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Justice of the Peace judges ask Nueces County to reclassify clerks, beef up courthouse security and address truancy delays
Summary
Nine JP judges told commissioners they want 18 clerks reclassified from pay group 13 to 16 (a 15% increase) to retain certified staff, estimated at about $68,883 in salary increases; they also requested security-camera upgrades after break‑ins and complained a state truancy law now delays cases by routing them through the district attorney for up to 45 days.
Nine justice of the peace judges asked the Commissioners Court to reclassify 18 JP clerks from pay group 13 to pay group 16, a change judges said would raise total salary costs by approximately $68,882.85. Presenters said the reclassification would bring clerk pay closer to comparable county positions, reflect increasing job complexity (certification and computer literacy) and reduce turnover that has led clerks to seek higher pay elsewhere.
Judge representatives provided revenue context for the request, citing JP calendar‑year receipts: roughly $2.739 million gross and $1.811 million to the county general ledger for 2015 (figures presented in the hearing). Judges urged the court to consider the cost of losing experienced clerks and the time required to train replacements.
Several judges also raised courthouse security concerns: one judge described a past burglary where vault footage was unrecoverable and called existing cameras “worthless” for investigations. The JP delegation asked for camera upgrades and other security measures; staff noted an estimated camera‑upgrade figure discussed in the hearing of about $30,000 for key locations.
Judges further warned that a change in state truancy procedures — which routes new truancy matters through the district attorney for review before JP court intake — adds delays of up to 45 days and slows timely handling. They said the change has increased their workload and they are coordinating with local legislators to seek fixes.
Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the clerks’ retention concerns and security needs, said they would review the reclassification and capital requests in the budget process, and noted they would look into immediate security options where feasible.
