[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6524952,"mediaKeyId","3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03","parentId",3842941,"title","County employee urges commissioners to consider human impact of personnel decisions","audioSeconds",80,"startMs",39000,"endMs",119000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03&start=39&end=119","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03/thumbnail_39000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6524952/Rockwall-County/Texas/County-employee-urges-commissioners-to-consider-human-impact-of-personnel-decisions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6524952-815f48a35cd1a9bdd9754c515fbdc22e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434937&Signature=hePK5jqXB1p5vzSNRmTGsxtlIEHz8E0RkenpKAZfSNS8HnBNxgneg1j7RVLEtVF8rA2IP5mFF1fHZYjd21H-BGTqX5qrAtIHb4KCyxAoyiGtZQ2oTWpvegyJdlIQZUAuY6LmIvv-OMI~fSJkxQSaxzN49EA13zChbbk4gzcOlGl08WCsIlap16WKcvRW2g7Z8A8Vk1GzatefV0uKMvunVxHrNtbS0xfZjw9MqZ1ozSgQVG3BzBe9mrsk3gIpxYE9ewlzmkSCOO7uRSRIa-R7b7SQd4Pj9H3Ar3VnAm0iOSp0C~jNed72WowpYyjOWOZpSV-Fp4WqAqLPiCyAJIn9mw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rockwall County Texas","date","2025-06-16T00:00:00Z","article","During the public forum at the start of the June 16 workshop, Candace Tackle addressed the court to urge commissioners to consider the human effects of personnel and budget decisions.

\"For many employees, this is more than just the job, it's our sole livelihood,\" Tackle told the bench. She said employees often juggle child care, family hardships and health issues while serving the public and that rising living costs are straining households even when benefits are generous. \"We serve with dedication, often while managing personal circumstances like raising children alone, going through a divorce, navigating loss and other health issues,\" she said, and asked the court to keep county employees in mind as it considers staffing and salary choices.

The commissioners thanked Tackle and proceeded to departmental budget presentations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rockwall County Texas - Commissioners Court Workshop Meeting - Jun 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A county employee addressing the commissioners' public forum asked the court to remember how budget and staffing decisions affect employees who rely solely on county paychecks.","taxTitle","Rockwall County, Texas","taxId",54914,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6524957,"Judges flag indigent defense, interpreter coverage and step‑plan pay ceiling in FY2026 discussion",814,8217000,9031000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03&start=8217&end=9031","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03/thumbnail_8217000.jpg","/articles/6524957/Rockwall-County/Texas/Judges-flag-indigent-defense-interpreter-coverage-and-stepplan-pay-ceiling-in-FY2026-discussion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6524957-abdbaabd9e530c463a7b141fc8287352/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434937&Signature=e~XRyg0I26l73AbCbYMpMnnIEHxTP5ptcOjnx52GsKwnGbnq3QrpttX5tyv~hUjt6QyXnP5ga-NljnWnLl8rsc8YZRtvzSSZR6Y3QRjmQo2Vm7Ue~56KGe2RJug3iJ7~JM-cSW0eyTxzv2LwOPBowJiIqw2cFdpmMHIayGeBV94Jf7COsRpZ0AC63r42T-59VGH1yX7HzDa2lE3RMY9eBdQnrq3EdmPMp57opbQWZQyj9WApn4QEDqPg9MbntjCar4bS6EYNqTjcCAe4J2uDt4lbrsOTfxJpdK2IKBATh2G1PxQGX4YHz9Z9kpm-Mp8qj~Zp4W5dxna5eesgoOEKfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple Rockwall County judges reviewed stable baseline court budgets for FY2026 and raised three recurring pressures: indigent‑defense costs, interpreter coverage and pay ceilings under the county step plan.

Judge Hall said court-appointed attorney fees — a major operations line — were roughly $395,000 in the prior fiscal year for two judges and that creating a third district court required revisiting how those fees and related investigative costs are divided. He told the court that splitting workload among three district-level courts reduces the per-court projection but advised commissioners to expect routine upward pressure on hourly indigent-defense costs.

