TipSheet: Travis County, 9.10.19

The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the voting session agenda. The entire agenda is available at the Travis County website.

7. Consider and take appropriate action regarding: A. Outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Travis County; B. County response to natural disaster or other emergency (Judge Eckhardt)

Monitor’s Take: The court will likely be extending the burn ban after a grass fire this weekend that prompted a response from two of the county’s three STAR helicopters.

10. Consider and take appropriate action on: A. Pay grade designation for the County Executive of Technology and Operations job description; B. Internal equity considerations with regard to the pay grades and duties of County Executives and direct reports to the Commissioners Court, specifically Charles Brotherton, Deece Eckstein, Sherri Fleming, Paul Hopingardner, Roger Jefferies, Cynthia McDonald, Hector Nieto, and Jessica Rio. (This item may be taken into Executive Session under the Consultation with Attorney and Personnel Matters exceptions.) (Commissioners Travillion & Gómez)

Monitor’s Take: The county recently merged multiple departments – human resources, operations, IT, facilities – into a new department called Technology and Operations. Now they need to find someone to lead it.

13. Consider and take appropriate action on proposed Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Rules. (Commissioner Gómez)

Monitor’s Take: This will be more conversation about the budget, which the court must get done by the end of the month. Among other things, there will likely be talk of the county’s ongoing efforts to pursue “full cost recovery” in contracts with outside entities. The state-imposed budget restraints that go into effect next year have added extra motivation not to give away anything for free.

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