ORDER N0. ~F7tiq
PAYMENT TO RAY ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
FOR SALARY SURVEY AND JOB CLASSIFICATIONS FOR COUNTY COURT
AT LAW COURT REPORTER AND FOR TWO DEPUTIES IN THE DISTRICT
CLERK'S OFFICE
On this the 11th day of August 1986, upon motion made by
Commissioner Holland seconded by Commissioner Lich ,
the Court unanimously approved payment to RAY ASSOCIATES, INC.
for professional services rendered Kerr County for a salary
survey and job classifications for the County Court at Law
Court Reporter and for two Deputies in the District Clerk's
Office in the amount of $475.00.
It is ordered by the court that the County Treasurer and
County Auditor be authorized to draw a voucher on the General
fund in the above amount, payable to RAY ASSOCIATES, INC.,
for said services.
RAYASSOCIATES, Inc.
The Public Management Company
July 16, 1986
I N V O I C E
Professional services rendered to Kerr County pursuant
to telephone authorization from County Judge on May 14,
1986. Below is a list of the work performed and the
products provided:
1. Located list of counties near Kerr County which
have courts-at-law; conducted salary survey among
those counties; prepared salary survey sheet, cal-
culating average and median salaries paid; deter-
mined salary level to recommend; discussed by tele-
phone with Judge Morriss and Judge Baskette; drafted
recommendation letter, revised Inventory of Job Classes
including County Court-at-Law, and revised job des-
cription for Court Reporter reflecting applicability
to County Court-at-Law.
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(Two hours of Katherine Ray's time @ $70 per
hour; 2.5 hours' Tom Linehan's time @ $40 per hour;
and one hour Greg Bennett's time @ $20 per hour). .$260.00
2. Performed point factor analysis of Thea Sovil's
duties as described in her job classification
questionnaire: discussed findings with County
Judge and District Clerk; and prepared recom-
mendation letter reflecting findings.
(One hour Katherine Ray's time @ $70 per hour;
one hour Tom Linehan's time @ $40 per hour) 110.00
3. Reviewed duties and responsibilities of current
Senior Clerk in District Clerk's office to de-
termine whether promotion to Administrative Clerk
would be justified; reviev.~ed staffing pattern in
District Clerk's office; and drafted recommendations
for current situation and possible future changes.
(1.5 hours of Katherine Ray's time @ $70 per
hour) 105.00
TOTAL INVOICE .$475.00
Thank yo .
Kat -i ne~~~~
KBR:hp
RAYASSOCiATi=S, inc.
The Public Management Company
July 16, 1986
The Honorable Gordon Morriss
County Judge
Kerr County Courthouse
Kerrville, Texas 78028
Dear Judge Morriss:
Enclosed are the materials you
ing the court reporter position
in the District Clerk's office.
Court Reporter
508 West 12th Street
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 478-4699
requested by telephone that we prepare regard-
in Kerr County's Court-at-Law and a position
The salary survey (copy attached) for the position of court reporter reflected
that among the eight entities surveyed which have full-time staff position(s)
fora court reporter the average salary paid is $2,242 per month ($26,904 per
year); and the median salary is $2,204 per month ($26,448 per year). There-
fore, we recommend that any official court reporter hired by the county in a
full-time staff position be paid $2,224.08 per month ($26,689 per year)
beginning October 1, 1986, for the 1987 fiscal year. This salary appears on
the I<err County pay schedule for fiscal year 1987 as step 3 of pay group 26;
however, in accordance with our previous recommendation relating to the court
reporter position for the District Court, we recommend the position continue
to be exempt from the classification schedule, as there are state statutory
requirements and the appropriate judge in each case is authorized by statute
to set the salary, within the limits contained in the statute.
Attached also is a revised job description for the court reporter reflecting
its use in e ither District Court or County Court-at-Law.
