WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS SPLIT ON MERIT PAY INCREASE FOR JAIL ADMINISTRATOR

  

A divided Washington County Commissioners Court voted on Tuesday against a merit pay increase for the county jail administrator.

Commissioners voted 3-2 to deny the added pay for Jail Chief Deputy Eric Hensley.  Commissioners Candice Bullock and Dustin Majewski voted in favor of the increase, with those in opposition being County Judge John Durrenberger and Commissioners Kirk Hanath and Don Koester.

The reason for the request to improve Hensley’s pay by 6 percent, which was recommended as part of an evaluation performed by Sheriff Otto Hanak, is due to extra responsibility taken on by Hensley as part of the jail’s transition to MedHealth as its new medical provider.  Hensley and Hanak, the latter of whom was not at Tuesday’s meeting but spoke with KWHI this (Wednesday) morning, said the raise would line Hensley's salary up with the sheriff’s office’s other chief deputy, Jay Petrash.

That added responsibility, however, was one of the reasons that some members of the court did not feel comfortable in approving the pay increase, at least not at the moment.  Hanath said this would constitute a change in job description, and that the added pay needed to be considered during dedicated budget discussions, rather than regular commissioners court.

Durrenberger agreed that now was not the right time.  He pointed out that Hensley received a 5 percent merit increase at the beginning of the year, saying that this increase of another 6 percent would be substantial for a single salary year.  Bullock said the original 5 percent bump was more of a compression adjustment, with Hensley adding that it was to bridge the gap between lieutenants and other command staff, as previously there were lieutenants making less than some senior sergeants. 

According to the county’s employee handbook, an employee’s appropriate pay rate is determined upon their hire or change of position by the overseeing elected official, appointed official or department head in collaboration with the Human Resources Department.  The pay rate must fall within the designated pay grade, not to exceed 6 percent over minimum of the range, and within the current year’s budgeted amount.  If an employee’s qualifications necessitate pay in excess of 6 percent over minimum of the range, commissioners must approve it by majority vote.

Bullock said she “really struggled with this”, stating that the intent was not to allow directors and elected officials to provide more than a 5 percent increase, especially since there were a lot of pay adjustments made for other employees moving into this year.  She acknowledged, though, that the sheriff supervises Hensley, alluding that the sheriff requested the increase because he considered it appropriate.  Majewski said the sheriff’s office budget allows for the increase. 

Hanath said if the commissioners court sets this precedent by approving the merit increase now, it needs to do it for everyone.  He agreed with Hensley that his role has changed, but said it needs to be addressed in the job description first, the same as with any other employee who gets added duties.  He said if the court provides this merit increase now and then changes the job description later, even more money could be added to the position.

Sheriff Hanak told KWHI that, “My staff members are worth fighting for – each and every one of them – and I’ll continue doing that.”

In other business, commissioners:

• Agreed to purchase ClearGov budgeting software for the county auditor.  County Auditor Shawna Hollis said the software allows for more public transparency and interactivity in viewing county budgets online, while also offering more detail for users at the county level.  Commissioner Kirk Hanath called it a “win-win” for the county and for the community, providing for better and easier access to the information constituents want.  The cost is $29,835 annually, with a one-time setup fee of $7,020. 
• Approved the county’s social media policy.  Information Technology Director T.J. Harris said the policy is meant to provide a consistent social media presence for the county by outlining how it manages its social media accounts and platforms, official county communication and crisis communication, records retention, and the expectations of county employees when using their personal accounts.
• Approved the extension of a lease agreement between the county and City of Brenham for the 911 Communications building at 301 North Baylor Street.  The lease expires on December 31, 2025.  The Brenham City Council approved the city’s end of the agreement last month.
• Agreed to seek requests for qualifications (RFQs) for professional architectural services at the county’s recently purchased property at 2509 Highway 105, the former location of ATS Irrigation.  The county is seeking to use the property for additional office space, records storage and a centrally located network server room.  RFQs will be due by Thursday, September 5^th at 10 a.m. and accepted on Tuesday, September 10^th at 9 a.m.
• Reappointed Mayor Atwood Kenjura to the Brazos Valley Council of Governments Board of Directors.  The new term is for three years, beginning October 1^st and ending September 30, 2027. 
• Received the Washington County 911 and Human Resources Department’s quarterly reports.