Legislation Details

File #: 26-5382    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Discussion Item Status: Passed
File created: 8/7/2026 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 8/17/2026 Final action: 8/17/2026
Title: Request for discussion and possible action to assemble the grievance committee for elected officials' salaries pursuant to Local Government Code Section 152.015.

Primary Department: County Administration

Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Erica Lee Carter, MPP, County Administrator

 

Secondary Department: Choose an item.

Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:

 

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA

Type of Request: Discussion Item

 

Project ID (if applicable): N/A

Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A

 

MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A

MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A

Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal:  N/A - Goal not applicable to request

 

Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A

Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item

 

Request Summary (Agenda Caption):

title

Request for discussion and possible action to assemble the grievance committee for elected officials’ salaries pursuant to Local Government Code Section 152.015.

end

 

Background and Discussion:

Texas Local Government Code Chapter 152, Subchapter B, governs the setting of salaries for certain elected county and precinct officers, including the Commissioners, Constables, County Attorney, County Clerk, District Attorney, District Clerk, Justices of the Peace, Sheriff, Tax Assessor-Collector, and Treasurer. Under this statute, “[e]ach year,” Commissioners Court “shall set the salary, expenses, and other allowances of” such officers “at a regular meeting of the court during the regular budget hearing and adoption proceedings.” The statute also outlines requirements for this process related to publication, notice, and the hearing of salary grievances by the Salary Grievance Committee. If a timely grievance is submitted, Commissioners Court may need to take action to (1) determine the structure of the Salary Grievance Committee and (2) select public members of the Salary Grievance Committee and alternates.

 

(1) Salary Grievance Committee Structure: Two Options

Local Government Code Section 152.014 requires the County to establish a Salary Grievance Committee composed of the County Judge (as a non-voting member) and:

 

                     Option A, under Section 152.014(a)(1): The Sheriff, Tax Assessor-Collector, Treasurer, County Clerk, District Clerk, and County Attorney, with the addition of the number of public members necessary to provide nine voting members in total; or

 

                     Option B, under Section 152.014(a)(2): Nine public members.

 

Commissioners Court may select whichever option it prefers. In either option, the County Judge is the Chair of the committee but does not vote.

 

(2) Selection of Public Members

Commissioners Court selects public members of the Salary Grievance Committee as well as alternates. The public members must be residents of Harris County and have served on a grand jury in the county during the preceding calendar year. In accordance with the directive approved by Commissioners Court at its meeting on August 6, 2026, if needed, Court will select the public members and alternates from a randomized list of eligible individuals, in the order of the list. The task of developing the list of eligible individuals is statutorily assigned to the County Clerk and the names must be selected during a Commissioners Court meeting.

 

Recommended Motions:

 

A)                     To establish the Salary Grievance Committee pursuant to Local Government Code Section 152.014(a)(1).

B)                     To adopt and enter into the minutes the randomized list of individuals eligible to serve as public members as provided by the County Clerk and the District Clerk.

C)                     To select in the order of the randomized list provided by the Clerks the number of public members required to compose the Grievance Committee and forty alternates.

 

Expected Impact:

Allows a Salary Grievance Committee to be formed if needed.

 

Alternative Options:

There are no alternative options since this process is set by statute.

 

County Strategic Plan Goal:  N/A

County Strategic Plan Objective: N/A

Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1):  N/A

Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2):  N/A

Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A

Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A

Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A

Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A

 

Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan: N/A

 

Prior Court Action (if any):

Date

Agenda Item #

Action Taken

08/06/2026

7

Disc. and possible action on elected officials’ salaries for FY2027

 

Location:

Address (if applicable): N/A

Precinct(s): Countywide

 

Fiscal and Personnel Summary

Service Name

N/A

 

 

Current Fiscal Year Cost

Annual Fiscal Cost

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

Recurring Expenses

Funding Sources

 

Existing Budget

 

 

 

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Existing Budget

$

$

$

$

Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form)

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Additional Budget Request

$

$

$

$

Total Funding Sources

$

$

$

$

Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only)

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

No. of Grant Years

Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item.

$

$

$

 

Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item.

$

$

$

 

Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total)

$

$

$

 

Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s)

 

Current Position Count for Service

-

-

-

-

Additional Positions Request

-

-

-

-

Total Personnel

-

-

-

-

 

County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only)

CAO Reviewer Name and Title

 

CAO Review Completion Date

Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Anticipated Court Date: 8/17/2026

Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item

 

Contact(s) name, title, department: Erica Lee Carter, MPP, County Administrator

 

Attachments (if applicable): N/A