County operations staff told the Commissioner’s Court on Nov. 20 that a programs‑and‑services inventory will catalog departmental operations, costs and outcomes to guide budget prioritization and identify efficiencies.

Melissa Carrillo described the inventory as a tool to list programs, services, FTE counts and costs so departments can identify opportunities to reallocate staff or outsource functions while preserving critical services. As an example, Carrillo and the Financial Recovery Division (FRD) presented a cost‑benefit snapshot: FRD operating costs are about $1.8 million annually and current collections in the year shown were roughly $5.6 million.

Carrillo initially referenced an uncollected‑amount total that staff later corrected on the record: "I stated over a $100,000,000. As I stepped away, my staff let me know that that number is actually $67,000,000," she said, clarifying the figure for the court. Staff stressed the need to distinguish collectible cases from truly uncollectible amounts due to indigency and to avoid spending more to pursue funds that are unlikely to be recovered.

The inventory will also examine kiosk placement, after‑hours payment access, opportunities to recover hotel occupancy taxes and other revenue sources not previously pursued. Staff said they will bring more disaggregated cost‑benefit analyses back to the court in the spring to inform budget decisions.