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Precinct 1 constable seeks an extra deputy and clerk pay bump as civil-service caseloads rise
Summary
The precinct 1 constable told commissioners his office’s civil-process workload rose substantially and asked for one additional deputy position, a 3% increase for his clerk, and a spare vehicle from county garage, noting some fee revenue is billed after service and may not yet appear in monthly receipts.
The Precinct 1 constable asked Lubbock County commissioners on June 26 to add one deputy position and to raise his clerk’s pay by 3 percent, citing substantial year‑over‑year growth in civil-process work and an increase in calls for service.
In a brief budget presentation the constable provided monthly service counts for the current budget year and said civil-process work — evictions, writs and similar papers — has increased roughly 20 to 34 percent in recent years. “With the economy the way it is, we do see a lot more foreclosures and evictions and lawsuits that come out,” the constable said, adding that those filings increase the office’s service workload and administrative processing.
The constable proposed funding one additional deputy at the same pay as the current deputy and said he had discussed arranging a spare vehicle through the county garage so the office can maintain operations if a patrol vehicle needs repair. He noted the office already brings revenue into county coffers through service fees but reminded the court some payors — including the attorney general and property-tax suits handled by the tax office — are billed and paid after service, so fees may appear later in county receipts.
For the clerk, the constable asked for a 3 percent increase to help compensate for a heavier administrative load that includes billing and coordinating service across multiple agencies. The constable also said his office uses federal or state LEOS grants for training-related travel, which helps limit county training costs.
No vote was recorded. Commissioners asked staff to evaluate whether a spare vehicle from the county fleet could be reassigned and to include the constable’s personnel request in budget deliberations.
