New court increases pay rate for some new hires

The Hays County Commissioners Court took action on numerous personnel items after emerging from executive session on Tuesday.

The commissioners approved a reorganization plan for the county treasurer’s office after holding consultations with counsel and deliberations regarding positions within the office. Several salary increases within the treasurer’s office resulted from the reorganization, information from the county human resources department shows, and one part-time treasury associate position became full time.

The commissioners also named Caitlyn Strickland, interim director of development services, as director of development services for the county.

For several other positions, the commissioners approved hirings above the minimum salaries for those jobs. According to figures from the county human resources department, a command staff administrative assistant III for the sheriff’s office and the administrative assistant III in the county judge’s office will each be paid $38,352.59 — about $4,000 more than the minimum salary of $34,091.31 for those positions. The county judge’s chief of staff will be paid $61,766.82 — about $7,000 more than the minimum salary of $54,903.72. An administrative assistant in Precinct 4 Commissioner Walt Smith’s office was also approved to be hired at above the minimum salary.

Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting also included a ceremony for all newly elected and re-elected county officials, and the approval of their acceptance of their official bonds.