GEORGETOWN — Williamson County Commissioners Court members unanimously approved a number of initiatives at their Tuesday meeting, from a cost increase for a key water line in Taylor to authorizing a salary hike for the county auditor.
The city of Taylor has agreed to pay more than $70,000 for a revamping of a water main project, an official told commissioners at their regular meeting this past week.
With County Judge Bill Gravell abstaining, commissioners unanimously approved a $71,380.34 change order centered on a James Construction Group project involving a water line servicing the town.
The matter was No. 43 item on a packed agenda.
As explained by county officials, the original change order deleted 17,500 pounds of ductile iron fittings — effective in resisting corrosion in delivering clean drinking water — to the water line, resulting in $171,500 being mistakenly deducted from the authorized contract amount.
The revised change order was designed to correct the error by deleting the quantity reduction related to the fillings, officials said.
“Item 43 is a change order with James Construction, which is to be paid by the city of Taylor,” Robert B. Daigh, the county’s senior director of infrastructure, told commissioners.
“The city of Taylor has signed that change order,” he added after presenting the road bonds construction report to commissioners.
The change order is the latest in a string of alterations resulting in an 11.36 percent increase to the original cost. The original $12,673,200.94 contract has since grown to $14,113,275.17 following $1,440,074.23 in change orders to date, according to officials.
In other business, commissioners approved a $7,098.43 increase to the salary for Julie M. Kiley, who was appointed to serve as the county’s auditor in November 2022 following the retirement of predecessor Jerri Jones. Kiley’s new salary of $202,757.26 is a 9.2 percent increase from her current annual compensation, according to county documents.
Commissioners’ approval of the revamped salary is triggered by Texas Local Government Code guidelines as it exceeds the $181,884.40 salary of the former “highest paid elected county officer,” County Attorney Dee Hobbs. Commissioners noted most of the funding for Kiley’s updated salary is already included in the proposed FY 25 budget.
Kiley had served as first assistant county auditor since 2004 before being appointed county auditor.
The court also approved a county agreement between the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter and the AARP Foundation designed to pair seniors with training at nonprofits toward the goal of employment.
The initiative calls for participants securing training in a community service assignment while pursuing unsubsidized employment.
According to the AARP Foundation website, its Senior Community Service Employment Program matches eligible jobseekers with local nonprofits and public agencies — daycare centers, senior centers, school and hospitals among them — in paid training assignments.
Among the advantages of the program is work experience for participants’ resumes; on-the-job training in new skills; professional job placement in full- or part-time employment; an average of 20 hours per week of paid work.
Among the cons are potential loss of social service benefits such as food stamps given the added income.
In other business, the county recognized its employees of the year.
A committee selected award recipients from among 39 nominations in five categories, with winners receiving a $500 check.
Shelley Loughrey, benefits administration director, was honored in the category of Exceptional Customer Service. Kate Wolf, director of emergency communications, received the award for Professional Leadership. Cathy Atkinson, accounting manager for the Tax Assessor/ Collector Office, received the Wilco Way Award for managers. Jeff Malcolm, inventory coordinator II with Facilities Management, received the Wilco Way Award for non-managers. And Robert Tijerina, victim-service sergeant with the Sheriff’s Office, received the Game Changer award centered on an app he helped create that provides consolidated resources for crime victims.
