Travis County Commissioners Court
April 4, 2006
Item 7
Now we do have p.b.o. Here. And it's about this time every year that we discuss an item that they have on the agenda that's number 7. 7. Consider and take appropriate action on the following items related to setting elected officials salaries for fy '07: a. Process to follow in developing recommendations on elected officials salaries for fy '07; and b. Filling vacancies on the citizens advisory committee.
>> good afternoon. [indiscernible] planning and budget office, to my left is medical linda powell who is one of my co-workers andrew the short straw this year, she has to work with me on this process.
>> sorry, melinda.
>> what we are doing today is trying to come to you a little earlier than we did last year on getting some direction and perhaps some action from you on the elected officials salary setting process, if you remember last year, there were some delays, with salary setting process, especially we were waiting for the Texas legislature to -- to take some action on the bill setting, increasing judge's salaries, that happened very late in the budget process. We got through that. Commissioners court set judges salaries at the maximum allowed by the state law. Where we are recommending on -- on for judge's salary is since everybody is at the district judges are at the maximum, you have had historical relationships in the county court of law judges, probate judge and the district judges, that all of those salaries be held constant for fy '07, that you signal your intent to do that at this time. The actual advertisement, all of those things happen later in the budget process. But that will help us get some -- some -- know what we need to work on and what we can move on with. That's option two?
>> that's the first recommendation, if you look on the third page of the memo, p.b.o. Recommendation basically the -- the court indicates its intent at the county portion for district judge's salaries, current levels, then its intent to set the salaries at the county court the law judges also at the current level.
>> I have three options set out there. Are you recommending one of them?
>> those options would be for the rest of the elected officials. We kind of treat the judges differently because they have different statutes that pertain to them. They have --
>> the reason that I was going to your options there, comfortable [indiscernible] backup and recommended option 3. Which is to review all of the elected officials salaries.
>> right.
>> my suggestion is about to be that if we use your option 2, as to the covered elected officials this year, we indicate our intention to review all of them next year, how's that? Maybe start earlier? What he has in mind is a market salary survey for the various elected officials, when we compare their salaries to -- to other salaries for similar elected officials in Texas. What I知 suggested this is this year we kind of follow your number two, we indicate our intention to do number 3 next year.
>> okay. That way we can just get started right after the budget process ends.
>> not only that, if we get our full complement of committee members, when we get them we indicate there may be work for you this year, we know there will be work next year after January 1.
>> right. That would also be helpful for us because biggest time taker for us is collecting the data. That's the biggest amount of time is what we spend trying to get this information from all of the other counties. You know we have our -- our contacts now and it's a lot better, some counties are notoriously slow for getting us information, we don't have as good of websites as we do in some of the left armor counties.
>> judge, let me make sure that I understand option number two in terms of here's what we -- what we sense is the range that's outs there. You would still under under option 2 have the right if let's say elected official x says, you know, that's interesting, but I don't think that solves the problem that -- that my category or me has, short of the grievance process, would they still have the option of having -- like I will call it spot market for lack of a better phrase, they file agreement [indiscernible] termination of their salary.
>> what I知 asking is more of a friendly process as opryland possessed to somebody has to go through the actual grievance process.