Several judges also discussed interpreter coverage. Judge Rico (alternatively referenced as the presiding judge in some sections) noted Rockwall relies heavily on a Spanish-language interpreter who currently serves multiple courts on contract. Judges said the interpreter is contracted to appear consistently on a docket day (Thursday) and that a third district court will make scheduling and availability more complicated; one court retains a $25,000 line for interpreter services in the draft budget for the 500 and third court.

Judges also raised the county’s step-pay structure. Judge Hall asked commissioners to consider a plan for long-tenured staff who have reached the top of identified step ranges; he said the current structure can leave loyal, experienced employees without a mechanism to reflect ongoing cost-of-living adjustments. Countywide HR data cited during the meeting showed roughly 20 employees at the top of range 4.

Capital-murder trial costs were discussed as a contingent risk. Judge Reiko (alternate spellings in the record) described recent capital cases and estimated the county exposure if a capitally charged case goes to trial could range, in his experience, from about $250,000 to as high as $750,000 for a single fully litigated matter (expert witnesses, second‑chair counsel, appellate costs and prolonged jury selection add materially to costs). He and other judges said counties in the region typically self‑insure against this risk via contingency reserves rather than a pooled “insurance” product, which some counties had abandoned after evaluating coverage restrictions and charges.

Why it matters: Indigent‑defense costs and interpreter availability directly affect court calendars, timeliness of prosecutions and constitutionally required counsel; unexpected capital trials can produce very large, discretionary expenditures.

What’s next: Judges asked the court and auditor to include detailed cost models for the new district court staff and to consider whether a contingency earmark or alternative budgeting approach is appropriate for potential high-cost capital trials.","Rockwall judges told the county on June 16 that court-appointed attorney funding, interpreter coverage for Spanish‑speaking defendants and step‑plan pay caps for long-tenured staff require attention; they also warned capital-murder trials can generate extraordinary legal costs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6524962,"Library asks for server replacement, sound treatment and extra part‑time hours to meet accreditation",3287,3552000,6839000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03&start=3552&end=6839","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03/thumbnail_3552000.jpg","/articles/6524962/Rockwall-County/Texas/Library-asks-for-server-replacement-sound-treatment-and-extra-parttime-hours-to-meet-accreditation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6524962-1385415e09b22596ee76d759749daf1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434937&Signature=D4QLOI~W-lF6rNRs7MvLSztERRQiFhOYzbXceXVkyF9sw-ZsaujpjD003lshJeUPbEzK8ICWNUTQrObE~DoV56~hh-Ia~ltw13R-Coy4dL-3Tkl90tfmHYVEUyErBmRuvOa4cvj1OfXz32ivPlmwJ5TYkiTaSiCdcVd89BJQgkbUYNl1xo6jzWfp~zVl2gcYWBLSsS-QIYwyv5qm~Bih5O0AwDkE0Gd3ItfbdqDlZxVHLUlyG70KcoAgqE3BBdaX~PTTyrWc1pYm8Cslof7jtFpSW2yj-Sd6ue7-d-hWeCE2zn91DvAR-7WMgEsc3YDny9selWHBBIO-LiOMot8lOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Marcene, head librarian, told commissioners June 16 that the library’s FY2026 budget is largely stable but includes several targeted requests tied to service levels and a recent change in state accreditation rules.

The library is asking for $10,000 to replace a server that runs Polaris, the library’s circulation and catalog software; IT recommended replacement because the current server is no longer under vendor support. Marcene also presented a vendor quote of about $7,400 to add sound-absorbent treatment above six recently added small study rooms. The study rooms do not extend to the ceiling (a cost-saving design choice), and patrons have complained that conversation carries into adjacent spaces; the quoted remedy is additional absorbent material near the tops of the rooms.

