Travis County Commissioners Court
August 5, 2008
Item 30
30. Consider and take appropriate action on the creation of an intergovernmental relations position with appropriate support including: a, hiring of an administrative assistant to support the intergovernmental relations position; b, posting the administrative assistant position; c, update from t.n.r. And pbo on interim fiscal year 2008 funding and space for these two positions; d, update from facilities management on recommendations for permanent space for these two positions in fiscal year 2009; and e, recruitment strategy and hiring timeline for the intergovernmental relations position. Good afternoon.
>> thank you.
>> [indiscernible] planning and budget. The fy '09 preliminary budget does include the intergovernmental relations coordinator position. It's 91901 including benefits. The rest, 62203 is earmarked in the allocated reserve. That earmark includes the base salary and benefits for an administrative assistant 1. That 16,000 in capital and about $7,400 in operating budget. The capital operating budget is an estimate that we really don't know exactly how much they are going to need until they get here. So the operating could be a one-time expense until we coordinate with that individual and get a right size operating budget for them.
>> so we have funding for the top position but earmarked for the aide and the other expenses?
>> that's correct.
>> that were described in that budget that we kind of approved.
>> yeah.
>> okay.
>> and the -- the skipping ahead to the recruitment strategy because it informs that to some degree, I understood that h.r. Wanted some direction in that regard as to whether or not you wanted to -- to use the recruiter or do it within h.r., have h.r. Do the recruiting. There was a sense -- there's a good argument to be made for a local recruiter in the 10 to $15,000 range to get the -- get the best person in place for -- for the slot. Which -- which probably is going to take us until September to do. Then perhaps another month with an assistant. I --
>> that's a lot more money than I had in mind.
>> the 10 or $15,000?
>> do we have four or five thousand in your budget? Hrmd?
>>
>> [indiscernible]
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> we are talking about recruiting for the intergovernmental relations position.
>> oh,
>> [inaudible - no mic] there may be a market here locally to do that. But to recruit a person from that we would propose that we go with the first alternative, which would not be to spend additional money or not the 44 or $4,500 which you may be speaking to and recruit through our existing websites and that sort of a thing and see what the results of that would yield. We were also proposing that perhaps we solicit and pull together a list of individuals, organizations, that may be recommended and send a special flier out to a targeted recruiting effort that would not cost, that would not have costs added to it. So we are basically proposing that we take an approach that would not cost at this point. Steve, what's the results yield -- see what the results yield, if not that then come back to you and say well we need to pick a different approach to it.
>> I'm fine with that. What kind of time frame should we look to -- -- to implement that internal recruiting strategy?
>> we could begin --
>> recruiting strategy implemented internally.
>> are we speaking in terms of the -- of the intergovernmental relations coordinator positions?
>> yeah.
>> let me back up. Both positions we can begin immediately to post through our regular sites, okay, with the special flier and piece that we would want to pull together I would say in two weeks we would be able to get something out on that. If there's a person designated by the court for us to work with, to take a look at what we pull together, which would really be pulling from the job descriptions that you approved on July the 8th, then we could really expedite it and go on and get it out with -- with some level of court approval before we would release it. We would post it on our internet page website page as we did I think another position that you recruited for. And just take advantage of all of the paid alternatives that we already have in place before we invest money into recruiting.
>> that sound sounds good to me.
>> I would post an assistant position, plan on hiring a coordinator first and letting the person select the assistant. I think there's some value in that person making a choice. Because two of them have to work closely together.
>> I'm sorry if I missed it, but the pay grade on the administrative assistant is the 11, pay grade 11?
>>
>> [indiscernible]
>> okay. Is that an appropriate pay grade? I would think for the pay grade 26 I believe that the other position is marketed for, it depends on what exactly you would want that administrative support position to do. But for a two person office I would think that that's probably a bit more than what mike would be required -- what might could be required of that person in that higher level position. In fact probably a pay grade of I would say at least maybe 13, maybe even I would say at least a pay grade 13. Probably be a more appropriate match to support a position like this. Dealing with a great deal of coordinating, independent judgment here, discretion that I expect would be used and to me 13 is really the minimum. I would probably even suggest even a bit higher than that given the skill level that I would think this person would need.
>> well, if you post the job you have got a range there, right? Minimum would be --
>> minimum is 25774. I don't have the midpoint.
