I mean, you're on the same I-35corridor.
I get it Sure, but again, whydo they come to your court?
You gonna answer that, come on,you gonna answer that.
Cliff Coleman (13:50):
We treat it's efficient.
The court is efficient.
It is treated with respect.
Law enforcement is treated withrespect in the court.
Mr Buckham, anything else youwant to add?
Why law enforcement?
Bobby Whitson (14:06):
would come to Precinct 2?
Sure, sure, cool.
David Baqum (14:14):
Gentlemen, my name is David Buckham.
I don't think I've mentioned MrRills.
Yes, sir, but I'm in my fifthdecade of practice in law.
It is an honor and a privilegeto serve in this gentleman's
court, just like it is an honorand a privilege to serve in the
other courts, but they aredifferent.
When I started out, it wasexplained to me that I would be
(14:35):
doing two days in each judge'scourt.
That's sort of the way westarted.
But it quickly became apparentto me that I'm doing four and
five days a month.
So I'm up to sundown sometimesin this gentleman's court.
(14:55):
That's not the only day that I'mthere, because I'm constantly
stopping by to handle this, thatand the other.
In other courts I'm averaging ahalf day twice a month.
In other courts I'm averaging ahalf day once a month.
Other courts in Temple I'mthere two days a month.
Another court I'm averaging ahalf day once a month.
Other courts in Temple I'mthere two days a month.
Nobody has the volume.
Nobody pushes the volume thatwe do in 2-1.
It got so bad last week when weonly had two people there that
(15:18):
I was answering phones.
Bobby Whitson (15:23):
That's how stressful it is, not very well.
David Baqum (15:25):
But, I'm sorry Better than me.
But it gets so bad, it gets sostressful.
We have so many people comingin.
They're treated well.
Everybody that I see Unlessthey clearly are looking for a
(15:47):
fight gets treated with empathyand respect, and I try to be as
restorative with them as I canbe, given my role in the
criminal justice system.
I walk out, I get cards fromdefendants saying thank you for
how you treated me.
That's how we do it.
That's how I do it in everycourt, and that does not exclude
(16:08):
Judge Coleman's court.
We have a lovely court there.
I love going there.
I love the people there.
They are stressed out, though,and they are handling more than
any other court with less peoplethere, and that's the problem.
That's the real problem, andthey're trying to do a fantastic
(16:29):
job too.
That takes extra effort, and Iam here to support Judge Coleman
in asking this court foranother staff member there,
because it is desperately needed.
Mental health, as April toldyou, is an issue with these
ladies.
I've seen the judge go aboveand beyond to try to do
(16:50):
everything he can to make thatnot an issue, but at the end of
the day, when you've got linesfour or five people deep at each
station, when the phones areringing off the hook.
I have been in cultures.
I've served for years and yearsas the chief legal officer for
banks manufacturers.
(17:11):
I've been department head forcriminal justice in a university
.
I've been on boards, I havelooked at culture and I've
looked at staffing and my wifeis an HR person.
April and I have discussed thatfor all of our marriage.
We talk about culture andstaffing at the house and I see
(17:32):
a great need in this court foranother person.
Bobby Whitson (17:37):
Yes, sir, thank you, and it happens to be the
truth, right it is?
David Baqum (17:40):
It is the truth.
Thank you very much.
Bobby Whitson (17:43):
I don't disagree with any of that.
What our job is to do up hereis make sure that we put to the
commissioner's point is makesure that we are efficient and
effective with the services thatwe provide.
And my concern with JPs overallnot with yours necessarily, but
overall is that we're not asefficient as we could be.
(18:03):
And so if I've got 50% of thecases happening in your precinct
, when you have what 5% of thepopulation, that tells me that
other courts maybe not all ofthem, but some of them aren't
handling their fair share andthose can be filed anywhere you
(18:27):
want to file them in the county.
Belton and Temple are not farapart.
Belton and Slater are not farapart.