>> we can always do that. I think that you should -- they have a right to come ask us. That's what I知 trying to get to. I would rather a more friendly process that people really don't want to get to the point of going oh, come on, don't make me grieve this, is this a way to cooperatively take a look at this, we are willing to live with the results or nice, but to be nicer about it. Because we have nicely taken a look at the tax assessors situation, the county clerk, the district clerk, we have made some friendly adjustments when something has been brought to our attention, these folks can be very good at collecting their own data in terms of it may be a lot for you guys to go get this information. I can tell you some people can be very motivated to get that information for you, tell them whatever counties that you will want. They will get that. Because I actually have a few of these this that -- that I think do need to be looked at. I know in terms of related to -- to the sheriff, we have been taking a look at the sheriff in relation to -- to any kind of relationship with the constables. I really think what needs to be looked at from the market is that the sheriff needs to be compared appropriately to the good with what is a police chief making in that major city? Within that county. So dallas though dallas, tarrant would be looked at the fort worth police chief. Harris to houston, bexar to san antonio. I really think in terms of the size of those organizations and in terms of the duties and responsibilities, it doesn't mean it's a match. I知 just trying to see what kind of discrepancy it is. Budget size, et cetera. I think that it's just a point of comparison that I think is appropriate. I know when we look at what the county attorney makes compared to what the city attorney makes, we have been surprised but not in a good way in terms that there are a lot of folks who have equally important jobs here at the county who simply are not getting the same kind of things as somebody two blocks away from here as opposed to that it's always a county to county kind of thing. But I think related to the sheriff, I think we owe it to take a look at not only what the sheriffs of the major cities -- of the sheriffs of the major counties in the state of Texas are making, but also what their counterparts in the large cities within that county are also making in terms of is there a relationship.
>> I think that you need to put that item on the agenda, though.
>> well I知 just letting you know that I have got about -- about some of the issues that I have got --
>> I don't have any problem with that.
>> I have one other one.
>> my motion is that we follow p.b.o.'s recommendation as to the judges. That we adopt two with the understanding that if you are an elected official, Commissioners court you consider your salary you have the right to come and ask us. That's three. Number four would be that we indicate our intention to do a market salary survey for all elected officials in -- in '07, which is next year, for 2008, when we get our complement of committee members they may as well be put on notice that they may have worked this year, we will have worked next year. Just to kind of expedite things. So I知 trying to accommodate yours in c.
>> I guess my question here is it the elected official who is in question that needs to be the only one that can make that request? Or do us on the Commissioners court have the right to say, you know, what, I --
>> the answer is the law gives any member of the Commissioners court the right.
>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
>> do we want to do a market salary? Okay. Any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank y'all very much. Thanks for your patience too. Now, there's a b here.
>> yes, sir.
>> filling vacancies on the citizens advisory committee. And the question is which ones are vacant.
>> if you look on the second to the last page, we have what we had for the '06 salary setting process last year. Some of these folks have been on since the beginning and every year they have been very gracious and said okay, I値l serve again. Others have been vacant for a couple of years, especially the positions that relate to the two positions for former elected officials and one for current elected official, non-county. And those three have been particularly difficult to keep filled. And so if you still want those positions on the committee, still want them filled, we'd be happy to make phone calls and talk to folks, but we would want to get some sis sense from you and -- assistance from you and guidance on who you think we should contact for those positions.
>> did we adopt a formal policy on these positions?
>> you had some guidance that you set up, yes, that you did vote on for these positions.
>> all right. It seems to me that we have to follow that if we can. If not, we have to come back and take a formal vote to deviation from it.
>> right.
>> what two members of the court would like to work with the committee to fill these vacancies.
>> and if they can be filled, perhaps we could move forward with the work anyway.
>> surely we could come back and change our policy to the extent that we need to to accommodate those things.
>> the committee structure.
>> before we had how many people on there, 11?
>> there's 13 total.
>> what two members of the court would love to serve on this project?
>> I値l do it.
>> Commissioner Daugherty is volunteering. One of us has indicated a teeny interest in getting the right people --
>> it's getting the right people without an agenda.
>> put the county judge down. He welcomes a service opportunity. We'll be back to the court in two weeks. How's that? Now, that motion is to fill the vacancies, get two members of the court to help you. And that motion is?
>> I believe you have to check in with the league of women voters. Maxine is no longer the president and the new president has had to resign because of health issues in their family. You need to check in with the league to find out who you want.
>> that would allow us to call all the organizations that are represented on here and make sure that they can double-check and appoint someone new or reappoint the current person.
>> move that the committee be given full authority to implement the court's direction to fill these vacancies.
>> second.
>> discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, April 5, 2006 10:34 AM