>> midpoint on that is 30 -- I'm sorry, 31,571.
>> what's the minimum for the 13.
>> for the 13.
>> about 14% more?
>> it would be. About 14% more and the minimum is 29501. And the midpoint is 36138. So you are not dealing with -- at the midpoint level you are dealing with approximately 5,000 more at the pay grade 13.
>> did you use that comparatio --
>> that's exactly what he just did
>> [laughter]
>> you get good at that comparatio.
>> yeah, it's about a 5,000 difference at mid point.
>> let's post it at 13 then. We have got a range from a minimum up to -- up to mid range based on experience, qualifications, et cetera.
>> I think that you will be pleased with that adjustment for this arrangement.
>> it's an earmark anyway, so there's flexibility there. Any problem with that? Joe said that we -- that we this year if we bring them on, he will make space. But I suggest that we get this to our space committee and try to deal with it that way on an affirmative basis.
>> did you have an update with that?
>> before we get away from the space, or get to the space question, in terms of eliciting input from individuals is that also a part of what you are recommending that we do proceed with? We were suggesting input either from the Commissioners or anyone that you feel that we should contact to give us some possibilities for -- for recruiting and finding candidates for this position. We have not recruited for a position like this before, of course. And we can certainly go out into the market.
>> I would run the draft by court members.
>> okay. They can respond to you, not to one another legally.
>> okay.
>> probably those who do the most work would be what, t.n.r., for the constables --
>> okay.
>> I can -- I'm suggesting sending them a draft and giving them like two days to get mid feedback. What feedback you think is good incorporate it. If not, somebody has got to -- to make the ultimate decision. So I would just sit through it. What's good, I could operated, if you don't think that it is --
>> we are happy to do that on your behalf. I just wanted to make sure that was clear to you that we would be moving forward with that.
>> I would suggest not only to get that input from the -- from the -- from those departments, positions, as well as
>> [indiscernible] Commissioners court on the flier itself but to also ask those departments and members of the Commissioners court for a list of people to contact to start shake being the -- shaking the bushes.
>> there's got to be somebody over at the capitol who has some folks over there with experience who might want to do this as well.
>> absolutely.
>> putting out the initial feelers, there was -- I was getting very good response from people at the capitol, people within the city, people within other governmental agencies, other large law firms that have lobbying arms saying oh, yeah, there are people who -- who would --
>> uh-huh.
>> ms. Strickland?
>> judge, facilities has looked at some space options for these two positions in relationship to some of our other space issues for 2009. We have several options for the rusk building. Which will be brought for your consideration at another time. But -- but the result of some of those options in -- in -- involved creating vacant space on the 5th floor of this building. So -- so which would be backfilled by -- by most likely its and the circumstances that its stays in this building. And that could be arranged so that two of the offices which are vacation indicated would be available for these two positions. So that would put them in an ideal proximity to yourselves for your work together. That's -- that's our thinking at this points.
>> I think while christian is gone, take half of his space, when he comes back he will have half that room.
>> come back and have a roommate
>> [laughter]
>> yep.
>> judge.
>> anything else?
>> judge, let me hung I know that I have already swung twice and missed the ball. One more strike I'm out. I'm willing to walk back to the dugout with this one last shot. What are we going to get out of $150,000 starting in September or October? I mean that is with our precious need for dollars and I know that we are going to have to fund some of these other things. We are going to hire a -- a legislative consultant, I don't want to get another phone call from the county attorney's office saying do not use lobbyist.
>> [laughter] legislative consultant. Aren't we going to -- we are going to do a contract for that service, correct? This is not the time to spend this 150 grand.
>> our legislative consult tant for the last 10 years said you could better utilize us if you had an --
>> I agree. But not one that we're going to have four months from the legislative -- legislators coming back into this town. I am a firm believer, sarah, because we've talked about this before, this is a needed position in house. But we have waited too long to take this spot. Right now we are not going to get 150,000 out of this person. For the next legislative cycle. Let's do it. Hey, I was going to make a motion that we reconsider this -- this entire person as opposed to pontificating, why don't I make that motion
>> [laughter], move along get some consideration out of it. My motion would be that we would table 30 and look at this legislative hire, this in-house person next legislative budget cycle.
>> is there a second?
>> I'm out.