On the I-35 court, for a fact,we've got a lot of folks from
Killeen coming to your court andthat's a pretty good drive from
Killeen to go to your court.
They're going out of their wayto go to your court.
So when I look at that and I'mlooking at your numbers and your
(18:48):
numbers, while your numbers aresolid and higher than some of
the other courts along I-35,they're certainly not compatible
with numbers in Precinct 4, butthey're different types of
cases You're doing criminalcases take more time more
trouble than doing evictions oneafter the other all day long,
and I understand that too.
But what I would be looking atmore, rather than adding more
(19:10):
people, is maybe shuffling somepeople around.
And so I'm not certain that ifwe're going to load up in one
court or the other, that wedon't need to pull some
personnel or at least the spotsfrom some of those other places
and add to your court, notnecessarily just add another
body or two or maybe three inyour court.
When I got five over in anothercourt or three over another
(19:31):
court, not doing as many asthose or five or six in your
court, and so when I was goingthrough this last time, when I
went through all the OCA numbers, I wasn't going through based
on how many judges we had.
I was going through based onhow many clerks we had for those
and by clerk number.
You have one of the highestcase per clerk numbers in the
(19:52):
county even though you have20,000 people in your precinct,
which is again I keep sayingthat because it just doesn't
seem right.
But I understand and the reasonI wanted you to answer that
question and thank you, mr Baugh, for answering that question.
I know the reason I'm notasking the question.
I don't know the answer to that.
I want people publicly tounderstand and I know you don't
(20:12):
want to get into any risk withany of the JPs anywhere.
You've got to work together andI get that.
But I want people to understandpublicly the volumes that we're
doing because their own policedepartments don't want to go to
their own JP courts.
And I will say that here andagain and again and again until
we get something worked out onthe JP in Precinct 4.
And it's not necessarily bothof them.
(20:34):
But bottom line is we have gotto this JP problem that we've
got is a big problem.
We have got to this JP problemthat we've got is a big problem.
I mean magistration.
We're going to spend a ton moremoney on that.
We're probably going to have todo something with the inquest
at some point in time becausethat's about to fall over too.
And we've got all thesecriminal cases coming to Little
Obsoleto, texas.
(20:55):
For what?
Because somebody else won'ttalk to a police officer.
That's not my point.
I want to make sure everybodyunderstands this.
And we're talking about thisbecause I think you're right and
I think you need personnel.
But I'm not willing to continueto write checks because some
other JPs don't do their job.
That's what I have a problemwith, because that's every
(21:18):
taxpayer in the county and Iwill say that loudly Some JPs
don't do their job in BellCounty, texas.
Commissioner, I don't know howto fix that, other than move
some clerks somewhere.
Cliff Coleman (21:29):
Commissioner, any time that Bell County, whether
it be any one of thesecommissioners and Judge has
needed something.
At my level, I'm the first andlast phone call and Judge,
Wilkie and Judge.
Wilkie too'm the first and lastphone call and Judge Wilkie, and
Judge Wilkie, we have steppedup, to the peril of my staff,
(21:49):
for the last eight weeks, seven,eight weeks, and what I've done
and what he has done over there, and it has put more stress on
my staff.
So then in that midst of time,when you sit there and then you
know, and I'm thinking I'mgetting another clerk and then I
get budget coming in and youknow, no, we're not doing
another clerk.
I mean it's devastating.
(22:10):
Okay, we are looking forward tothat, that relief that we have.
It's not going to be easy.
This is not like snap yourfingers, it's fixed.
It's going to take severalmonths, if not a year, to train
somebody, to make them an asset,that they're productive A
little production here at a time.
But that education level at thejustice level is much different
(22:33):
and much greater than at thecounty court law or district
level.
They are specialized, whetherit be civil or whether it be
criminal, in what they do.
This is the whole, this iseverything, as Henry Garson
would say the whole banana.
Bobby Whitson (22:45):
So I say all that to say would you be willing to
take another clerk from another?
Cliff Coleman (22:52):
That is not my call.
Commission, you're not makingthe call.
Bobby Whitson (22:56):
Both I'm saying if I put a call out to clerks in
other areas I have to interviewsomebody somebody that works.
Cliff Coleman (23:05):
That person has to match and mesh with my staff
Absolutely and when we interviewpeople, that is very important
and just you deciding who thatperson is not gonna work.
Bobby Whitson (23:14):
I'm not moving the person, I'm saying if I were
to put a call out and say, hey,we need somebody over here, the
position is open, would you, ifyou would like to apply, apply
that you don't get anyapplications saying if I were to
put a call out and say hey weneed somebody over here.
The position is open.
If you would like to apply,apply.
If you don't get anyapplications, we'll fix it
another way.
But if you get threeapplications and you like one
and you hire them, they'realready trained up and they're
going and they're ready to go.
Cliff Coleman (23:33):
I can tell you this Okay, that's a good
question In the political,creating a political issue with
another judge, possibly if Itake one of their clerks because
I open it up.
No, I'm willing to do it, oryou is what I'm asking, right?
(23:54):
So I will tell you this I don'thave anybody in mind for this
new position, and so I wouldopen you this.
I don't have anybody in mindfor this new position, and so I
would open it up, and if peoplewanted to apply from a different
court, I would look at theirapplication.
Okay, I would give it fullconsideration.
Bobby Whitson (24:11):
Because anything other than?
Cliff Coleman (24:12):
that I'm putting myself in a corner.
Bobby Whitson (24:13):
No, I understand and I appreciate that the reason
I say that is because I alsodon't want to go to another JP
and say, hey, five of y'all workhere, now One of these getting
fired.
We're taking the position awayand I don't want to cost a good
employee their job.
If they can just move over toanother court, if they want to,
and you want them to, I wouldlike to make that.
I can't, I can't, no, no, no,I'm just taking, I'm moving
(24:34):
positions, is all I'm saying.
But tell people in these othercourts that you can apply for
this whole position and if youget hired, you get hired.
But if you don't get hired,this position, one of these
positions, is going to go awayand then that judge in that area
has to figure out which one'sgot to go.
So you haven't taken a positionfrom another JP, absolutely
(24:55):
which one?
Which court?
From Johnson's Court.
Is he the high priority Placeone Now?
Cliff Coleman (25:12):
I do not want it to get out that I came to this
court trying to deal with one ofJudge.
Johnson's clerks.
You're asking for a bizarre andwhoever's watching this is not
my idea.
I did not.
Bobby Whitson (25:25):
That is not what I'm advocating at all what.
I'm saying, though, is I hadKPD telling me they don't take
cases to Johnson's court becauseof various reasons, and they go
to your court instead.
So if you're going to be takingthose cases, I think some of
his personnel, at least one, butJudge Johnson has.
Cliff Coleman (25:43):
I mean he has magistrated, and I will tell you
his weekends.
There haven't been any issuessince January.
I mean he's done his job andhe's done it well.
I'm talking about criminalcases from KPD.
Bobby Whitson (25:56):
If you you probably don't want to talk your
head, but you might how manycases do you get from KPD?
Cliff Coleman (26:05):
So there's different kinds of cases.
I do search warrants, I doarrest warrants.
I have done most of thecitations that are cleaned, are
handled in the city, unless ithappens outside the city, and
then, yes, I do them as well.
It's got to be egregious, so,but yes, I've done that.
Bobby Whitson (26:24):
Would you say that 50% of your work comes from
Precinct 4?
Cliff Coleman (26:28):
No, I would not say that, I would say 50%.
April Metcalf (26:37):
Well, I don't have that number, but I would
say maybe 50%, but maybe notquite the 50% handle is outside
my precinct.
Cliff Coleman (26:44):
as far as the criminal side, I don't know.
Bobby Whitson (26:49):
Non-solid right.
Cliff Coleman (26:50):
Maybe, yeah, I mean, so it happens.
