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Travis County Commissioners Court

December 23, 2008
Item 2

You are here on number 2, mr. Miller?
number 2, consider and take appropriate action on budget amendments, transfers and discussion items.

>> leroy, could you tell me on t 1 on the consulting part of this, is that consulting going to be -- it looks like it's going to be part of a jobs analysis.

>> that's correct.
they had traditionally in the past used an outside consulting to fill in with the regular staff to do the market salary analysis, and this is what they had done last year and they are recommending that they do that this year.
they do have that one vacant position which they would internally fund from salary savings, that consulting contract above their budgeted salary.

>> is -- does this open the door for the next round of jobs analysis?
I mean because didn't we -- wasn't last year's analysis, didn't that complete the cycle for all of the jobs?
or am I wrong?

>> I believe -- my recollection is that last year completed the third year of a three-year cycle.
and my understanding is that h.r.
is proposing to continue with the next phase of cycle 1 of a three-year cycle.

>> I kind of remember this in the budget hearings that there are was kind of alluded to, that it would start the first group of jobs --

>> well, and I recall that we talked about that wondering whether or not that was something that the court needed to do to start that.
number 1, I think that it may be a really odd time to start the jobs analysis.
I mean given what we are doing financially.
I could see where the information you are going to go out and get in the private sector, especially, even the public sector is going to be moved with this economic crisis that we have, and I know that I talked to rodney, you know, and there was some discussion about is that, you know, the smart thing to do to start this.
because obviously once you start this, then you've got to follow through and all the job families -- now, maybe the court intends to do that.
I mean and this may be a moot point for me to ask that, but I just remember that I thought that the jobs analysis thing was going to take some more consideration as to whether or not you were really going to start a whole new cycle of a three-year cycle.
so I mean that's --

>> we gave directions to do it.
that's not to say we can't change our minds and indicate otherwise.
but our directions during markup were really to go ahead and do this.
we also put a committee in place which I spoke with alicia about a few days ago and we ought to do that the first part of the year.
a committee to kind of look at compensation policies.

>> well, we don't have to act on the information once we get it if it doesn't look like it's the right time, but at least we can get the information going.

>> well, that's the only point I'm making.
when we start talking about it, we had not had the crisis that's taken place since then.

>> right.

>> I mean obviously there is something going on in this country with regards to a number of of the financial markets, and who knows what's going to happen.
but, you know, in one respect, I mean you know it's probably an okay idea to say, well, let's at least see what's out there, but before anything starts -- you know, you start predicating decisions on some of this stuff, I meno that we have got a really, really odd financial scenario before us that -- I mean I'm 58.
since I've been alive, we have never seen this kind of a deal.
now, maybe some people may not think that it is the '29 crash, but I will tell you if everybody is looking at their 457s or whatever their investments are, they will find out that it certainly looks like the '29 crash.
I don't know, was there any thoughts that you had on this?

>> I would like to add that the contract is with evergreen and you have been familiar with -- excuse me.
the contract is to perform some job analysis in relationship to i.t.
career ladders.
and it's a followup from last year's project.
in addition it's to complete work in terms of the philosophy, where we're headed in the next three to five years.
it's that work that todd's group is doing.
so it's not to help with my compensation staff in terms of the '09 job analysis.
it's to complete that i.t.
career ladder specifically.

>> how are we going on -- about putting that committee together?

>> that's what todd's group is also looking at to see the committee work and that we should be bringing that back.
linda will respond to that.

>> move approval.

>> second.

>> discussion?
thank you all very much.

>> thank you.

>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.


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Last Modified: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 4:27 PM