Travis County Commssioners Court
September 24, 2002
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Agenda Item Fifteen
>> number 15 is in accordance with the Travis County code, sections 10.043 holidays and 10.044 personal holidays respectively, discuss and approve holidays effective October 1, 2002, through September 31 -- December 31, 2003.>> executive manager for [inaudible] of operations. We usually bring the schedule to you during the adoption of the budget. And we have it through December of '03 so that employees can plan and know what holidays they have. In terms of our holidays compared to other agencies, in page 1 of the memorandum, you see that we allow 11 holidays and three personal days; that is very similar to what the state of texas, the city of Austin, dallas, bexar county and tarrant. In fact, dallas is less and bexar and tarrant is one more. So we bring this to you for your approval. There have been one suggestion by several employees, and that is on the christmas holidays. Christmas in '02 faul os a Wednesday and there is a little asterisk in the holiday schedule and we wanted to discuss to see if it was preferable for the holiday to be the 24th as it usually is or to have it the 26th a day after christmas. If it fall ss in the middle of the week, it's six to one, half dozen of the other. 24th or the 26th. Traditionally we have provided the 24th, christmas eve, as a holiday.
>> I don't know if it will help you all, but the 26th of December is my birthday. [laughter]
>> a national holiday.
>> I think when it's in the middle of the week, there are people way last minute and the 24th is when they really need it. I think for 2003, and this would be the Margaret Moore motion, it makes sense it would be the 26th because christmas fall os a Thursday -- falls on a Thursday, bridge it into Friday, Saturday, Saturday, becomes kind of a no brainer there. I think when it's the middle of the week it ought to be the 24th and 25th because most of the folks need the day in the middle.
>> what have we done in the past? 24th. Christmas eve is usually the holiday.
>> but it is there for the 25th and 26th the following year, and I think that's appropriate. We have creative people here who can figure out how to take a day off on the 24th and have five days off.
>> in the past we've always done from October 1 through September 30th, right?
>> no, sir, we've gone through the -- through December. And this year we did through December.
>> so October 1 through December 31st is already set.
>> through December 31st of this year. Yeah, this is confirmation.
>> and when it was set was [inaudible] would be the holiday?
>> yes.
>> people have been planning it would be on the 24th.
>> yes.
>> this agenda item is for us to set the holidays between October 1, 2002, and --
>> yes.
>> I mean what's the rationale for doing 15 months at a time is my question.
>> because we often receive telephone calls from employees even during the summer asking if the holiday season, the holidays have been set for -- concerning the holidays for the christmas season. So we found that it's better to -- when we're able to get the court's review and approval, that we're better able to respond to employ eye inquiries.
>> but judge, I see your question. We could really start January 1st because you've set --
>> it's already set. I guess legally -- legally what's the relationship between the holidays and the county budget? We always do them together. Is there any?
>> legally there's no need to put them together.
>> do you understand my question?
>> yes. And historically, although you may not have done 15 months at a time, you have approved what the holidays were going to be for the October through December period of the next fiscal year before January 1 because the courts need that to set up their schedules. And so you have done this prior to the budget for the year for that time period in the past.
>> they set their jury --
>> I never realized we did it. [inaudible] scheduled between October 1 and December 31st. If our rationale for doing that is to give notice, we wouldn't want to change that, would we?
>> no, we wouldn't.
>> even though I -- commissioner Moore is [inaudible] December 26th, I move approval what's been recommended by staff that makes it clear this year the 24th and 25th will be the christmas holidays. And for planning purposes for everybody, it will be the 25th and 26th in year 2003.
>> i'll second that.
>> can we highlight our employees and -- in some sort of written notice that we are pretty generous with holidays compared to the other governmental entities?
>> yes.
>> sometimes that escapes us during our budget process. But I would think that those extra days are significant benefits.
>> yes, sir, they are.
>> any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. 16 is to consider policy in chapter --
>> judge. Excuse me. If we could postp till this afternoon. We would like to get a legal briefing before you consider the policy, and I think our attorneys e not available at this time. They had something else that will be back this afternoon.
>> okay, for the court to get a legal briefing or for you all?
>> no, for the court to get a legal briefing.
>> so we need to call it up in executive session item?
>> yes, and if we could do that before we go through the policy, I think that will be helpful.
>> this will be sir, they are.
>> any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM