QUOTE OF NOTE
Hays County commissioners approve 10% pay increase HAYS COUNTY Nearly 500 Hays County employees saw a 10% pay increase in February after the Commissioners Court approved the raises on Jan. 31. The employees receiving the County budget o ce. Alex Villalobos, Hays County chief of sta , emphasized the impor- tance of staying competitive in the regional market for many reasons. “Not only, No. 1, is it good for recruiting new talent and new positions into the county, but it’s BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN also important for retention. And retention is important for us to maintain institutional knowledge within the Hays County organization so we can continue to move forward with all of the services and needs that the county needs,” Villalobos said.
Austin City Council Meets April 11 and 18 at 9 a.m., and April 13 and 20 at 10 a.m. 301 W. Second St., Austin www.austintexas.gov/austin-city- council Travis County Commissioners Court Meets April 4, 18 and 25 at 9 a.m. and April 6 and 20 at 1:30 p.m. 700 Lavaca St., Austin www.traviscountytx.gov/ commissioners-court Dripping Springs City Council Meets April 4 and 18 at 6 p.m. 511 Mercer St., Dripping Springs www.cityofdrippingsprings.com/ city-council MEETINGS WE COVER “THERE ARE MANY IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND I RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE COUNCIL’S SENSE OF URGENCY IN MEETING OUR COMMUNITY’S EXPECTATIONS FOR QUALITY SERVICE.” INTERIM AUSTIN CITY MANAGER JESÚS GARZA ON STAFFING CHANGES AT CITY HALL HIGHLIGHTS DRIPPING SPRINGS The city’s May 6 election was canceled with no incumbents challenged. Council members Taline Manassian, Geo rey Tahuahua and Sherrie Parks will be re-elected. AUSTIN City Council voted Feb. 23 for $1.5 million in settlements stemming from three lawsuits brought by protesters injured by Austin police o cers in the May 2020 protests downtown. The city has now agreed to pay out $18.88 million in related settlements.
increase are those not bound by a collective bargaining agreement and making less than $100,000. Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell was the single dissenting vote, citing a need to reach consensus on raises with all department heads. A collective bargaining agreement is a contract that requires negotia- tions between representatives of a union and their employer. The pay increase will cost the county $1,482,978.98 for scal year 2022-23, according to the Hays
465 employees are expected to bene t from the salary increase. The salary increase will cost the county $1.48 million for scal year 2022-23. MAG draft reports found Hays County is 11.05% below the average market at- range minimum.
RAISES FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES The 10% salary increase for nearly 500 county employees comes as a result of ndings from a study conducted by Management Advisory Group Inc.
The study is not yet nalized but will come back before the court with a complete pay scale system presentation.
SOURCES: HAYS COUNTY, MANAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP INC. COMMUNITY IMPACT
City slows closure of downtown Salvation Army homeless shelter
35
N
BY KATY MCAFEE
residents following the Feb. 17 announcement that its downtown shelter would close in March. However, Board Mem- ber Rudy Garza said The Salvation Army reached out to the city in January 2020 and again to former City Manager Spencer Cronk in May 2021 to seek city support, but to no avail. “We didn’t just wake up one morning and say, ‘Let’s close down the shelter.’ I
AUSTIN The Salvation Army’s downtown shelter open will remain open for up to 30 days while alterna- tive housing arrangements are made for the remaining residents, city o cials announced March 10. The extension will cost up to $100,000 and be funded by the city. The Salvation Army has received criticism from city o cials, activists and
The Salvation Army will close its downtown shelter in April.
mean, we tried for three years to have the city help us,” Garza said. “We are really grateful for the sup- port that we’re getting from
Mayor [Kirk] Watson and Jesús Garza. I feel like had they been in place several years ago, maybe we’d have a di erent outcome today.”
19
SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION • MARCH 2023
Powered by FlippingBook