Commissioners address investment broker and vehicles

Approving a brand new investment broker/vendor, a brand new service settlement for county electronic mail providers
and buying a brand new car for the fifth precinct constable have been the objects mentioned and
authorized at a particular assembly of the Shelby County Commissioners’ courtroom Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, briefed the courtroom on discussions she has had with First
National Bank of Witchita Falls regarding charges of curiosity that they will supply to the county on certificates of deposit.

“I used to be approached by Mr. Cobb, that you just all have carried out enterprise with, and they’re tremendous good
individuals. I spoke with Mr. Cobb and considered one of is investment women, Ms. Karen Hughes.

They have a big quantity of enterprise up there and they’ve quite a lot of locations to go along with cash that’s safe,”
Blackwell stated. “Ms. Hughes stated that they’ve securities accessible to collateralize as much as
$2,250,000 that she will place in a cash market plus account which is paying .40 primary factors.”

The county is at the moment incomes .05 primary factors via their present settlement with Farmers
State Bank. Blackwell knowledgeable the courtroom that the cash deposited with First National Bank of
Witchita Falls could be fluid and could possibly be accessed each time the county wanted the funds.
Blackwell additionally outlined a plan to buy certificates of deposit via First National Bank of
Witchita Falls that may be very advantageous to the county when it comes to the choices accessible to
both withdraw the cash when the cds mature or let it roll over and additionally the rate of interest being
supplied could be at a really favorable price.

The plan contains the county buying $500,000 certificates of deposit over the subsequent yr.
“We need to arrange rolling cds. Set up one for 12 months, then in three months do one other one
for 12 months. Then on the finish of 12 months each three months we’re going to be having cds
rolling due. So, if we want cash, we will take it and, if not, we will renew it,” Blackwell
defined. “She’s providing 12 month cds at 70 primary factors. That’s simply loopy proper now.”
Clint Porterfield, county auditor knowledgeable the courtroom about some obligatory adjustments that must
be made to the county’s electronic mail internet hosting providers, which might, amongst different issues, address
cybersecurity.

“Currently our electronic mail internet hosting service is with CIRA, the County Information Resource Agency.
They have hosted the e-mail ever since I’ve been right here. Currently they’ve one thing referred to as the
Max Phase which is what hosts our electronic mail service. Right now, there’s a massive push within the space of
cybersecurity. And I do know that Max Phase has had some points with that previously,” Porterfield
stated. “But, CIRA goes to a brand new platform referred to as Office 365 and in doing so there’s a service
settlement that must be checked out and authorized by the commissioner’s courtroom.”

The new service settlement would require the county to decide on the plan of service that it wished.
Email directors would additionally must be appointed in order that the county may carry out some
administrative duties akin to resetting passwords inhouse with out having to contact CIRA. The
swap would additionally entail a brand new web site internet hosting settlement.

“Cost smart, it’s going to extend our prices,” Porterfield identified. “We have about 80 electronic mail
customers. Right now, it’s about $2 a month to have CIRA host that for us. The plan now we have chosen
is about $5 a month per consumer. So, the underside line, for the yr it’s going to price us about an additional
$4,200 a yr for our electronic mail service, however it’s one thing that now we have to have.”
Jason Fulbright of Intelligent Computer Concepts, who has been consulting with the county on
the mission reiterated the necessity the county is dealing with in making this transition.

“Basically, it’s a necessity. It’s actually not even an possibility at this second in shifting to a extra
safe platform. That’s why quite a lot of organizations are shifting to this Office 365 platform. It’s an
inevitable transfer. Loads of your bigger organizations – authorities organizations, medical
organizations – they’re all transitioning to this product,” Fulbright acknowledged.

The different merchandise on the agenda was buying a brand new pickup for the usage of Precinct 5 Constable
Josh Tipton. The buy was initially put within the finances at $40,000 and then added tools
upped the worth to the vary of $45,000.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Roscoe McSwain requested the Sheriff Kevin Windham to explain what
further tools such a car is fitted with.

“Basically, on the Police Pursuit like I’ve it’s in your suspension, then your coolers for the
transmission and then additionally a heavy responsibility alternator that may assist help {the electrical} tools
that’s in there,” the sheriff defined.

“But it ain’t value $5,000 to $6,000, in your opinion, or not?” McSwain then questioned Windham,
“In my opinion it’s. With the suspension due to the dealing with, they deal with higher, they drive
higher,” Windham replied, and described different tools the car is provided with.
After additional dialogue, Commissioner Tom Bellmyer of Precinct 4 moved that the car be
bought, and the courtroom authorized the movement.