Montgomery County commissioners allocated $271,289.158 toward its new payroll department at an April 12 commissioners court hearing. Commissioners also received a report from its new director Phyllis Martin on early struggles the department was facing five weeks into its creation.
The payroll department was created after commissioners voted to strip Montgomery County Treasurer Melanie Bush of her payroll-related duties on March 8, alleging repeated errors.
Martin, who serves on Precinct 4 Commissioner James Metts’ staff, also previously served as the county auditor prior to current Auditor Rakesh Pandey.
According to budget documents submitted to the commissioners court agenda by county Budget Officer Amanda Carter, the payroll department—referred to as department 3800 in the county’s budgeting system—will receive over $200,000 in salary and benefits alone, with the remainder going to supplies and travel expenses. Martin told Community Impact Newspaper in an April 5 email that the department is anticipated to have five positions, including herself, a manager and three specialists.
“A budget for staff and supplies has already been established for this new department, and further requests before [fiscal year 2022-23] budget workshops are not anticipated,” Martin told Community Impact Newspaper.
The $271,289.15 was taken from Metts’ department budget, or department 9400, according to the same documents. County Judge Mark Keough previously told Community Impact Newspaper the new department would be cost-neutral to the county.
The budget modifications were discussed during the April 12 meeting's consent agenda, meaning commissioners did not hold public discussion. Carter told Community Impact Newspaper in an April 7 email that the modifications were completed in the last week of March before they were approved.
Needs for space, software
Martin told commissioners at the April 12 meeting that due to the circumstances of the department’s creation, employees did not have access to an office of their own.
“We’re working at a conference table in the [Enterprise Resource Planning] office on our laptops,” Martin said.
Martin reported that “more than half” of the staff also did not have initial access to necessary software and had to learn without the benefit of a test or training department. The payroll department has processed two cycles of payroll since its creation.
Commissioners did not have an action item on the April 12 agenda, but took time to thank Martin for her work. Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack pushed back on claims made at previous public comment hearings that criticized commissioners on the creation of the new department.
“The action that was taken on March 8 will not be undone. You and your payroll department are not being replaced,” Noack said.
