Fort Bend County commissioners on Wednesday added $4 million to the county’s proposed FY 2018 budget to cover contingencies related to planned mobility projects and salaries for new personnel positions they also approved, bringing the total amount of the budget being considered to $361.4 million. With the revisions, the proposed budget is roughly 4.4 percent higher than the current fiscal year’s budget of $346.3 million. At this week’s budget workshop, the commissioners approved four new law enforcement positions, two positions in the district attorney’s office, two bailiffs, a coordinator in the social services department, and a part-time position in the behavioral health department. A constable from each of Fort Bend’s four precincts received approval to hire an additional agent for a deputy or lieutenant position. Meanwhile, District Attorney John Healey, Jr. was given approval to hire a paralegal and a domestic violence prosecutor. Connie Almeida, director of behavioral health services, told commissioners a part-time masters-level psychological associate is needed in order to comply with the newly mandated Sandra Bland Act, which calls for more effective psychological screenings during police bookings, and goes into effect Sept. 1.Beyond staff positions, clinical health services received funding to hire a writer to produce grant proposals on a contract basis. Commissioners approved $3 million to go toward acquiring different rights-of-way that are parts various of county mobility projects.An official fiscal year 2018 proposed budget will be filed with the county clerk and county auditor Sept. 5, according to county documents.
Renee Yan graduated May 2017 from the University of Texas in Arlington with a degree in journalism, joining Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in July.
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