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Juvenile department asks commissioners to reclassify two positions as grants, state cuts loom
Summary
The juvenile department asked the Nueces County commissioners court to reclassify two accounting-assistant positions to reflect expanded AP/AR and HR duties and outlined a possible state funding cut from TJJD that could reduce placement funding by about $48,697 this year, with another potential $50,000 cut next fiscal year.
The juvenile department told the commissioners court on June 28 that it is requesting reclassification of two accounting-assistant positions after staff took on expanded accounts-payable, accounts-receivable and human-resources duties. "The juvenile department really respectfully asked the commissioner's court to consider reclassifying these 2 positions," the presenter said.
Department staff said the reclassification would streamline county and department operations and that the two employees have taken on duties formerly performed across four posts. The transcript lists two combined cost figures in different places — $5,669.60 and $5,969.60 — for the personnel changes; the presenter and staff acknowledged the difference as a step/benefit calculation noted in supplemental personnel documents.
On fund-level items, the department said detention (funds 3490) and the Justice Boot Camp (3492) show no changes for the coming year, while a small special-revenue increase (~$120) was recorded to cover volunteer insurance and related costs in fund 13. Staff also said Fund 20 grant requests (drug-court and counseling grants) are pending and not part of general-fund appropriations.
The presenter warned of a Texas Juvenile Justice Department reduction of about 1.95%, which she quantified as roughly $48,697 this fiscal year, and said the county was told a further cut of about $50,000 could arrive in the next fiscal year. To fill shortfalls when youth are placed out of county, staff said they plan to apply to a TJJD special fund that can offset placement costs when the department comes up short.
Commissioners pressed staff on why reclassification and salary impacts do not appear on the one-page general-fund summary, and county staff explained that personnel and capital requests are included in supplemental pages of the budget packet and will be considered in budget workshops; the "basic budget" sheet shown to the court reflected a $0 net impact because of internal offsets.
When asked about the juvenile drug court specifically, staff said the program depends on pending CJD grant funding and that, if grant funds do not arrive, "we may have to do away with the drug court;" staff cited $35,000 as the amount needed to continue that program.
The department closed by asking the court to consider the personnel reclassifications and said it will return with final grant amounts as awards are confirmed.
