I have spent quite a bit of time this week discussing the future of the jail with community leaders. I am encouraged by what they had to say, and I am very optimistic we will be able to put this issue behind us and move forward.
It was a relatively short week with the MLK holiday on Monday, but it did NOT seem any shorter. I spent the week putting out small "fires." With my lovely wife going back to full-time employment, it is taking a little time to get adjusted to new schedules and responsibilities in keeping up with three kids!
We held probate court on Wednesday (instead of the normal Tuesday docket) due to some scheduling issues. I was able to assist one of our statutory county court judges with arraignment, and I always like learning something new. I was also asked to sign some arrest warrants. I have tried to make it known to all the local law enforcement officers that I am willing to take those types of calls anytime, and it is starting to work. We have had several late night phone calls from officers needing arrest warrants or search warrants in the middle of the night, and I have been more than happy to oblige.
I attended this week's TEDC Executive Committee meeting, and it is exciting to hear about all the good things that are going on in the community. I was also able to attend Perryman's Economic Forecast luncheon on Friday, and it was refreshing to hear his opinion that the national media has it wrong in predicting a recession. He says it is not going to happen.
We held a special meeting on a proposed interlocal agreement with the city of Tyler on Thursday. The interlocal agreement is related to Stormwater Discharge, and our main concern was the cost to the county. We were able to make some changes to the interlocal, and it was approved. I had some very productive planning meetings this week with department heads and other elected officials. Smith County needs a Strategic Plan, and I hope to have it implemented in the next budget.
I broke my own rule Friday by writing a letter to the editor of the Tyler newspaper. I hated to do it because of the precedent it sets, but I felt it was necessary to clarify my actions related to the salary plan after reading several letters to the editor this week. I always said I would not respond or write a letter myself because if you do it once it will always be expected. Anyway, I hope that is not the case. I don't like responding unless a person writes a letter directly to me. I hope the letter appears unedited in Sunday's paper. I just regret that this issue has taken the focus off of the good changes that are being made in county government.
Mel has to work Saturdays now, so I got to have the kids all to myself. I enjoyed seeing their improvements on the basketball court today. G-man stayed with Pops and Mamaw and took a two hour nap... thank goodness! It made the afternoon b-ball games a lot more enjoyable!
Well, it is time to kiss the kids goodnight and get things ready for church tomorrow. By the way, if you don't have a church home, please accept my invitation to join us at Marvin. We have an outstanding pastoral staff, and there is a place for everyone. Let me know if you want to sit by a big noisy family.
I hope everyone has a great week!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Salaries
Last May, a committee that had studied salaries for county employees and elected officials, came to the Commissioners Court with a recommendation for a three-year plan to bring salaries up to where they should be. In the past, the Commissioners Court had occasionally granted cost of living adjustments to employees and other elected officials but failed to grant those increases to themselves - probably out of political fear.
Anyway, the salary committee recommended the plan that called for increases across the board, including raises for the members of Commissioners Court. A motion was made and seconded, I called for discussion, and one member of Commissioners Court made their objections known for the first time. This person was a member and the chair of the salary committee. It was surprising to the members of the salary committee because they had left their final meeting with the understanding that they were united in the recommended plan. Members of the committee felt betrayed. I personally felt as if it were a planned political assault... not the first I'd experienced mind you. The vote was taken: 3 in favor, 1 against, and 1 abstaining.
What should have happened? The vote was the right one. The plan called for increases totalling almost $2 million dollars for many well-deserving county employees. However, in retrospect, I should have agreed to waive my entire salary increase until my second term. I got caught up in battling the political games being played by a fellow member of the court rather than focusing on doing the right thing personally. It was a big mistake. I have been labeled as greedy and self-consumed, rather than a "servant leader." This same member of the Commissioners Court apparently plans to run against me in a couple of years, so it is all working according to that person's plans.
I focused on all the justifications for the salary increases for the Commissioners Court, instead of realizing that I would be disappointed as a taxpayer about an elected official voting for his or her own salary increases. I want the salary to be what it should be... for me or the next person in office. But, I now understand how our actions may have appeared to the taxpaying citizens.
