Commissioners to work on merit pay raise questions
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

How good a county employee has to be at his or her job to earn a merit raise is among the items scheduled for discussion at Monday's regular county commissioners court meeting.

Wharton County Tax Assessor Collector Patrick Kubala said there are several items about the evaluations and merit pay raises approved by the commissioners earlier this year.

"We've never done evaluations in the past," Kubala said in a phone interview. "We've been given an evaluation form … but there are no instructions on actually how to use it or what constitutes a performance worthy of receiving a merit raise."

He said each elected official and/or department head was required to complete and submit a job description on which the evaluations are based.

Two bridges are also on the agenda for Monday's 10:30 a.m. meeting in the courtroom of the Wharton County Annex building. One involves replacing the burned bridge on CR 418 at the Tres Palacios River. The other is to advertise for bids for a bridge on CR 309 at Stage Stand Creek.

Other agenda items include:

• A maintenance agreement with Schindler Elevator Corp. for the renovated courthouse.

• Cancel contract with Starbrite Maintenance for cleaning at the El Campo Branch library.

• Authorize contracts for janitorial services in the Frank A. Shannon Building, El Campo Branch library and renovated courthouse.