Judge McClain seeks full‑time county court reporter; auditors flag offsets from contract line

Judge McClain asked the commissioners court to add a full‑time county court reporter to the County Court at Law payroll, asking that the court include $106,000 annually for salary and an estimated $3,000 for desk hardware and peripherals. The request was presented during a departmental review of Fund 10 (County Court at Law) for the FY2026 preliminary budget.

"I've asked her if she wanted to do it. She said she probably would apply, but there's no guarantees there," Judge McClain said when asked whether the reporter currently providing contract services had indicated interest in a full‑time post. Auditor Jesse confirmed the county already budgets restricted court‑reporter revenue in fund 43 and said roughly $18,200 is currently recognized for court‑reporter fees and is typically split among judges' courts.

Auditors and the judge told the court that converting the contract line would largely remove the existing $70,000 contract allocation (bringing it down to a contingency of about $1,200), offsetting part of the full‑time salary increase. The auditor cautioned that fund 43 is restricted and can only be used for court‑reporter purposes, and that transfers are sometimes required when revenues are insufficient.

Commissioners pressed on ancillary costs and pay comparators. Judge McClain explained district court reporters can earn more through appellate record preparation — a revenue source not generally available to a county court at law reporter — and said he based the $106,000 figure on current district court reporter pay. "I have based a lot of my information talking to her," Judge McClain said, noting equipment and software preferences for the existing reporter.

The court did not take a final vote on hiring but directed auditors and staff to fold the change into the working numbers and return with exact line‑by‑line impacts at the next meeting.