At their meeting on Monday, McCulloch County Commisssioners voted to approve including salary increases for the County’selected officials in the proposed budget for FY 2025.
However,the vote was not a unamious decision. Commissioner Carol Anderson and County Judge Frank Trull voted against the proposal, with Commissioners Don Bratton, Justin Behrens and Randy Deans voting in favor.
One of questions considered by Commissioners whether to make the raise an acreoss-the-board 8% increase, or separate it into two parts — a 5% raise, plus a 3% cost-of-living increase. One factor influencing the decision was a statement from several officials that they would turn down cost-of-living porrtion of the raise. Ultimately, Commissioners voted for the two-part increase. With that decision, County Judge Trull, County Attorney , Sheriff Matt Andrews and District Clerk Charla Pitcox reiterated their inrtent to turn down the cost-of-living increase.
In other action, Commissioners approved continued use of the Courthouse grounds for a Farmers Market on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month through the end of October.
They also approved on a 3-2 vote reallocating $110,000 from Covid Relief Funds to be used to purchase a used wheel loader for Precinct 2. Voting to approve to the measure were Commissioners Bratton, Behrens and Deans. Voting against were Judge Trull and Commissioner Anderson.
