With about $2 million in overtime pay for deputies and jailers, and another $1.9 million in food services provided to Cameron County inmates, County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. has asked the county’s budget officer to meet with authorities with the sheriff’s department to see if there is a way to trim the costs.
County Commissioners last week continued budget talks for the 2022-2023 fiscal year with the county still facing a $5.2 million deficit.
It was during Tuesday’s budget talks that commissioners received information pertaining to overtime pay at the sheriff’s department from Xavier Villarreal, deputy county administrator and budget officer.
“I would ask that you get with the sheriff and his administration to inquire what the plan is for this,” Trevino said referring to the $1.9 million in food services for the inmates. “I understand that this used to be handled partially by trustees but there has been an issue since COVID began, or once it was full force, that impacted the trustees’ ability to assist in the preparation and distribution of the inmate meals; that’s a $2 million hit right there plus the cost associated with the overtime the sheriff’s department is having either through the deputy sheriffs or the jail department. We need to know what that number is and what the plan is to address both of these numbers.”
In March, Commissioners Court voted to freeze hirings at the sheriff’s department so overtime pay could be paid due to the loss of revenue for the housing of federal inmates. Approximately 60 jailer slots were frozen.
“We need the sheriff’s suggestions, guidance, his ideas, whatever his plan of action is going forward, that way we can help try to address that,” Trevino said.
The county has lost $2.6 million for housing federal and state inmates, about $800,000 from the road and bridge fund plus another $900,000 in projected losses from the justices of the peace.
Precinct 3 County Commissioner David Garza added up the figures saying about $6.6 million is used for the operations of the sheriff’s department.
“Let’s see what kind of plan can be developed to deal with that issue,” Garza said.
In an earlier interview, Sheriff Eric Garza said he was losing employees who were going to other agencies for higher pay.
“We have all these other counties like Corpus Christi. They are paying upwards of $35,000 to $40,000 a year. We are at $30,000 per year per jailer. These guys go over to the private sector, to the fed (federal government) and they make $40,000. We are left with trying to recoup the jailers. For every 10 new jailers we get, eight leave.”
Garza said since the majority of jailers who have left or are leaving have been employed with the county for many years, he cannot replace them until all the time they have accrued has been used up.
“They have accrued so much sick leave and vacation comp (compensation) I can’t replace them until they go through that time. This is something that I inherited, and I have to figure out a way to fix it,” the sheriff said, adding at the same time he needs to make sure his jailers are kept safe.
Several administrators from the various county departments approached Commissioners Court at the last several meetings seeking either raises for their employees or adding new positions in their departments.
Many stated they are losing employees to other agencies that are paying them more than they are making with the county.
Esmeralda Guajardo, health administrator for the county’s Health Department, at an earlier meeting said she was losing employees who are going over to work for the Department of State Health Services.
“They recruit so many of our employees constantly. They have taken at least seven of our epidemiologists in the last two years for more money. People leave for more money,” she said.
Guajardo said during this current fiscal year she has lost 53 employees.
“It’s when I have about 200 employees it seems like 25 percent of the time people are just revolving through the doors. We just need to figure it out,” she said.
Commissioner Garza said losing 25 percent is the national average businesses are experiencing.
