Published: August 15, 2008 09:52 am         

Raises due for sheriff and staff, but how much?

By Leslie Gibson

Herald-Banner Staff



Not only is Rockwall County Sheriff Harold Eavenson dissatisfied with the salary increases being proposed for the sheriff and command staff for the upcoming fiscal year, a group of citizens is frustrated, and several of them spoke to commissioners in regular meeting Monday morning.

Commissioners believe the raises proposed in the county’s first draft budget of July 31 are reasonable when compared with other counties.

Increasing the passion of those arguing for the sheriff is that sheriff-requested increases have not been given in four years of asking, and that two reasons commissioners cited for their raises last year, apply to the sheriff and his staff: number of people being managed, and the county’s fast growth.

If the draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year is approved, the base pay for the sheriff, chief deputy, lieutenant, and jail commander would be increased 11.7 percent.

Sheriff Eavenson is asking for more. In addition to the countywide cost of living raises, he seeks an additional 15 percent each for the sheriff, chief deputy and jail commander; an additional 10 percent for the lieutenant; and an additional 7 percent for each sergeant.

Commissioners are offering a base pay for the sheriff of $80,915. His base pay is currently $72,379.

Commissioners looked at counties of comparable population to determine the salary range, they said. For example, serving a county of more population than Rockwall, the Kaufman County sheriff makes $70,500, according to a publication made available to commissioners, in a county of population of 102,000, per North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). Rockwall County population is 76,000.

If the draft amount is adopted, the sheriff’s base pay will have increased 37 percent since the 2003 salary of $58,700, noted commissioner David Magness.

But sheriff supporters point to commissioners’ raises last year of 19.5 percent, which gave commissioners a 49 percent increase since 2003.

Last year, the sheriff declined the 7.1 percent pay increase he was offered, choosing instead to take 5.3 like the rest of his personnel.

The sheriff-requested increases are publicly supported by citizens Dwight Walker, Bob Amick, Dewayne Cain, Ken Dickson, David Hairston, Bill Morrow, Larry Parks, Corky Randolph, and Tom Richardson, who signed a May 15 memorandum.

Randolph, banking center president of Alliance Bank, said in an interview, “The long and short of it is the total budget impact is $52,000. That is $142 a day for law enforcement that’s being done right,” he said.

History of raises during Eavenson’s tenure begins in 2001, when deputies received a 21.8 percent increase, and detention staff received a 12 percent increase.

“There’s no question it helped us tremendously,” he said in a recent interview.

But he did not ask for particular command staff increases until 2004. Since then, his specific requests have not been approved.

“I purposely have not asked for adjustments for the command staff until the fourth budget cycle, which was 2004. That was by design,” he added. “I wanted to have a history to talk about.”

The citizens committee notes a history of “aggressive and innovative management” by the sheriff and command staff, which they say has saved the county $1.4 million since 2002, gained through leasing bed space, renegotiating the inmate telephone contract, increasing the commission from the commissary, and securing a grant in 2004.

Supporters also point to the high respect the department has earned since the sheriff and jail commander have arrived.

The jail has passed state inspections annually, after not passing before Captain Guzik’s management.

Hairston, who noted he graduated with commissioner Jerry Wimpee in the 50s, spoke to the commissioners Monday.

“I’ve been here for the good, the best, the worst and the ugly,” he said. “The last eight years have been the best in the state,” he said, as several rows of audience members clapped.

Walker, retired as captain after 27 years with the Dallas Police Department, spoke on respect. Having known Eavenson for 25 years, Rockwall City Police Chief Mark Mueller and Royse City Police Chief Tom Shelton for more than 31 years, and Guzik for seven years, he believes the county is “fortunate to have all of these men as leaders in local law enforcement.”

It appears the cities recognize that, he said Monday, speaking from a written statement. “I, however, am not sure that this Commissioners Court realizes what gems they have leading the sheriff’s office.”

Historically, sheriffs are paid less than police chiefs in Texas, but supporters think the 63 percent difference between Chief Moeller’s salary and Sheriff Eavenson’s is too far out of line.

In research, some requested by commissioner Lorie Grinnan, no disparities of that size between the sheriff and police chief were found, stated supporters in the written memorandum.

Bruce Beaty, commissioner and former Rockwall police chief, said comparing sheriffs to police chiefs is like comparing the U.S. president salary to those of Bill Gates, or oil company executive officers. “The president has a lot more responsibility, but doesn’t make near the money.”

David Magness pointed to salaries in counties surrounding the metroplex, each with more than 100,000 population: Ellis County, sheriff salary $79,868; and Parker County, sheriff salary $90,000. Portions of those three counties, like all of Rockwall County, are classified as urbanized by the NCTCOG.

As local government code provides, Eavenson will be addressing a county-formed salary grievance committee at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18. By local code, the committee may address only his salary and not those of the command staff. The committee consists of all the elected officials of the county, and three citizens who have served on grand jury last year. The commissioners could have set the committee up of only citizens, as the sheriff requested.