I feel compelled to digress... briefly. When I first considered running for the office, one major concern was the salary. I wanted to be sure that I could legally maintain my private law practice in order to supplement my income because I knew I needed to. I have three young kids, lots of student loan debt, a mortgage, a lot of bills, and only one income. The research and the experts indicated that I could, in fact, legally and ethically continue practicing law. What I didn't know at the time was that I could not continue practicing law as a practical matter. Contrary to popular belief, this is a full-time job, and I owe to the people who put me in office to give it all of my attention.
Back to the reason for this post, I learned about some proposed legislation from State Rep. Leo Berman related to the salary issue. Apparently, Rep. Berman is proposing legislation to limit Commissioners / County Judges ability to vote themselves raises by only allowing such raises to go into effect after the elected official has gone through one election cycle after the vote for raises.
First, it hacks me off that Rep. Berman, with whom I have always had a good working relationship, announced the proposed legislation without first giving me a heads up. We could have discussed good solutions to the problem of putting elected officials in the position of having to vote on their own salaries without further politicizing the issue locally. Furthermore, it is a knee jerk reaction to our situation here in Smith County. (As an aside, did you know that in 1908 the County Judge of Smith County made $1,500 per year? So I guess last May wasn't the first time the Smith County Commissioners Court voted for raises for the County Judge.) I am all for local control, which means that the state legislature needs to focus on its own business instead of trying to "take care" or handle the business of local government. I would much rather see Rep. Berman put an end to sending unfunded mandates to the county. If the legislature sends us a mandated program or service, then they need to provide the funding. The bottom line is this: a legislative solution to this issue, if deemed necessary / appropriate, should involve a proper discussion among county officials. We should all be at the same table. That didn't happen here, and the reason it didn't happen is because the intent was merely to win votes... not solve a problem.
After the disappointing results of the November jail bond election, it became apparent that one of the big reasons for the loss was the salary plan. After the bond election -- and after much thought and some soul-searching, I decided not to accept the salary increases contemplated in the remaining two years of the plan. If I can sell my commercial building and reduce the financial obligations of keeping my law office open, I'll pay back and stop accepting the increase received during year one.
I always want to do the right thing as county judge. I am not doing this for fame and fortune. Life was easier on me and my family, and money was better before I took office. It sometimes feels like I am under a microscope. Sometimes I will fall short of your expectations, and I expect you to let me know when I do. I hope that overall, my performance will be above average. We have intelligent and vocal citizens in this community, and they can solve local problems at the voting booth. We don't always need Austin to solve them for us.
Thanks for reading this LONG entry. Next time, I'll discuss some of the good things going on in the county, and I hope to touch on the lessons of the bond election process (including the status of jail planning).
Anyway, the salary committee recommended the plan that called for increases across the board, including raises for the members of Commissioners Court. A motion was made and seconded, I called for discussion, and one member of Commissioners Court made their objections known for the first time. This person was a member and the chair of the salary committee. It was surprising to the members of the salary committee because they had left their final meeting with the understanding that they were united in the recommended plan. Members of the committee felt betrayed. I personally felt as if it were a planned political assault... not the first I'd experienced mind you. The vote was taken: 3 in favor, 1 against, and 1 abstaining.
What should have happened? The vote was the right one. The plan called for increases totalling almost $2 million dollars for many well-deserving county employees. However, in retrospect, I should have agreed to waive my entire salary increase until my second term. I got caught up in battling the political games being played by a fellow member of the court rather than focusing on doing the right thing personally. It was a big mistake. I have been labeled as greedy and self-consumed, rather than a "servant leader." This same member of the Commissioners Court apparently plans to run against me in a couple of years, so it is all working according to that person's plans.
I focused on all the justifications for the salary increases for the Commissioners Court, instead of realizing that I would be disappointed as a taxpayer about an elected official voting for his or her own salary increases. I want the salary to be what it should be... for me or the next person in office. But, I now understand how our actions may have appeared to the taxpaying citizens.
