At today’s meeting of the Brown County Commissioners Court, consideration was given to the certificate pay given to Brown County Constables.

Precinct 2 Constable Troy Henderson addressed the Commissioners.  Constables in Brown County receive a base salary of $51,481, and can receive bonus pay based on the level of law enforcement training he or she may have.  There are four levels of law enforcement training in Texas:  Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Masters.  All four Constables hold the Masters certificate, the highest of the four levels.  Based on that, the Constables receive an additional pay of $2,700 per year.   A Deputy in the Brown County Sheriff’s Department, according to Henderson, receives a starting salary of $56,000 and an additional $7,200 per year if he or she holds a Masters certificate.  Henderson argued that the difference in salaries and certification pay between the Constables and the Sheriff’s Deputy is not equal and not fair.

County Judge Shane Britton said that the Constable salaries are set in the current County budget, approved by the Commissioners in September, and that Texas state law does not permit a change to the salary of an elected official, which includes Constables, during a fiscal year.  Precinct 1 Commissioner Gary Worley commented that the Constable salaries were increased by 5% this year, just as most County salaries did.  Britton and the Commissioners said they did not know, however, if the extra certificate pay can be changed mid-year.  They agreed to look into the matter.

In other business:

*** Commissioners approved the funding for the Brownwood Community Library at $30,000 in the current fiscal year.

*** Approval was given the 2025 meeting schedule for the Commissioners Court.

*** Commissioners agreed to leave off the burn ban for the present time.