Burnet County eyes big raises for electeds and employees
Burnet County’s 2024-25 fiscal year budget might include raises of at least 6 percent and, in some cases, as high as almost 18 percent for elected officials and employees. The proposed increases are attributed to a few factors, including cost of living.
The pay increases were a main topic of discussion during the Commissioners Court’s regular meeting on Tuesday, July 23.
The proposed cost-of-living increases for county employees align with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index.
“While it is a raise, in theory, it’s just the cost-of-living increase to keep up with rising home and auto insurance and everything else,” Burnet County Judge James Oakley told DailyTrib.com.
In addition to a 4 percent cost-of-living raise, employees could receive an extra 2 percent step-grade increase for a total 6 percent raise. Step-grade raises are typically based on employee longevity.
PAY INCREASES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Before any raises for elected officials can be approved, the county must notify the public of proposed potential changes to their salaries per Texas Local Government Code 152.013.
The Commissioners Court voted to post the potential increases on Tuesday to meet the code’s press deadline, although the amounts might change between this story’s publication and the vote.
Some officials could have their salaries adjusted to match comparable positions in Burnet County and receive slight increases in longevity pay.
For example, all four Burnet County constables could each get a $13,046-a-year raise to put their salaries on par with those of Sheriff’s Office patrol sergeants. Constable salaries would increase from $74,026.29 a year to $87,072.39 as of Oct. 1, when the 2024-25 fiscal year begins.
Raises for all four Burnet County commissioners would bring them up to the same level of countywide positions rather than precinct-only positions. The proposed raise for each commissioner is $8,729 more a year than their current $85,352.27 salary.
“The thought on the commissioners is that, while they are elected on the precinct level, they wear a county-wide hat,” Judge Oakley said.
The salaries of elected officials in Burnet County totaled $1.69 million in the 2023-24 fiscal year budget. If the proposed raises for the 2024-25 budget are approved, that total would be $1.85 million.
The county’s total budgeted expenditures for 2023-24 were about $64.54 million. The budget for 2024-25 is still in the works, but a public hearing to discuss it is Aug. 27.
Below are the current salaries and proposed raises for Burnet County elected officials from highest paid on down:
Burnet County Attorney Eddie Arredondo
- Fiscal year 2023-24 salary: $114,599
- Proposed raise: $6,968, or 6.08 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $121,566
Burnet County Judge James Oakley
- FY 2023-24 salary: $106,841
- Proposed raise: $6,496, or 6.08 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $113,337
Burnet County Sheriff Calvin Boyd
- FY 2023-24 salary: $105,159.
- Proposed raise: $6,634, or 6.19 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $111,553
Burnet County District Clerk Casie Walker
- FY 2023-24 salary: $93,084.89
- Proposed raise: $5,660, or 6.08 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $98,744
Burnet County Clerk Vicinta Stafford
- FY 2023-24 salary: $93,084
- Proposed raise: $5,900, or 6.33 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $98,984
Burnet County Tax Assessor-Collector Sheri Frazier
- FY 2023-24 salary: $93,084
- Proposed raise: $5,660, or 6.08 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $98,744
Burnet County Treasurer Karrie Crownover
- FY 2023-24 salary: $93,084
- Proposed raise: $5,660, or 6.08 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $98,744
Burnet County Precinct 1 Commissioner Jim Luther
- FY 2023-24 salary: $90,244
- Proposed raise: $8,729, or 9.67 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $98,984
Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle
- FY 2023-24 salary: $90,255
- Proposed raise: $8,729, or 9.67 percent
- FY2025 proposed salary: $98,984
Burnet County Precinct 3 Commissioner Billy Wall
- FY 2023-24 salary: $90,255
- Proposed raise: $8,729, or 9.67 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $98,984
Burnet County Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery
- FY 2023-24 salary: $90,255
- Proposed raise: $8,489, or 9.4 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $98,744
Burnet County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Roxanne Nelson
- FY 2023-24 salary: $89,852
- Proposed raise: $6,929, or 7.7 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $96,781
Burnet County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Lisa Whitehead
- FY 2023-24 salary: $89,852
- Proposed raise: $6,689, or 7.83 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $96,541
Burnet County Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Jane Marie Hurst
- FY 2023-24 salary: $89,852
- Proposed raise: $6,929, or 7.7 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $96,781
Burnet County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Debbie Bindseil
- FY 2023-24 salary: $89,852
- Proposed raise: $6,689, or 7.83 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $96,541
Burnet County Precinct 1 Constable Leslie Ray
- FY 2023-24 salary: $72,642
- Proposed raise: $13,046, or 17.95 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $85,688
Burnet County Precinct 2 Constable Garry Adams
- FY 2023-24 salary: $72,642
- Proposed raise: $13,046, or 17.95 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $85,688
Burnet County Precinct 3 Constable Scott Davis
- FY 2023-24 salary: $72,642
- Proposed raise: $13,046, or 17.95 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $85,688
Burnet County Precinct 4 Constable Millicent “Missy” Bindseil
- FY 2023-24 salary: $72,642
- Proposed raise: $12,806, or 17.62 percent
- FY 2024-25 proposed salary: $85,688
5 thoughts on “Burnet County eyes big raises for electeds and employees”
Comments are closed.
In my opinion, the whole issue of elected officials voting themselves a raise is extremely tone deaf, to say the least. Inflation is high, the economy stinks, the housing market is about to take a hit, the stock market is juiced, the US petro dollar is on its last legs, but yet, the elected who control the purse strings vote themselves a raise? How many years in a row has this happened? There are people in the county who can’t feed their kids, while the government workers live high on the hog. I object!
The judge and commissioners also get tax-free county trucks (gas cards and maintenance too?).
The court chose to make the trucks not taxable to themselves, so the truck value is not included in their taxable income.
This is not really an apples to apples comparison because the Justices mileage allowance is taxable income and makes it look like their salary is higher due to the mileage allowance.
For Justices of the Peace, the increase stated is NOT all salary. Included in the figure is a $1500 increase to our car allowance* and longevity pay of $240.
*JPs are responsible for handling unattended deaths and are on call (countywide) 24/7. They are given a car allowance for the use of their personal vehicles in lieu of having a county provided vehicle.
I was very baffled about the fact that commissioners make more then justice of the peace as well as the constables, I never see them working as much as the ones I have stated above. My personal opinion is something is wrong there ….
I agree with the JP part but aren’t the constables allowed to contract out for extra $$?