San Patricio County approves SB 293 salary supplements, $41,600 contingency transfer; OKs truck purchase and fee changes

San Patricio County Commissioners Court on Monday approved county payments of salary supplements required by Senate Bill 293 and authorized a $41,600.98 transfer from the county contingency fund to pay the county portion of those increases from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025, with the commissioners expecting state reimbursement in January.

The action implements pay changes listed in the bill for multiple judges and county officers and was followed by a package of routine financial and operational approvals, including the purchase of a Peterbilt 548 dump truck for Road and Bridge Precinct 3 and new sheriff and constable fees including a squatter-removal fee.

The county’s list of salary adjustments approved under the action cites effective dates of Sept. 1, 2025, and specific monthly amounts for named judges and officers. Patrick (county staff) summarized the change as tied to state action: “What we—re doing here is, due to the passing of SB 2 93 in the 80 ninth legislature, we—re getting these so what the salaries here are the, revised or not revised, but the increased salaries.” The court voted to approve the payments after a motion by Commissioner Ruben Gonzales and a second from Commissioner Gillespie; the motion carried.

Why it matters: the court must temporarily cover the county share of legislatively required salary increases and then expects a state reimbursement that will restore contingency funds. The transfer approved Monday moves $41,600.98 from contingency into the departments and accounts that will pay the supplemental amounts from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. A commissioner asked whether the county will be reimbursed; the…