Bobby Whitson (26:57):
So you're doubling your work on criminal
cases in precinct two.
I bet if you did the math, it'smaybe higher than that.
And I'm only saying thatbecause 20,000 people live in
all of your precincts versus400,000 people in Bell County.
Just by the sheer numbers, ifyou have that much volume in
(27:21):
your cases and I have to know alittle bit about Salado I'm
pretty sure there's not a largecriminal on Salado Right.
Cliff Coleman (27:28):
I do a lot of CV, a lot of commercial vehicle
stuff with DPS.
And it doesn't matter if it'sExpo Center or where it is, they
send it to me or where it is,they send it to me.
And I think a lot of that isthe efficiency that we handle
this in and then also someeducation that I've had
regarding CVs and with thefederal laws regarding that, and
(27:48):
they're appreciative of that,that I'm up to speed on that end
of it.
So a lot of overweights andcommercial vehicle stuff come to
my court.
A lot of overweights come.
A lot of overweights andcommercial vehicle stuff come to
my court and, to be quitehonest, we have folks from
Travis County, Williamson Countyand McLennan County.
(28:08):
Those troopers, those CVtroopers, come in and work 10 or
12 at a time and do this and wemay get loaded with 80 to 100
citations a day on that.
David Baqum (28:27):
Easily.
So it's just like it is what itis.
We're going to take care of it.
I can say one more thing aboutthe CV issue.
There is a lot of legislationthat goes on before we can
handle that kind of a ticket.
It's a very different ticket tohandle.
The fines and penalties arevery different and many times
they're represented by attorneysand I don't want this to get
(28:50):
out, but it's so much easier tohandle a case without an
attorney.
It doubles or triples the timewhen counsel gets involved and
when we have these kinds ofcases when an attorney here is
going to be somebody, and I'llgive you an example.
That happened just this morning.
I had to take a baby attorney bythe hand and show her what
(29:11):
commercial legal law was, whatanti-masking is, what the
exceptions were.
That's not just time in myoffice, that's time for his
court.
And I have to do all of thatbecause we have a reputation, a
judgmental reputation, ofhandling these things pretty
efficiently and properly.
Bobby Whitson (29:30):
Yep sure.
Okay, again, I'd be okay withhowever we come up with the
dollars.
I'm okay with an extra positionand I don't know that the three
of us could determine thattoday.
Anyway, quite frankly, it'sgoing to be something that we
discuss in the budget and how wehave this, but we're going to
balance, but we'll get it doneone way or the other.
I've got a kid nod and we'regoing to get it done one way or
(29:51):
the other, we're going to, we'regoing to, we're going to cut
something to.
You have to cut something,right?
We're balanced.
We're balanced and we're goingto be balanced.
We're not going to go unbalanced, obviously, or we can tell
everybody that Judge Goldmanmeans us to raise the tax rate.
(30:11):
Either way, you want to go,judge, it's up to you.
Cliff Coleman (30:14):
I'm in such a desperate need of a clerk, I'm
willing to take the hit.
April Metcalf (30:17):
We've got some things.
We could go again, it wouldn'tbe in the one cent.
Bobby Whitson (30:25):
I should.
Keep it but I'm not sayingabsolutely Right.
April Metcalf (30:32):
Well, we've got other decisions to make too.
This is the first time thaty'all talked about looking at
other JPs.
Bobby Whitson (30:37):
I know, I know I'm just trying to get traction
there.
You got a JP that doesn't workon Friday and does weddings all
day long in our offices anddoesn't see court on Friday.
Cliff Coleman (30:51):
That's 20 percent .
That's one of five clerks youdon't need anymore.
I have had to.
Let me let you know this, justjust.
I don't want to knock myshoulder on a socket, pat myself
on the back too hard, but but Iwill tell you.
You, we used to have courttuesday, wednesday, thursdays,
kind of give us mondays.
I used to come to thecommissioner's meeting, we used
to do that, and fridays was yourday to kind of catch up on
everything.
