Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 (Agenda)
Item 24
>> number 24.
the only question I had there are two i.t.s.
items on there and I have some concerns with regard to that because since the beginning of the calendar year including these two we've had 18 adjustments above 5% in i.t.s.
I am concerned about that in light of the fact that we've just voted a change agent and I would like to see as -- preserve as much of the status quo as possible so that change agent has maximum flexibility to deal with what he or she is presented with.
my concern is that with these 18 promotions and salary adjustments, it's over $100,000 of salary adjustments which changes the terrain considerably that he's walking into or she's walking into.
I want to be clear that I know there are significant retirements in i.t.s.
and significant much higher than the Travis County workforce generally retention issues in i.t.s.
but joe, do you have any words on that?
>> well, there are some positions that we still need to carry on our daily business, and I believe that we followed all the personnel policies and processes in anything we've done so far.
if we haven't, somebody please tell me.
>> I think the policies have been followed, but my point is 18 increases of 5% or more, and there were some increases that were like 17%, those were promotions, of course, but when you see 18 such shifts in the department, I think we as the ultimate managers of the county need to be concerned about what's going on there.
these are 18 moves up so that in many respects that's a good thing, it's an internal promotion system.
it could be a suggestion that the internal promotion system is working very well, but it also could be reflective of a high turnover and a lack of succession planning.
>> well, we've had some retirements that required us to do some reorganization, and so that's -- that's most of that is reflected in the changes we needed to make.
>> have we seen any other division that's had this percentage of salary shifting?
>> not to my knowledge.
I will say two-thirds of these actions were promotions and typically when you get a promotion you get a salary saving that accompanies it.
and obviously every item that goes before the court is reviewed by p.b.o.
to make sure that the action is within not only policy but budget as well.
>> and I don't have any argument with it being within policy and within budget, but I am concerned that that amount of movement, it does, of course, it could possibly be answered by the vote we just took though.
>> we typically don't reject the routine requests.
>> I'm not suggesting that we inject it but just that we recognize it, we recognize that this is occurring in i.t.s.
at a time when we have issues with our report to go d.p.s.
with regard to our criminal arrest statistics and so we do have some issues within i.t.s.
to see promotions going on in a division that I think is frankly has some disarray, it does concern me.
>> and I think we ought to speedily implement the decision we just made a minute ago.
>> will do.
>> but I would approve these because they are routine and because I don't think we ought to micromanage.
I don't know the persons recommended for promotion.
if we -- I don't know that you get promoted, I mean, if you don't get additional compensation for additional duties and responsibilities.
if maybe the way we address these should change, unfortunately.
>> second.
>> but they would change for the county, not just i.t.
so I move approval.
>> second.
>> seconded by Commissioner Gomez first.
discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
do we want to take the other item in eight minutes or have you come back this afternoon.
it could take time for discussion.
I thought it would take -- I thought the two items would take one hour.
I'd rather going to lunch a few minutes early and -- if you all get down here at 1:30, we should maybe get to you at 1:40, 1:45.
move we recess until 1:30.
all in favor.
that passes by unanimous vote.
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