The Commissioners Court held a workshop Tuesday morning on the possible reclassification of six county employees and then decided that afternoon to reduce four of those positions. The Court heard comments from department heads during the workshop why their employees should be exempt which carries with it a higher salary or should not be exempt.
During the regular afternoon meeting the Commissioners followed County Judge Brint Carlton’s recommendations and approved changing three of the employees to non-exempt status effective the next pay period July 4 and lowering a fourth employee one level effective the beginning of next fiscal year on October 1. The Human Resources Department Assistant Director was changed from an E1 with 0 years experience to an NE4 with 5 years. The two Chief Deputies in the District Clerk’s Office were changed from E1 with 15 years experience to NE5 with 15 years. The changes represent a reduction in salary of about $10,000 annually for each employee. The District Attorney’s Investigator will be reduced from an E3 to an E2 next fiscal year, which is a pay cut of just under $10,000. The Court decided to make no change for the Emergency Management Deputy Coordinator or the Victim Assistant Coordinator also in the DA’s office.
Overtime pay for county employees during disasters was discussed during the Commissioners Court meeting. County Judge Brint Carlton explained the current overtime pay for county employees during a disaster had been adopted 10 years ago and is double the employee’s normal salary as soon as the disaster is declared. Carlton preferred the overtime be paid only after the employee had worked over 40 hours and then only at a rate of time and a half the employee’s salary.
Commissioner John Banken favored some employees in the Sheriff’s Office and the Road and Bridge Department receiving double time pay for working during an emergency. The Court decided to take no action on the judge’s recommendation and may hold a workshop next week since budget hearings begin later this week on Friday.
The Court also tabled until next week a decision on inventory items missing from several departments. County Attorney Doug Manning was asked to investigate and make a recommendation to the Commissioners about whether they can declare the items lost or destroyed which would remove them from the inventory list.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
Social Media