We now have court.
I mean, I had to schedule, Ihad to change things around this
(31:11):
afternoon to be here.
We have court monday throughfriday.
Now we are every single day ofthe week we are having some sort
of court.
What that is.
And then when I had to do themagistration, it was so much
work, not only on the front endof it, and when I told everybody
I said, hey, this is what I'mdoing is that we had to move all
my nine o'clocks, ten o'clocks,we had to move everything back,
and that just threw everythingin a little frenzy.
(31:33):
You know, for a while as well,it's not easy just say I want to
do something.
There's a whole lot of thingsthat happen, that happen behind
that.
Greg Reynolds (31:40):
I do remember every JP requested another head,
did they not?
Cliff Coleman (31:45):
No.
Greg Reynolds (31:46):
They didn't in Precinct 4.
Cliff Coleman (31:48):
Precinct 4 did not request anybody, because
they were here.
Greg Reynolds (31:52):
But the numbers I'm looking at and I'm in
alignment with CommissionerSnyder.
We're here to help supportwhatever it is you need, as long
as we can get the balance inour tax dollars.
That's our job.
I'm also in alignment withlooking at the numbers.
You've got 16,000 cases so fartoday.
You've got right now 4,000 ofthem that are penal code or
(32:12):
other state law which they canconsume some time, if I
understand properly.
But that's the highest numberin any country and I think also
one of the.
Compared to the four, it's10,000 and about 3,000.
Cliff Coleman (32:27):
One of the things that I hesitate in talking
about, but I'm actually costingthe taxpayers money.
We're actually costing thetaxpayers money by not having a
staff member there.
There are probably ballparkbetween 2,500 and 3,000 FTAs
that have not been filed.
(32:47):
A figure two appears that havenot been filed in my court.
We just don't have time.
If you look at, say average,it's up to $500, but you know,
say average $200 to $300 is whatwe charge on those.
Think about those receivablesthat should be coming into my
court that I just don't havetime to do.
They get pushed back.
We're not there and it'll be.
(33:07):
I mean, we'll still try to getthem done.
Greg Reynolds (33:10):
So if you're able to get those done with this
extra head, you're basicallypaying for the salary.
April Metcalf (33:14):
You can look and see what stays at the county
versus what goes to county.
Cliff Coleman (33:18):
That's true, but it's still money that come in,
that's it 100%.
Greg Reynolds (33:25):
So those places for place.
One has 10,700 cases thatthey've processed to date that
are on the docket and they haveabout 1,300 penal or state.
Most of those are foreclosures,not foreclosures.
Cliff Coleman (33:42):
I are evictions.
I mean evictions, Thank you.
April Metcalf (33:46):
Okay, one more thing.
David Baqum (33:48):
One more thing about the FDAs.
What it does is it shows up.
In the past we haven't beendocumenting it very well.
That started to change about ayear and a half two years ago,
when I started submitting an FDAform after everyone was
offended and didn't show up.
So we now have documentation inour files.
It's just a matter of time toget back in there and go back
(34:11):
into those laws and make thatcharge and bring it back into
court and get it repaid.
So the documentation is in thefiles.
We're ready to go.
Bobby Whitson (34:21):
If we just don't have the resources to do that
are those documented enough to apoint where they will show that
they've not been resolved, sothat when they go to do their
registration, they'll have tocome scofflaw and omni and omni
right right, right, separatelyfrom omni and Omni and Omni,
(34:42):
mm-hmm, for the questions too.
Cliff Coleman (34:44):
Right, jim Lange Parker.
Right, separately from Scott,right, separately from that,
separately from Omni, separatelyfrom right.
We go.
Those are the three avenuesthat I know.
Bobby Whitson (34:49):
So, even if you don't go after those people, so
to speak, if they go to registerthe vehicle, they or come to
subject, if you recall.
Cliff Coleman (34:58):
Yes, if it's put in Omni or Scofflaw Right, right
.
Bobby Whitson (35:02):
Is it put into those at least Once?
