GROVETON — Questions about an in-house promotion at the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office brought out passionate stances, but in the end all personnel action forms were approved at the Oct. 28 Trinity County Commissioners Court meeting.
After tabling the matter to be taken up at the end of the meeting, commissioners and Sheriff Woody Wallace concluded that misinformation led to heated exchanges, which County Judge Danny Martin called fighting about nothing.
Commissioner Tommy Park pointed out that changing pay scales for jail employees, as well as promoting a deputy to lieutenant, was something that needed to be taken up during budget discussions, not after the budget was approved.
Also, part of the pay for the Sheriff’s Office employees comes from funds from the state, which doesn’t affect the county budget.
Wallace was concerned that if the court did not approve the measures, that his employees would not get paid; however, Chief Deputy Treasurer Rebecca Cockrell said that all employees receive paychecks.
While the classifications of two jailers were not changed, all other personnel forms were approved; Park asked that the court be given a regular report on how the state funds were allocated, pointing out that by law, it must be done.
Commissioner Neal Smith abstained from the vote.
In a separate matter, the commissioner directed County Auditor Bonnie Kennedy and Martin to negotiate with the Texas Association of Counties to make payments on a past-due balance for medical benefits in the amount of $552,660.
The past-due amount stems from an incorrect budget figure that left the county with less carryover funds that first thought, and that is compounded by the fact that the revenue stream from tax payments is slower this time of year.
Kennedy said that while there are funds in the bank, not all of that is operating funds, meaning the county needs time to pay this off.
Park questioned why the payments had not been made since the funds conceivably had been budgeted; Kennedy said there wasn’t any money but did not discuss the reasons in open court.
In addition to discussing the conference call, the county approved payments for the May and June premiums of $183,000.
In other business, commissioners:
