Commissioners Court willing to reduce their pay raises
From Conroe Courier Staff report | Posted: Friday, August 14, 2015 8:17 pm
After some negative response to proposed pay raises for Montgomery County’s elected officials, Commissioners Court will reconsider those salary increases that amounted to as much as 10 percent for some of them.
“We have been hearing concerns from constituents countywide about elected official pay raises for Fiscal Year 2016, and I understand those concerns,” County Judge Craig Doyal stated in a release. “In response, I will propose at the next meeting of Commissioners Court on Aug. 25 to reconsider the proposed pay raises for elected officials for Fiscal Year 2016, to include only the 3 percent cost of living increase being given to all county employees.”
The concerns started Tuesday when the raises were discussed at Commissioners Court, although the county had posted the proposed raises through a public notice as early as Aug. 5.
The proposed pay raises were:
• $15,153 for county judge for a total salary of $181,060
• $15,983 for commissioners for a total salary of $$176,060 ($175,100 for the Precinct 1 commissioner, who does not get a cell phone reimbursement)
• $9,771 for justices of the peace for a total salary of $129,470 ($130,430 for the Precinct 1 JP, who is the only JP to receive a cell phone allowance)
• $6,681 for constables for a total salary of $126,380 ($126,806 for the Precinct 1 constable, who receives a cell phone allowance)
• $5,547 for county attorney for a total salary of $190,451
• $4,600 for sheriff for a total salary of $157,939
• $4,156 for tax assessor/collector for a total salary of $143,633
• $3,840 for county treasurer for a total salary of $131,827
• $3,568 for county clerk and district clerk for a total salary of $122,513
County employees are expected to receive a 3 percent cost-of-living increase.
Commissioners Court received the most grief for the proposed raises for elected officials because they are the ones charged with proposing and voting on the increases – even their own.
“In addition, in order to ensure a more transparent and detailed approach to raises for elected officials in the future, I will be proposing creation of a county Elected Official Salary Committee, performing a function somewhat like our Salary Grievance Committee in terms of reviewing salaries,” Doyal stated. “I will work with our commissioners to determine how best to constitute such a committee.