Cliff Coleman (35:06):
we file it, yes, Once it's filed.
Once it's filed and they'regiven, they're sent that
documentation 30 days, I think.
Is that what it is?
I think it's 30 days and if wehaven't received a response,
then it goes to Linebarger.
Louie Minor (35:21):
Once Linebarger puts it into scoff law, we send
it into.
Cliff Coleman (35:23):
Omni.
But that's what you're saying,correct, that's correct.
Bobby Whitson (35:28):
But the violence is what you say.
You don't have time to do.
That's correct.
Cliff Coleman (35:32):
So they're not going to get hit at scoff law
Right now.
I think it's 2,500 to 3,000.
I think it's 2,500 to 3,000.
I think that's the number.
It may be higher, it may be alittle bit lower, but I'm pretty
sure it's at least 2,500.
It was at 2,000 in February orMarch, they told me.
I looked at the number so I'mfiguring it's that much now
(35:55):
because we haven't done it yet.
So we have made some changes.
We don't answer the phones nowuntil 9.
We open the doors at 8.
It's going to kind of give us achance to get civil, you know,
get our things in order eachmorning.
It's just once 9 o'clock hits,you know it's boom.
Bobby Whitson (36:08):
So one of the reasons JP precincts are the way
they are is for convenience.
Well, obviously it's notinconvenient for people to come
to you.
So if we were to change thosemeets and bounds on your
precinct, pick up more of thewest side or central side of the
county, would that?
Cliff Coleman (36:26):
be reasonable.
I'm happy to look at any linesthat are redrawn, but anything
that would do would justincrease the workload for the
precinct, I know, but it woulddecrease the workload for other
precincts.
Bobby Whitson (36:39):
Hypothetically it won't, but hypothetically we
could decrease the number ofclerks that need if we line
those up and you have a largerarea too and bring clerks to
your office.
But the problem is if 10 yearsfrom now you have a different
set of keys.
It's not about the size, it'sabout number of clerks and where
(37:02):
they're going.
Where's the work going?
It's all going there, right, soyou can cut it however you want
to cut it, and they continue togo there.
It's not going to make anydifference.
And you can say well, I'm thisbig so I need five curves, I'm
this big so I need three.
That's not how they come towork with it.
Cliff Coleman (37:20):
Well, I understand.
Every time you try to put me ina corner, every time, bobby.
Bobby Whitson (37:29):
Try to get me to say something.
I need people to.
I need the county to understand.
You said it's going on.
I don't have to.
You said it.
I don't know what I'm talkingabout.
You're the jp, just like yousaid any other, any questions?
Greg Reynolds (37:44):
maybe his point.
You know I can't be spendingthe position I've had to make
decisions for people that didn'tknow what they did and that
kind of thing and that's prettyuncomfortable just to me, but
the numbers don't dispute me.
I would say that your largest,your biggest time consumers
would be criminal.
Is that fair?
Cliff Coleman (38:05):
Yes, just because it's your number yes.
Greg Reynolds (38:09):
OK, so there's not, yeah, so I'm just saying
there's the evidence to me isthere's no question.
You've got to have anotherhedge.
I'm not, I'm not, I'm withRussell.
I don't.
I don't challenge that, and Ijust know that we've got to
figure out how we're going topay for it that's why y'all get
the big bucks.
Bobby Whitson (38:28):
Anything else, alright thank you April.
Cliff Coleman (38:33):
Tina.
Thank y'all so much,commissioners county clerk's
office.
David Baqum (38:39):
County attorney's office.
April Metcalf (38:42):
I see are y'all done with that?
What'd you have to do after me?
Louie Minor (38:46):
that could be other items that's funny so there you
heard Commissioner Woodson justblasting precinct.
Four JPs not working, not doingtheir job, not hearing cases,
not being useful, helpful, withlocal PD, local PD Now, all JPs
(39:13):
do weddings, all of them.
They all do weddings in thecounty buildings and then they
do weddings outside of that.
