Atascosa County commissioners approve personnel changes, permits and AV purchase; payroll claim cleared

Atascosa County Commissioners Court on March 24 approved a slate of personnel appointments, temporary permits and a purchase intended to provide public access to magistrate hearings, among other routine business.

The court unanimously approved hires, pay-rate changes and status updates across several departments, accepted the juvenile probation audit for fiscal years 2023–24, approved multiple temporary waterline permits in Precincts 3 and 4, and authorized acceptance of an $8,734 quote from San Antonio Sound and Light for audio-visual equipment to allow public access to magistrate hearings.

Personnel actions included approval of Sandra Woodall as a legal assistant in the public defender’s office at $20.83 per hour; Travis Keiner and Araceli Garcia as attorneys in the public defender’s office at biweekly pay of $3,269.23; new PRN EMT hires Ryan Laird and Judith Hernandez at $15 per hour; Carlos Gomez Jr. as a juvenile supervision officer, tier 2, at $22.03 per hour; Marco Antonio Salinas as a road bridge crew employee at $22.31 per hour; and Pete Gamboa as chief investigator in the county attorney’s office (start date amended to April 4). Several internal title changes and the transfer of two staff positions from the county treasurer’s budget to the new human resources budget were approved as part of the court’s reorganization of payroll and HR functions.

On contracts and permits, the court approved temporary waterline permits for Straight Line Rentals on County Roads 335 and 332 (Precinct 3), Select Water Solutions on County Road 347 (Precinct 3), and Pillar EFS on County Road 419 (Precinct 4). The court also accepted a quote of $8,734 from San Antonio Sound and Light to install AV equipment to provide a public video/audio feed of magistrate hearings in the sheriff’s office lobby; county leaders said the cost could be apportioned among the sheriff’s office, JP technology funds and municipal partners.

The court accepted the Atascosa County Juvenile Probation audit for 2023–24, entered it into the minutes and noted one finding related to county-local-match calculations (see separate article). The court approved the December 2024 minutes and approved payroll claim number 19 in the amount of $799,943.86.

All motions recorded during the meeting carried with unanimous recorded support when votes were taken. No roll-call no votes were recorded in the transcript excerpt provided.

Votes at a glance (selected items) - Approve Sandra Woodall, legal assistant (public defender): moved by Commissioner Gillespie; seconded by Commissioner Pavelic; outcome: approved. - Approve Travis Keiner and Araceli Garcia, public defender attorneys (biweekly $3,269.23): moved by Commissioner Gillespie; seconded by Commissioner Riley; outcome: approved. - Approve PRN EMT hires Ryan Laird and Judith Hernandez ($15/hr): moved by Commissioner Gillespie; seconds varied; outcome: approved. - Approve Carlos Gomez Jr., juvenile supervision officer, tier 2 ($22.03/hr): moved by Commissioner Riley; seconded by Commissioner Pavelic; outcome: approved. - Approve Marco Antonio Salinas, road bridge crew ($22.31/hr): moved by Commissioner Gillespie; seconded by Commissioner Pavelic; outcome: approved. - Accept quote from San Antonio Sound and Light for AV equipment, $8,734: moved by Commissioner Gillespie; seconded by Commissioner Pavelic; outcome: approved. - Approve temporary waterline permits for County Roads 335, 332, 347, and 419 (Precincts 3 and 4): motions moved and seconded as noted on the record; outcomes: approved. - Accept Atascosa County Juvenile Probation 2023–24 audit report and enter into the minutes: moved by Commissioner Gillespie; seconded by Commissioner Pavelic; outcome: approved. - Approve payroll claim number 19, $799,943.86: moved by Commissioner Gillespie; seconded by Commissioner Pavelic; outcome: approved.

The court also enacted administrative items including recording continuing-education hours for elected officials, establishing a 90-day probation period for certain HR/payroll employees transferred into the new human resources department, and making retroactive coverage effective March 10 for the new HR exempt designation.

Less-critical items and routine minutes were closed with no recorded dissent. The court set its next meeting for April 14, 2025, the Monday after the Poteet Strawberry Festival.