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Commissioners approve stipend approach to fund JP4 youth diversion coordinator amid rising juvenile caseloads
Summary
Parker County approved a midyear stipend / reclassification to raise a Justice of the Peace 4 clerk's pay to serve as a youth diversion coordinator after JP4 and HR explained the change is driven by a state youth‑diversion mandate and growth in juvenile caseloads; vote was 4–1.
The court debated and approved on May 2 a funding mechanism to compensate a Justice of the Peace 4 clerk who will serve as the court’s youth diversion coordinator, a role created after a change to the Code of Criminal Procedure and an increase in juvenile dockets.
“This is simply a line item change,” the JP 4 presenter told the court, citing Code of Criminal Procedure authority and a package showing a total cost of $7,148 including benefits. He said the court’s technology fund contains sufficient budget, that the change would not draw on the general fund, and that the raise would align the clerk’s pay with an existing collections position.
Commissioners reviewed caseload numbers presented in staff materials (the JP office reported disposing roughly 250–260 criminal cases per month, and a rise from 4,700 active cases to 5,100 over two years). Several commissioners expressed concern about making midyear reclassifications and the “domino effect” it could create for other staff; one commissioner proposed a temporary stipend while the position is reviewed during the next budget cycle.
After discussion, the court approved a motion to implement a stipend and complete a budget adjustment for a transfer from the justice court technology fund at the next court. The motion carried 4–1.
The clerk selected for the coordinator role will handle eligibility determinations, coordination with the county attorney’s office, and oversight of teen‑court processes and community‑service dispositions intended to avoid juvenile records when participants complete program requirements. The county will prepare a budget adjustment for the next court meeting to formalize the transfer from the technology fund.