>> my third strike.
>> if we had done this two years ago, the person would have two years and four months. It's going to cost 150,000 between now and January, not that many months, may cost two months, three, one, to longer we wait to bring this person on board, the more we will be in a position where we will have to make the same arguments a year and a half from now. The legislature meets every other year. But these duties and responsibilities go on daily really and intergovernmental stuff that we ought to have whether the legislature is in town or not.
>> yep.
>> there are thorny issues that we need somebody to get up to speed on and work for us. Clearly it costs 150,000 a year but our obligation is to squeeze that much value out of the person. I have not been discussing this three years for nothing. I have been trying to wait until the court got in a position to act on it. One week I'm supportive, one week lukewarm, one week we ought not to do this. I just concluded a month ago I guess when we voted on this, either we're going to do this or not, let's put a motion out there and go for it.
>> this time next year would be perfect because the person would have a year and four months which is what everybody tells you, you need to be seeing legislators, you need to be seeing these people the entire year before the legislators get into town. Hiring --
>> they told us that two years ago.
>> I know, we didn't do it. Since we waited that doesn't mean that we ought to go ahead and do something now when we are not going to get that much out of the person. This time next year then for the next legislative cycle, that person is really effective. I thought we were going to get a great amount of value for this one? Our most value hopefully is going to come from our legislative consultants
>> [multiple voices]
>> if this person works as well as he or she should, our legislative consultant will work a whole lot more efficiently, effectively I think with a.person at the county assigned full time to work with them. They have a hard time working with the five of us. We can be unavailable. We have different ideas. Different opinions. If there is somebody here that can kind of help coalesce our views share those with the consultant, I think overall Travis County is in a much better position, short and long term.
>> not to cut you off.
>> I'm sorry. Also I don't anticipate whoever we do hire for this position has not already developed relationships with the legislators. I don't think we will be hiring someone who has never met anybody up at the capitol. We are likely to find someone who, several candidates who already have established relationships that we will be taking advantage of that will be part of the skill set that they are bringing to the table for us to consider hiring them.
>> we need to put some other things in place, because we do want the person to be successful. You know, that is kind of basically the -- the same way that we did the legislative consultant, you know, take directions from a 4-1 vote from this court so they are not running all over the place doing things that don't lead to anything and take up valuable time. So I think we need to do some work as well to make sure that this person is successful.
>> we need to do a better job working with Texas association of counties, other urban counties, they all have point people of this kind.
>> absolutely.
>> so on a whole lot of this I think counties don't have the impact they should because they don't work together enough year round.
>> right.
>> in my view part of our strategy ought to be to get a lot more done when the legislature is not in town in preparation for the next session so we can be way down the road and not starting from scratch. We have to do things differently ourselves I understand that as court members.
>> right.
>> this person better be forceful enough to come into every one of us and say no, no, no, no, you have got to have a meeting with me, you have got to tell me what's important, you have got to -- I mean because if you don't, I mean, it is exactly like our committee has been put together where we've -- my office I'm guilty of this. Martin, go to that meeting. Well, everybody sends their martins to the meeting and they go back and say what do you want done? We are not really the decision makers. Glad you came. Nothing gets done. We want the elected official to know what it is. I just -- I do think there are plenty of things that we can work hard on. This is just a timing deal for me. But hey I've said that. No problem. Never mind.
>> [laughter]
>> next.
>> you did make a motion. Withdraw it?
>> no, doesn't make any difference. Didn't get a second.
>> [multiple voices]
>> all right.
>> you want to reword that Commissioner Daugherty? Can you flower it up a little bit?
>> what else do we need to do on this item.
>> I think we covered a through e.
>> we are going to create the administrative assistant slot, should we keep the funding in a reserve until a candidate is found or go ahead and put the money in the correct line item.
>> I would leave it there for the time being.
>> okay. But's fast as -- the faster we can post these the better. Our goal is to get the intergovernmental relations position posted first, then post the administrative assistant position unless we can do both at the same time.
>> yes.
>> plan to hire the -- the relations person and let him or her hire the assistant.
>> uh-huh.
>> we may as well have the applications here and -- if possible.
>> okay.
>> we made a lot of progress on that one y'all. We have already changed our focus on this person not even on board yet. We are already being influenced by the position.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, August 5, 2008 3:51 PM