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Commissioners approve use of Senate Bill 22 funds to raise investigator pay
Summary
Tom Green County Commissioners approved using leftover Senate Bill 22 funds to increase pay for several investigators who assist the district attorney’s office, citing retention and parity concerns.
Tom Green County Commissioners voted to use leftover Senate Bill 22 funds to increase investigator salaries in the district attorney’s office and approve the related line-item transfer.
The move, introduced during the meeting as a request to use roughly $32,000 in remaining SB22 funds, aims to raise pay for three investigators so their salaries move closer to comparable positions handled by neighboring offices. The county approved the motion by voice vote; commissioners said “aye” and no opposition was recorded.
The county representative presenting the request said one investigator currently earns about $75,005, a senior investigator, Martha Buroz, was making about $71,000 and the county was asking to bring her “up to their level.” The presenter said Gary Cole, who has 21 years of experience, was making about $61,000 and the proposed increase would raise him to approximately $73,000. Samantha Schwartz was described as making about $65,000; the presenter noted she has roughly 12 years’ experience including specialized work as an arson investigator and prior service as a crime-scene investigator.
“We wanna make sure our investigators, know that they're appreciated and are compensated appropriately for their work,” the presenter said.
The presenter said the funding being used was leftover SB22 money awarded to the judicial district; after the proposed raises the presenter estimated about $4,000 would remain in the SB22 balance. The request did not ask the county general fund to cover ongoing costs.
Discussion at the dais included a question about peace-officer certification; the presenter confirmed that Gary Cole is a master peace officer and that Samantha Schwartz is not. A commissioner said they had left the salary spreadsheet at home but that the requested adjustments appeared to move the investigators closer to parity with neighboring offices.
Action: The commission approved a motion to utilize Senate Bill 22 funding to increase investigator salaries and to adjust the related line item. The vote was taken by voice; the clerk recorded the motion as carried.
