Wednesday, April 24, 2024
The Commissioners Court, in a special-called meeting, approved two perks for Sheriff’s Office employees as part of a continuing effort to improve pay and work conditions so that deputies and other employees won’t keep walking out the door.
On Friday, Nov. 18, the court approved take-home vehicles for deputies and additional pay of $100 for whoever is the on-call investigator for any given week.
The take-home vehicles are for deputies working consecutive shifts. In other words, they can drive a marked county vehicle home only if they are scheduled to report for another shift the following day.
Deputies are not allowed to use the vehicles for personal errands or to transport passengers such as family members.
Sheriff Roger Deeds said that any deputy who violates the policy will face disciplinary action.
The policy allows vehicles to be driven within a 30-mile radius outside the county.
Deeds said that take-home vehicles will mean better service to taxpayers because they will enable deputies to respond quickly to any incident, even if they are home when the call comes in.
“The way I look at it, a deputy is a deputy 24/7,” the sheriff said.
Deputies will no longer have to drive to the Law Enforcement Center to pick up a county vehicle and spend time transferring equipment. They will begin their shift immediately when they pull out of their driveway.
As for extra pay for the nine investigators who rotate being on call, Precinct 1 Commissioner Kevin Andrews indicated support for the Sheriff’s Office but concern for the money being spent and for the impact such financial commitments will have on next year’s budget.
Earlier this month, the Commissioners Court approved a new pay scale at the SO, which included bringing starting pay for deputies from $51,000 to $60,000.
The new pay scale added another $526,334 to the payroll for the current fiscal year, which was taken from Fund Balance, an account containing money that wasn’t spent during the previous fiscal year.
The court will have to find a way to budget for that increase next year.
The county judge and commissioners also approved a comp time buyout, using federal pandemic-relief money.
Andrews expressed the view that extra pay for on-call investigators should be discussed at budget time.
Budget discussions take place during the summer.
“I just think that we probably ought to tap the brakes on this one,” he said.
Deeds offered to pay the $5,200 out of his forfeiture fund.
Some discussion ensued involving County Treasure Leigh Ann McCoy and County Auditor Becky Kidd.
Kidd told Deeds that the check written from his forfeiture account would need to include money to cover benefits. He agreed to cover those costs.
It was also noted that the extra money paid to investigators will be taxable income.
With both requests, motions to approve were made by County Judge Ron Massingill and seconded by Precinct 3 Commissioner Jack Wilson.
Each was approved unanimously.
