The Commissioners’ Court will seek clarification on the number of county employees that could be negatively impacted by a previous revision to the retired employee definition.
Ector County Commissioners will convene at 10 a.m. Tuesday today in the commissioners’ courtroom, Room 120, located in the Ector County Administration building annex, 1010 E. Eighth St.
Commissioners previously approved raising the minimum number of years of service for a retiring county employee from eight years to 12 years of service with Ector County to qualify for retiree insurance benefits, effective Jan. 1.
Ector County Human Resources Director Pat Patton said the revision did not impact those who were already retired or employees hired after Oct. 1, 2015.
“Back in 2015, the Court took action and said any employee hired after Oct. 1, 2015, would not be allowed to have county insurance benefits upon retirement, so they’ve limited the number of people going forward that could qualify for insurance anyway,” Patton said. “This just affects those that were hired prior to Oct. 1 of 2015.”
Precinct 3 Commissioner Dale Childers had the item placed on the Court’s agenda in February after he discovered several employees were approaching retirement.
“We yanked the carpet out from under them and I just don’t think it’s right,” Childers said.
A decision was tabled until more information could be gathered about the possible consequences from the revision made to reduce costs for the county.
There are about 225 county employees with eight years of service with the county and about 113 people with 12 years of service as of December 2018.
Patton said some employees may have been looking forward to retiring with just eight years with the county.
“They weren’t wanting to work four more years,” she said. “If they are allowed to retire within the next two years until Jan. 1, 2021, that might satisfy their concern and it wouldn’t require them to continue on beyond that.”
Commissioners will revisit criteria for county employees hired before 2015 during their regularly scheduled meeting.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, COMMISSIONERS WILL CONSIDER:
- Approving a resolution declaring May 12, 2019 through May 18, 2019 as National Police Week and May 15 as Peace Officer’s Memorial Day in Ector County.
- Authorizing Memorial Day firework sales from May 22, 2019 through midnight May 27, 2019.
- Taking action regarding a request from Downtown Odessa, Inc. to use the Ector County Courthouse lawn for a Children’s Area for the annual Firecracker Fandango festival on July 4, 2019.
- Approving the purchase of a two-year-old, dual purpose K-9 from K-9 services in Albuquerque, NM.
- Accepting the donation of a piano from Donna Greaves for the Ector County South Side Senior Center.
- Approving the Ector County Library Summer Reading program for 2019.
- Approving a collaboration effort between Texas Tech University Health Science Center – Permian Basin and Ector County Health Department to provide sexually transmitted disease education, testing and treatment.
- Authorizing the acceptance of insurance proceeds from Travelers – St. Paul and Marine in the amount of $26,169.63 per Total Loss Declaration by Travelers of Unit No. 1070 Sheriff’s Office Vehicle.
- Taking action to provide direction to payroll with regard to the starting date for salary adjustment to two County Extension Agents based on Interlocal Agreement between Ector and Midland Counties approved February 12, 2019.
- The closure of Coliseum Drive to accommodate needed storage for the construction of the Coliseum Horse Stall Barn and allow for future expansion of the complex.
- Allowing the building maintenance director and coliseum director to expend contingency money allocated in the Coliseum Horse Stall Barn Project as needed to prevent construction delays and report back to the court at the next Commissioners’ Court meeting immediately following any contingency expenditures.
- Taking action regarding a request from the Plains All American Pipeline to close a section of West Hillmont Road (from Sprague Road to Mary Francis Avenue) for final soil remediation due to previously released crude oil, and for the restoration and pavement of the said section of the road in accordance with Ector County Standards.
- Approving a request from the Nexius Solutions to temporary close a section of 64th Street (from Moss Avenue to Mundy Drive) for the installation of a mount on the cell phone tower, located approximately 577 feet west of Moss Avenue.
- Taking action on declaring as surplus, the disposition, and the donation of two truck beds to Medical Center Hospital Health Systems (MCHHS), and to accept the donation of two medical room exam tables from MCHHS.
- Approving the following bid specification: Highways & Streets – Metal Shed Covers for Equipment.
- Awarding the purchase of computers and monitors.
- Approving the AIA Change Order No. 16 for the Jail Additions and Renovations Project.
- Approving the Inter-Local Government Agreement between the City of Odessa and Ector County for M-Core Radio Communication System.
- Approving a Claims Audit Service Agreement with J. Graham, Inc.
- Terminating the contract with Reece Albert, Inc. for the 56th Street project.
- Declaring an emergency to hire a County Extension Agent that will be shared between Midland and Ector County.
- Hiring a Legal Secretary at a Step 6 due to experience.
- Approving Proposed MHRC Mares Group RV Park at 15405 S. Mares St., Odessa, Texas, 79766 Ector County.
- Approving Ocean Front Property Odessa MHRC on West Murphy Street, Ector County, Texas.
- Approving MHRC Development to serve 536 E. Blue Diamond Street 5.0520 acre lot located in Nolan Acres Subdivision, Block 13, Lots 29-32, Ector County, Texas.
- Approving Replat of 4.00 acres of Lot 1, Block 14, Nolan Acres, Ector County, Texas.
- Approving MHRC Fugit RV Park at 5306 N. Washington Ave., Odessa, Ector County, Texas.
- Approving MHRC to serve Lot 1, Block 1, Tres Cruces Subdivision being a Replat of Lot 13 less than .4I4 acres, Block 28, Gardendale Subdivision 2nd Filing in Section 12, Block 42, T-1-S, T&P RY. CO. Survey, Ector County, Texas.
- Approving Swinney RV Park MHRC development to serve 16117 S. Golden Ave., Ector County, Texas.
- Approving a line item transfer to General Fund, Non Departmental Other, Other General Expense, 001-950-5402 from Retirement, 001-950-5123 in the amount of $907.
- Approving a line item transfer to General Fund, Court at Law No. 1, Professional Dues and Fees, 001-140-5302 from General Fund, Court at Law No. 1, Telephone, 001-150-5351 for $70.
- Approving a line item transfer from 001-023-5161, Educational Travel to 001-022-5161, Educational Travel in the amount of $400.
- Approving a line item transfer to FMLR Fund, Road Maintenance Department, Improvements and Construction, 002-810-5509, in the amount of $700,000 from FMLR Fund, Road Maintenance Department, Road Maintenance, 002-810 -5241 in the amount of $700,000.
- Approving a budget amendment to Coliseum Fund, Contract Services, 041-860-5309 and to Coliseum Fund, Hotel/Motel Tax, 041-4005 for $30,000.
- Approving a budget amendment to General Fund, Jail Medical, Drugs and Medical Expense, 001-421-5182 and to General Fund, Inmate Medical Fees, 001-4165 for $800,000.
- Approving a budget amendment to Coliseum Fund, Building Materials, 041-860-5241 and to Coliseum Fund, Insurance Proceeds, 041-4172 for $13,201.
- Approving the Accounts Payable Fund Requirements Report.