Marcene said the Texas State Library has adjusted accreditation tiers based on population thresholds; Rockwall County’s assigned population now exceeds 100,000 and the library must meet new expectations, including five additional open hours per week. The library proposed opening at 9 a.m. Monday through Friday (currently 10 a.m.) and covering that time by increasing existing part-time staff hours rather than hiring new full-time employees. The staffing approach would raise some part-time library assistants from about 21 to 27 hours per week and add hours for part-time librarians. Marcene’s corrected math put the annual personnel impact for the added hours at about $19,325 total (not the larger figure she first stated), which she described to the court as a modest, below-benefits cost to expand programming and story-time capacity.

She also described the library’s donation fund, which the library uses for visible public programs and collections rather than to cover ongoing operating expenses. On maintenance and software subscriptions, Marcene said she is still finalizing exact vendor renewal numbers but is not proposing new recurring subscriptions beyond current services.

Why it matters: Accreditation determines the library’s eligibility for state-supplied databases, courier and interlibrary loan discounts and some grant opportunities. Losing accreditation could remove those services or make them much more costly; the library told the court it values those state supports.

What’s next: Marcene asked commissioners to consider the server replacement, the sound-masking installation and the part-time hours increase when finalizing the FY2026 budget. Commissioners asked about timing relative to an anticipated library-space study; they said the county will consider capital options but noted maintenance or a temporary fix may be possible while a longer-term facilities study proceeds.","Library staff proposed modest FY2026 increases: a $10,000 Polaris server replacement, about $7,400 to add sound masking to new study rooms, and roughly $19,300 annually to extend weekday hours by one hour and add programming capacity — to meet Texas State Library accreditation requirements after county population passed 100,000.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6524967,"IT requests $hundreds of thousands in capital, security and staffing needs for FY2026",250,197000,447000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03&start=197&end=447","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3842941-4dddd41d21ff02463e48d549c3627d03/thumbnail_197000.jpg","/articles/6524967/Rockwall-County/Texas/IT-requests-hundreds-of-thousands-in-capital-security-and-staffing-needs-for-FY2026","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6524967-d79b17e3066d894d60f5ad402a0eb200/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434937&Signature=eckXvIvhEiucdnQUavRcbE-mcX7v3Bgn44YfDKaueI-IIRvKB5NStFoAq-cG9RmJL70dS-iDZAt0~DaIVMKZ8nbPVV0gMMNJlb5zKz0DNmmjAnMUYCQdkOLU~z8tMKHLWY6ud0-7crIbzTwaCPXwgMK9YN2ZbtoMQpyymAuKogWkQL5~s9bUI6YgKMgCQf--bHsRiiTZolP6YH~4AgcsEIUijWQQS2zCapK6JNfgznL8CZruvdx5HQ-yJs8UZSwcBs3UhHGEfSaKVFERp~Wd8j1caxBMCGmu3gfUUfDZuvJEfC2GorHBgwINl6V-6ESkqmhJlZOSuph30-z8cQ57hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rockwall County IT director Brian Crenshaw told the commissioners court during its June 16 budget workshop that the department’s FY2026 request centers on several end-of-life hardware replacements, new cybersecurity services tied to Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) guidance, and a modest staff reorganization.

Crenshaw listed capital options for the county’s core storage array (the SAN). He said the county currently uses two array “boxes” purchased in 2020 and 2021, with about 30 terabytes of physical capacity now and roughly 20 terabytes used. Options presented were to pay annual support (about $7,000 per device, or roughly $14,000 a year total) and defer purchase; to purchase both replacement arrays now for about $155,000; or to stagger replacement (one next year, one the year after). The quoted replacement capacity is about 40 terabytes per unit, Crenshaw said.

Other capital items included 17 edge switches priced at about $5,800 each (a roughly $102,000 line item), replacement of 33 wireless access points due in 2027 (roughly $32,000), and audiovisual upgrades for the commissioners court projector and video distribution (about $19,000). Crenshaw also showed quotes to replace five Liberty Hall screens (vendor quote about $25,000) but noted commissioners could defer that work this year.

