County budget, tax rate meeting is Aug. 20
Members of the Dawson County Commissioners Court will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13, but will not hold a special called meeting focusing mainly on budget and tax issues until the following Tuesday, Aug. 20.
A story in the Sunday, Aug. 11, edition of the Press-Reporter incorrectly stated the special called meeting on the budget and tax rate would be at 3 p.m. this Tuesday.
During their their regular meeting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, the commissioners court will:
Consider taking action on an agreement with Lubbock County for Dawson County to participate in a regional public defender program for handling criminal cases involving the potential for capital punishment;
Set the holidays to be observed by the county during 2020;
Consider a request from Dawson ISD Superintendent Layne Sheets for use of money reserved for that district in the county’s permanent school fund; and
Consider renewing an agreement with Bookbinding and Laminating, Inc. for the Dawson County Library.
They also will take action on routine administrative items and hear their normal reports on fire threat, road repair and maintenance, and the treasurer’s office.
During their special called meeting at 3 p.m. on Aug. 20 at the courthouse, the commissioners court is slated to adopt the county’s 2020 fiscal year budget and discuss a proposed tax rate needed to fund that budget.
That will come after a pair of required public hearings to be held earlier in the meeting.
The first of those hearings will invite public comment on proposed salary increases for various elected officials.
According to a public notice in this past Wednesday’s edition of the Lamesa Press-Reporter, raises of $1,280 each are being proposed for the county judge, district clerk, county clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace.
Other elected officials proposed to receive raises are: tax assessor, $1,301; sheriff, $1,704; and county attorney, $6,079.
In addition, longevity raises of $182 each are proposed for the county judge, Precinct 1 commissioner, Precinct 3 commissioner, Precinct 4 commissioner, district clerk, county clerk and sheriff.
Immediately after that hearing, the commissioners court will consider employee salary increases, personnel policies and any other items required to finalize the budget.
In addition to the 3-percent raises proposed for the elected county officials, the proposed budget calls for 20-percent pay raises for sheriff’s officers, an 8-percent increase for county jail employees, and a 3-percent increase for all other county employees.
The commissioners court will then hold their second public hearing, this one on the county’s proposed 2020 budget.
Other than those tax and budget matters, the only other item of business during that special called meeting is the opening and possible awarding of bids on a new four-door, four-wheel-drive pickup for the Dawson County Community Supervision and Correction Department.