I feel compelled to digress... briefly. When I first considered running for the office, one major concern was the salary. I wanted to be sure that I could legally maintain my private law practice in order to supplement my income because I knew I needed to. I have three young kids, lots of student loan debt, a mortgage, a lot of bills, and only one income. The research and the experts indicated that I could, in fact, legally and ethically continue practicing law. What I didn't know at the time was that I could not continue practicing law as a practical matter. Contrary to popular belief, this is a full-time job, and I owe to the people who put me in office to give it all of my attention.
Back to the reason for this post, I learned about some proposed legislation from State Rep. Leo Berman related to the salary issue. Apparently, Rep. Berman is proposing legislation to limit Commissioners / County Judges ability to vote themselves raises by only allowing such raises to go into effect after the elected official has gone through one election cycle after the vote for raises.
First, it hacks me off that Rep. Berman, with whom I have always had a good working relationship, announced the proposed legislation without first giving me a heads up. We could have discussed good solutions to the problem of putting elected officials in the position of having to vote on their own salaries without further politicizing the issue locally. Furthermore, it is a knee jerk reaction to our situation here in Smith County. (As an aside, did you know that in 1908 the County Judge of Smith County made $1,500 per year? So I guess last May wasn't the first time the Smith County Commissioners Court voted for raises for the County Judge.) I am all for local control, which means that the state legislature needs to focus on its own business instead of trying to "take care" or handle the business of local government. I would much rather see Rep. Berman put an end to sending unfunded mandates to the county. If the legislature sends us a mandated program or service, then they need to provide the funding. The bottom line is this: a legislative solution to this issue, if deemed necessary / appropriate, should involve a proper discussion among county officials. We should all be at the same table. That didn't happen here, and the reason it didn't happen is because the intent was merely to win votes... not solve a problem.
After the disappointing results of the November jail bond election, it became apparent that one of the big reasons for the loss was the salary plan. After the bond election -- and after much thought and some soul-searching, I decided not to accept the salary increases contemplated in the remaining two years of the plan. If I can sell my commercial building and reduce the financial obligations of keeping my law office open, I'll pay back and stop accepting the increase received during year one.
I always want to do the right thing as county judge. I am not doing this for fame and fortune. Life was easier on me and my family, and money was better before I took office. It sometimes feels like I am under a microscope. Sometimes I will fall short of your expectations, and I expect you to let me know when I do. I hope that overall, my performance will be above average. We have intelligent and vocal citizens in this community, and they can solve local problems at the voting booth. We don't always need Austin to solve them for us.
Thanks for reading this LONG entry. Next time, I'll discuss some of the good things going on in the county, and I hope to touch on the lessons of the bond election process (including the status of jail planning).
Saturday, January 19, 2008
In the Beginning
Well... we all have to start somewhere. Today I was dealing with a frustrating political issue and trying to figure out how to tell my side of the story, and I ran across a blog from a Texas legislator. He is a huge advocate of blogging for those holding political offices and suggests that it is a great way to communicate with constituents. So I thought I'd give it a try.
My days as a local elected official are spent dealing with everyone else's emergencies. I cannot seem to complete my own projects because I'm helping others complete theirs. Don't get me wrong. I do love the job, but there are days when I need a clone to stay in the office behind the desk to work on the mounds of paperwork and return phone calls and emails.
My bi-monthly newsletter is a bear to produce, and by the time I get it done it seems like old news. So the blog seems like a good solution. I'll keep working on it, and I'd appreciate your suggestions.
My days as a local elected official are spent dealing with everyone else's emergencies. I cannot seem to complete my own projects because I'm helping others complete theirs. Don't get me wrong. I do love the job, but there are days when I need a clone to stay in the office behind the desk to work on the mounds of paperwork and return phone calls and emails.
My bi-monthly newsletter is a bear to produce, and by the time I get it done it seems like old news. So the blog seems like a good solution. I'll keep working on it, and I'd appreciate your suggestions.
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