On cybersecurity, Crenshaw said a recent CJIS audit pushed the county toward system-level multifactor authentication (MFA) for Windows logins, not just for Office 365. He presented two vendor approaches: an on-premises solution (Imprivata) that would integrate badge readers for fast user switching and cost more up front, and a cloud-first option (Cisco Duo) that uses phone-based pushes or calls. Crenshaw said estimated ongoing costs for a countywide rollout (scaled from a 100-user example) would be roughly $42,000 per year for Imprivata and about $24,000 per year for Duo; he noted countywide deployment could push Imprivata “sneaking up on $50,000 a year.”

Crenshaw also recommended annual penetration testing and presented a quote from a vendor he trusted (he said the county paid about $18,000 for a 2024 pen test and sought a more thorough vendor for 2026). He asked the court to budget for a SIEM (security information and event management) service — Splunk was cited as an example — with a cloud subscription at roughly $25,000 per year to provide 3–6 months of rolling logs and real-time alerting.

The county phone system is near end-of-life for adding licenses, Crenshaw said. He presented multiple paths: a short-term “buy extra licenses” option (50 additional licenses estimated to buy time), an on-prem replacement option that would cost about $190,000 (or $275,000 for a more redundant configuration) and a cloud-hosted phone option with a lower upfront hardware cost (about $37,000) but higher ongoing monthly fees (roughly $3,600/month), which he projected could cost nearly $800,000 over 10 years.

Evidence storage tied to the district attorney’s intake system also drew extended discussion. Crenshaw showed annual growth in evidence uploads rising from about 550 gigabytes in 2019 to roughly 22 terabytes in 2023, and he said the county is approaching petabyte-scale concerns if trends continue. He proposed a hybrid approach that moves older or “cold” closed-case material into Wasabi cloud storage; he asked the commissioners to include about $17,500 in the IT budget for Wasabi storage and said the DA’s office would include an additional $14,000 in its budget to expand closed-case cloud storage (the DA’s request would buy about 336 terabytes in that model, Crenshaw said).

On maintenance agreements, Crenshaw noted savings from switching backup vendors (Rubrik replacing Avtech saved about $10,000 annually) but flagged rising costs in vendor support (for example, Cisco Smart Net increases due to more devices under support). He also described endpoint detection and response (MDR Blackpoint) and the county’s ongoing cloud and Microsoft license needs.

Staffing: Crenshaw asked to reclassify and reorganize the IT team so Colter (currently doing sysadmin work) would move fully to a systems-administrator role, Justin would be promoted to a support manager role, and the department would add one technician. He showed an estimated fully loaded personnel impact of about $76,000 for those adjustments (he said Erica/HR would confirm exact loaded costs). Crenshaw argued the county’s network and cloud footprint, plus a rising ticket count (from about 3,600 to about 4,200 per year), create sustained demand for additional senior infrastructure capacity.

Why it matters: Commissioners must weigh a mix of one-time capital purchases, ongoing subscription and support commitments and a personnel request as they craft a budget that balances short-term expenditures and long-term operational risk. The CJIS-driven MFA requirement and the growth in evidence storage each tie IT capital and operating budgets to county public-safety and criminal-justice obligations.

What’s next: Crenshaw asked commissioners to consider the trade-offs — buy now versus patch-and-defend — for major items such as the SAN and phone system; to accept a recurring security subscription for SIEM and pen testing; and to approve the proposed personnel reclassification and one additional technician if the court is comfortable with the loaded $76,000 impact.","Rockwall County IT presented FY2026 budget requests including replacement of end-of-life storage, network refreshes, a multi-factor-authentication rollout to meet CJIS guidance, new security monitoring (SIEM), evidence cloud storage and a proposed personnel reclassification/addition estimated at $76,000.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County employee urges commissioners to consider human impact of personnel decisions

Judges flag indigent defense, interpreter coverage and step‑plan pay ceiling in FY2026 discussion

Library asks for server replacement, sound treatment and extra part‑time hours to meet accreditation

IT requests $hundreds of thousands in capital, security and staffing needs for FY2026