Work Begins on New County Budget
The Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court began preliminary work July 14 on its 2003-2004 budget. County Treasurer Alan Dierschke presented figures showing revenue and expenditures for the past three years along with projections for the coming year. New property valuations are not yet available, so there are no firm figures for anticipated tax revenues. The budget will be discussed further at the next commissioners’ court meeting Aug. 11.
Since salaries and benefits are the county’s largest expenditures, possible salary changes are outlined below. These figures do not include employee benefits, nor taxes such as FICA and Medicare, which the county pays.
Sheriff Royce “Booger” Pruit is requesting raises of $1,200 each for himself, two deputies, and two office personnel. Pruit now makes $33,200 as sheriff and $13,700 as chief appraiser. His last raise as sheriff was $1,500 in 2002, and as appraiser, $300 in 2001. The two deputies each make $28,800 and their last raise was in 2001. The two sheriff’s office personnel make $23,300 and $21,800, and their last raise was $1,200 in 2000.
County & District Clerk Rebecca Batla is also asking for a $1,200 raise for herself and her deputy clerk. Batla now makes $27,500 and last had a raise of $1,200 in 2000. The deputy clerk makes $23,300 and that job last had a raise of $1,942 in 2001.
County Judge Wilburn Bednar is not asking for a raise for himself or his secretary. They make, respectively, $22,620 (plus a $10,000 state stipend), and $6,600. The judge’s last raise was $1,200 in 2000.
Justice of the Peace Marilee Jost is not requesting a raise from her $15,600. Her last one was $1,200 in 2000.
Commissioners: Several Years Since Pay Increase
Commissioners Jimmy Strube, Mark Halfmann, Hugh Schafer and Michael Hoch, who make $19,200 each, have not indicated whether they will increase their own salaries. According to Dierschke, the commissioners have not had a raise in at least six years.
Dierschke is not asking for a salary increase from his $22,200. His last raise was $1,200 in 2000. He is also the Garden City Water Supply administrator at a salary of $6,000.
Constable LeRoy Hoelscher is asking for a $2,400 raise to $10,200. Dierschke says Hoelscher probably has not had a raise in at least six years. No raise has been requested for Douglas Plagens, courthouse custodian, who makes $24,000.
Commissioners have not discussed salaries for the road crew, the total of which now is $320,000. Nor have projections been made for other road expenses such as equipment, supplies, road building materials, or seal coating and paving.
New Pickup for Ag Agent
County Agent Steve Sturtz is not asking for a raise from his current county-paid salary of $20,000. His last increase was $5,800 in 2001. Commissioners are planning on $25,000 for Sturtz a new pickup. Charlene Belew, FCS agent, is asking for a $3,000 raise to a county-paid salary of $14,500. (Extension agents’ salaries are largely paid by the state.) No change is being asked for the extension office secretary, who makes $12,000 for part-time work.
Strube suggested, as “food for thought,” that the commissioners consider putting the Ag agent’s pickup into the replacement rotation with the sheriff’s department’s three vehicles. That would mean each unit would be driven four years, and then replaced.
No salary changes are planned for Kenny Batla, emergency management coordinator, who makes $6,000, nor for the payment to Martin County ($6,000) for handling 911 calls.
Tentatively, $20,600 has been earmarked for operating the community center, most of which is in electricity and propane costs. Dierschke said electricity is costing approximately $1,100 monthly for the center.