They manage their own time forthat.
What he didn't say are some ofthe other judges, some of the
other JPs around the county.
They work for other cities aswell and hold court as well.
(39:38):
Now I doubt that they're doingit in the evenings and I doubt
they're doing it on the weekends, so they're doing it during.
You would assume should betimes that they should be doing
county business, but they're not.
(39:59):
And specifically, I think whatCommissioner Woodson is
referencing and maybe I thinkyou even heard Judge Coleman
mentioning it he mentionedarrest warrants and search
warrants.
So the and, like I said, I usedto be a deputy constable a long
(40:22):
time ago and I would be sittingin the JP's office, judge Ivey,
many times and a detective orpolice officer would come by,
pop in, you know, just show upunannounced with a warrant for
the JP to sign.
They just look over thedocumentation, make sure it's
(40:45):
correct, make sure that you knowprobable cause exists and then
they sign it and the officergoes execute it.
It's really really quick, it'snot like it's taking up a lot of
time.
Now I think clerks have to, youknow, do that paperwork, but
that's you know.
They're choosing to go overthere to precinct two.
(41:07):
He mentioned redrawing thelines.
I've talked about that in aprevious show, redrawing the
lines Based off of the census.
Precinct 4JP, which isdifferent from precinct 4,
county Commissioner, precinct4JP and Constable takes up all
(41:27):
western Bell County, takes upall western Bell County and it's
like 270-something thousand217,000 constituents, so more
than half the county, thatthey're representing two JPs
(41:48):
versus four JPs for the rest ofthe population.
So I mean there are disparitiesin the workload.
There are disparities.
I'm not saying that JudgeColeman doesn't need help.
That's something that we'lltalk about.
It did sound like he has a lotof issues, a lot of workload
from DPS and I think there'sways to address that workload
(42:11):
from DPS versus signing awarrant from KPD.
Kpd can go to their municipalcourt judge, but they're
choosing to go all the way toSalado.
I don't know I'm going to haveto call the chief on that and
(42:33):
get an answer on that.
Who's signing their searchwarrants and arrest warrants and
where are they going to getthose signed?
Is KPD going all the way toSalado to get that signed, or is
JP Precinct 2 driving toKilleen and signing them?
(42:54):
But yeah, no, there's a lot ofmisinformation.
I don't think CommissionerWoodson has all the facts.
And JP4 is the busiest JPPrecinct in the county.
They hear the most cases, theyget the most cases and they
dispose of the most cases.
So we need to continue tosupport JP Precinct 4, and
(43:21):
that's what I'm going to do.
That's what I'm committed to dois take care of my constituents
, our constituents.
So, anyways, hope you enjoyedthe show.
Like I said, I'm going to begoing to Naleo tomorrow.
Tomorrow's also the first dayof the special session where
they're going to talk aboutflood uh, flood mitigation and
(43:43):
funding that they're going totalk about, uh, thc, and they're
also going to talk aboutredistricting.
So that's something that we'llgo over next month I'm sorry
next week's show, because theydid have a tentative map that
came out for the congressionaldistricts and I think, for the
(44:04):
first time that I can rememberand over you know since 2013 of
me being involved in politicsthat Bell County Congressional
District covers the entirecounty.
Killeen has always beengerrymandered but at least in
this tentative map that I'veseen, the entire Bell County is
(44:29):
one congressional district andthen they split up Williamson
county.
So more more to come on that.
There's going to be a lot ofinformation.
They're going to be I'll.
I'm going to be down in inAustin advocating for, for us
there.
They're also going to look atproperty taxes and ways to limit
(44:53):
government local governmentsfrom increasing property taxes.
So it's only 30 days.
Special session is only 30 days, so let's hope they cannot do
too much damage in those 30 days.
Help the fled victims that needto be helped, help the fled
victims that need to be helpedand let's see what is going to
(45:15):
shake out of this legislativetree.
So we will talk to you nextweek.
We'll be you next time.
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