Special session planned to decide on CA salary
By Melinda L. Lucas
More complications arose in the county attorney’s salary issue as Shackelford County commissioners met for a Tuesday session and then scheduled a special meeting on Friday to try to resolve the problem before proposing a budget.
After being notified by the State Comptroller’s office that the state has been sending the wrong amount for its portion of the CA salary for the past two years, the commissioners had verbally agreed to pay county attorney Rollin Rauschl for civil work he has done for the county to make up a good portion of the difference in pay.
However, county judge Robert Skelton reported Tuesday that after conferring with TAC legal counsel, he learned that “to compensate for work performed in the past would violate the constitution in regard to retroactive pay.”
Rauschl has received $42,000 for each of his first two years of office instead of the $35,000 state supplement that is legislated for one to three years experience.
It was stated in last week’s meeting that the state plans to “short” Rauschl’s 2023 pay by almost $19,000 to make up the difference for the overpayment, but the actual amount is $11,667, said county treasurer Tammy Brown this week.
Commissioners discussed a couple of possible options and directed Skelton to seek further information prior to the Friday morning session, when they plan to vote on a solution.
Proposal of a budget amount and tax rate has been delayed until next Monday, Sept. 12.
Premium Pay
After a brief discussion that involved possibly changing to awarding “premium pay” on a percentage basis, Cody Jordan restated a motion to approve premium pay for $1,200 plus pro-rated amounts for part-time employees, for a total of about $50,000.
The motion was originally made Aug. 22 in a budget workshop, but it wasn’t an agenda item at the time.
Steve Riley and Skelton voted in favor, and the motion passed on a split 3-2 vote, with Lanham Martin and Ace Reames in opposition, the same results as the first vote.
