The sheriff’s department moved $9,575.31, and the corrections department moved $12,111.16 from one position to another. Deputy chief for the sheriff’s office Tim Ryle said the move is to allow for increases in salaries for internal promotions. The two positions where the money was moved from are vacant but still hold enough money for new hires, he said.
Ryle added that the departments have worked with human resources and do not intend to ask for an increase in budgeted salary money in the future to cover the changes.
Anytime there is a change to a salary line item(s), the court holds a public hearing, which County Judge Dan Gattis said is done to ensure transparency.
“Our goal is to try to get the best people in the position we possible can and retain them,” Gattis said. “The problem is we don’t want to run all the money up there … and then have to come back and hire somebody else and change the budget. That’s what we’re being cautious about.”
The court approved a similar salary change within the district attorney’s office in early October.
In other business:
- The court approved to sell more road bonds to pay for the Lakeline Boulevard and Staked Plains improvement projects within the Northwoods Road District. The bonds are not obligations of the state of Texas, Williamson County, the city of Austin or any entity other than the district, officials said. The county intends to sell the bonds after the Thanksgiving holiday and receive payment by January 2019. This will not increase taxes, officials said.
- Five locations in Williamson County remain closed due to lower water crossing flooding, county senior director of infrastructure Bob Daigh said.
- The court tabled finalizations on the 2018-19 budget order for another two weeks in order to get more details on the needs and use of county take-home vehicles.
- Georgetown Field of Honor kicks off Saturday and will have events all week to honor first responders and veterans ahead of Veterans Day on Nov. 11. In its second year, the event has nearly 40 sponsors over the week and 22 organization affiliates that receive a donation when someone purchases a flag in honor of a loved one. Organizers expect about 1,800 flags to be on display in San Gabriel Park in Georgetown.
