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July 27, 2023
Commissioners Court Briefing
Commissioners hold budget workshops, approve interlocal agreement for school resource officer at elementary school campus
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
During the last two budget workshops, Bandera County commissioners approved proposed block grant recipients for the next fiscal year, and a proposed salary increase for all elected officials and county retirees.
The elected officials’ raises, if approved with the final budget, will be a 5 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) across the board.
Elected officials who requested additional salary increases were District Clerk Tammy Kneuper, who asked to receive a stipend for extra data entry and programming duties she performs; County Treasurer Beverly Schmidt, who asked for a $7,924 raise to bring her annual salary to $73,000; and Pct. 1 Constable Phil Tobin, who requested a $4,888 raise to level his salary with constables in Precincts 2, 3 and 4.
Schmidt presented a salary comparison between Bandera and other counties, to which Pct. 4 Commissioner Jody Rutherford replied there was not enough money in the budget.
“We can’t compete with surrounding counties. I knew what the salary was when I ran for office,” Rutherford said. “If we had the money, I’d say go ahead and do it. But I don’t see the money.”
County Judge Richard Evans said he was in favor of a 5 percent increase across the board, however he said he would not support Schmidt’s $7,000 salary increase request. In addition to the COLA, commissioners unanimously approved a $1,950 stipend increase proposal for Kneuper, and Tobin’s request to equal his pay with the other constables.
With budget approval, approximately 40 county retirees will receive a 3 percent COLA.
Commissioners also approved several block grant requests, including $10,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bandera County; $15,000 for Bandera Honors Veterans; $25,000 for the Silver Sage; $2,000 for Hill Country CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), which provides court appointed advocates to children - currently 27 Bandera County children are in foster care; $5,000 for the Utopia Library; $13,000 for the San Antonio Food Bank; $2,000 for the Soil and Water Conservation District; $2,500 for the Christian Job Corps (CJC) of Kendall and Bandera County; $5,500 for KSTAR, which provides free family counseling services; and $275,000 distributed between the Bandera, Lakehills and Medina Libraries.
Commissioners declined the libraries’ request for an additional $25,000, and the CJC request for an additional $2,500.
~ Bandera County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Patricia Moore invited the court to a luncheon for a Bandera County Tourism Assessment with the Governor’s Economic Development Division, held tomorrow, July 28, at the Best Western Suites and Saloon.
“They are coming to look at the community, and as much of the county as I can show them in 24 hours,” Moore said, adding some of the guests include the deputy director of Texas tourism, TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation), and representatives of the Commission on Arts, Texas Historical Commission, and the Texas Dept. of Agriculture.
~ Commissioners unanimously approved the preliminary plan for a Dollar General in Lakehills, slated for construction across the street from the Lakehills Library.
“There are a lot of TxDOT issues, water line issues and fire protection issues,” County Engineer Dieter Werner said, adding Fire Marshal Jason Rutherford was speaking with the company regarding onsite storage.
~ Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement between Bandera County and the Bandera Independent School District for the School Resource Officer Program, from July 1 to June 30, 2024.
BISD Director of Operations Dayle Heiner said the program had been in place since March, and he asked the court to allow a full year to evaluate the program. Under the agreement, the school district will pay 75 percent of the School Resource Officer’s (SRO) salary, and the county would pay 25 percent.
Heiner said the SRO would work 190 days during the school year at Hill Country Elementary, since it is the campus furthest away from the Sheriff’s Office. When not on campus, the officer would perform regular duties with the Sheriff’s Office, Chief Deputy Matt King said.
In accordance with new state law House Bill 3, effective Sept. 1, every school campus must have an armed person on site during the school day. The armed person may be a peace officer, an SRO, a school marshal or a school district employee.
The elected officials’ raises, if approved with the final budget, will be a 5 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) across the board.
Elected officials who requested additional salary increases were District Clerk Tammy Kneuper, who asked to receive a stipend for extra data entry and programming duties she performs; County Treasurer Beverly Schmidt, who asked for a $7,924 raise to bring her annual salary to $73,000; and Pct. 1 Constable Phil Tobin, who requested a $4,888 raise to level his salary with constables in Precincts 2, 3 and 4.
Schmidt presented a salary comparison between Bandera and other counties, to which Pct. 4 Commissioner Jody Rutherford replied there was not enough money in the budget.
“We can’t compete with surrounding counties. I knew what the salary was when I ran for office,” Rutherford said. “If we had the money, I’d say go ahead and do it. But I don’t see the money.”
County Judge Richard Evans said he was in favor of a 5 percent increase across the board, however he said he would not support Schmidt’s $7,000 salary increase request. In addition to the COLA, commissioners unanimously approved a $1,950 stipend increase proposal for Kneuper, and Tobin’s request to equal his pay with the other constables.
With budget approval, approximately 40 county retirees will receive a 3 percent COLA.
Commissioners also approved several block grant requests, including $10,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bandera County; $15,000 for Bandera Honors Veterans; $25,000 for the Silver Sage; $2,000 for Hill Country CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), which provides court appointed advocates to children - currently 27 Bandera County children are in foster care; $5,000 for the Utopia Library; $13,000 for the San Antonio Food Bank; $2,000 for the Soil and Water Conservation District; $2,500 for the Christian Job Corps (CJC) of Kendall and Bandera County; $5,500 for KSTAR, which provides free family counseling services; and $275,000 distributed between the Bandera, Lakehills and Medina Libraries.
Commissioners declined the libraries’ request for an additional $25,000, and the CJC request for an additional $2,500.
~ Bandera County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Patricia Moore invited the court to a luncheon for a Bandera County Tourism Assessment with the Governor’s Economic Development Division, held tomorrow, July 28, at the Best Western Suites and Saloon.
“They are coming to look at the community, and as much of the county as I can show them in 24 hours,” Moore said, adding some of the guests include the deputy director of Texas tourism, TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation), and representatives of the Commission on Arts, Texas Historical Commission, and the Texas Dept. of Agriculture.
~ Commissioners unanimously approved the preliminary plan for a Dollar General in Lakehills, slated for construction across the street from the Lakehills Library.
“There are a lot of TxDOT issues, water line issues and fire protection issues,” County Engineer Dieter Werner said, adding Fire Marshal Jason Rutherford was speaking with the company regarding onsite storage.
~ Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement between Bandera County and the Bandera Independent School District for the School Resource Officer Program, from July 1 to June 30, 2024.
BISD Director of Operations Dayle Heiner said the program had been in place since March, and he asked the court to allow a full year to evaluate the program. Under the agreement, the school district will pay 75 percent of the School Resource Officer’s (SRO) salary, and the county would pay 25 percent.
Heiner said the SRO would work 190 days during the school year at Hill Country Elementary, since it is the campus furthest away from the Sheriff’s Office. When not on campus, the officer would perform regular duties with the Sheriff’s Office, Chief Deputy Matt King said.
In accordance with new state law House Bill 3, effective Sept. 1, every school campus must have an armed person on site during the school day. The armed person may be a peace officer, an SRO, a school marshal or a school district employee.