Salary grievance committee unanimously recommends 6% pay increase for Bexar County constables

The Bexar County salary grievance committee voted unanimously to recommend a 6% pay increase for each of the county’s four constable precincts for fiscal year 2024–25. Judge Peter Sakai presided over the public hearing and called the committee to order before presentations and questions began.

Committee member John Mark Connolly moved to increase the salary for Constable Precinct 1 and the motion was amended and extended to cover each precinct, with multiple seconds. Connolly said, “I move that constable precinct 1, the salary increase be 5% year over year,” and then his amendment raising the proposal to 6% passed; Judge Sakai counted raised hands and recorded unanimous votes for each precinct. The committee’s recommendation will be transmitted to Commissioners Court for final action.

During the hearing, constables described heavy workloads, long travel distances and duties that include executing warrants, serving courts and staffing community events; several urged the committee to restore a recommendation put forward by a prior advisory committee. Thomas Gabbard of the county manager’s office told the panel that a citizens advisory group had recommended two years of 5% increases but Commissioners Court reduced the second year to 3% to match county staff proposals.

The committee’s action was procedural: a motion, a second and a show‑of‑hands vote under Robert’s Rules of Order. No dollar amounts beyond the percentage change were set by the committee; final compensation figures will be included in Commissioners Court budget action.