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Commissioners accept grievance committee recommendation; JP Precinct 2 judge salary increased
Summary
A citizen grievance committee unanimously approved the sheriff’s requested salary and recommended a pay increase for Justice of the Peace Precinct 2. Commissioners accepted the JP recommendation; the sheriff’s approved request was automatically included in the budget by statute.
Lubbock County Commissioners on Monday acted on recommendations from a nine‑member grievance committee convened under Texas Local Government Code §152.015 to review elected officials’ salary requests.
Per the statutory process described at the meeting, the citizens’ committee met and voted unanimously (9–0) to approve Sheriff Kelly Roe’s requested salary of $150,000. Under the statute, a unanimous citizen committee decision automatically places the requested salary in the upcoming budget without a separate court vote.
The citizens’ committee voted 7–2 on a request from Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2 (Judge Susan Rowley) for a $10,000 increase. The committee’s 7–2 outcome became a recommendation to the commissioners court. The court moved, seconded and approved increasing the salary for Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 to $100,686; the motion passed 4–1. One commissioner stated they were the lone no vote on elected officials’ salary increases.
During discussion, court members questioned whether presiding officers or county attorneys may have influenced the citizen committee and discussed the statutory limits on the court’s authority over elected officers’ staffing and budgets. County staff and counsel clarified the process: unanimous citizen committee approval automatically adds the requested salary to the budget, whereas non‑unanimous committee recommendations are returned to the commissioners for a decision.
What it means: The sheriff’s requested salary will be included in the FY26 budget per the grievance‑committee rules. The approved increase for the Justice of the Peace will also be reflected in the upcoming budget materials.
Next steps: County staff will incorporate the salary changes into budget documents and return needed paperwork to the court for final budget adoption.