We should note that under the Fair Labor Standards Act (ELBA), the position of
court reporter is "nonexempt," meaning if the person holding the position
works more than ~90 hours in a seven-day workweek, he or she is entitled to
time and one-half overtime pay or compensatory time off for the overtime hours
worked. This may not be a problem since I understand that these positions
frequently require fewer than 40 hours per week. Ho:rever, if it is likely
that the person in either of the positions of court reporter in Kerr County
would be required to work overtime frequently, the county should give serious
consideration to acquiring court reporter services by contract with a court
reporting firm, as that might be cheaper in the long run if much time and
one-half overtime pay was required.
District Clerk's Office
We reviewed the job classification questionnaire completed by Thea B. Sovil,
who currently is classified as an Intermediate Clerk, Class No. 306, pay group
The Hon. Gordon Morriss -2-~ July 16, 1986
306, pay group 11, in the District Clerk's office and conducted a point
factor evaluation of the duties and responsibilities being performed. The
position actually is functioning at the Accounting Clerk level, and we
recommend that Thea B. Sovil be promoted to an Accounting Clerk, Class No.
311, pay group 13.
In discussing this with Mary Brooks, she had some concerns about whether
this person was actually performing at the same level as the Senior Clerk
in the District Clerk's office, since the promotion would place Ms. Sovil
at the same level and the same salary as the Senior Clerk, who is also at
at pay group 13, step 1. After discussion, I informed Mrs. Brooks of the
provision in the classification and pay plan contained on page 3 of the
plan, in the paragraph entitled "Probationary Hiring in a Lower Pay
Group." If Ms. Sovil's qualifications or experience are considered
minimal for promotion to the Accounting Clerk position, she may be placed
at a step on the pay plan which is below step 1 of the appropriate pay
group for the position (I would suggest pay equivalent to step 1 of pay
group 12) fora promotional probationary period of time not to exceed six
months. However, as I explained to Mrs. Brooks, at the end of six months,
the department head has three options: (1) bring the employee's salary up
to step 1 of pay group 13; (2) extend the promotional probationary period
for a maximum of 90 more days; or (3) demote the employee back down to
step 1 of pay group 11. In other words, if the promotion to below step 1
were effective August 1, 1986, then Mrs. Brooks' successor would have to
make the decision on which option to pursue at least by February 1, 1987.
2. Mrs. Brooks had also mentioned the possibility of promoting her Senior
Clerk to Administrative Clerk. However, as I explained to her, with only
five employees in her department, I could not justify recommending that
she have both a Chief Deputy and an Administrative Clerk. The Senior
Clerk job description does say that that person may supervise other
employees, so it is not inconsistent with her Senior Clerk's current
duties.
3. I do see the possibility of utilizing the Administrative Clerk title in
the District Clerk's office when the new District Clerk takes office on
January 1. At that time, there will be a vacancy in the Chief Deputy pos-
ition. If the new District Clerk's desire is to promote the person who is
currently Senior Clerk to the Chief Deputy's job, but there is some ques-
tion about whether she has the requisite experience for the Chief Deputy's
job, it would be possible to promote the Senior Clerk first to the posi-
tion of Administrative Clerk (pay group 15) for the time period necessary
to gain the additional needed experience (perhaps a year or more); then to
promote that person to the Chief Deputy position (pay group 17) at such
time as she is fulfilling all the responsibilities of the Chief Deputy.
I have conveyed this information to Bill Baskette and Mary Brooks by tele-
phone, as well as transmitting copies of this letter and its attachments to
them.
The Hon. Gordon Morriss -3- July 1G, 1986
Thank you again for allowing us continuing opportunities to be of service to
Kerr County. Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions about
our recommendations.
Sincerely,
RAY SSOCIATES, INC.
KBR:hp
Attachments
cc: Bill Baskette
Mary Brooks
IQRR QJUMY SAIARY SURVEY
(In Monthly SalaL~' ~8~~)
Position: Court Reporter
$3,232 Bexar County
(County and district court
reporters m3lce the same.)
$2,531 CrnEil County
(district Court Reporter
pay~rount based on county's
share, $10,936 piyr., which
is 3E~ of a 3-county split:
Contract with court
reporting film for camty
court-at-law court reporter.)
$2,324 - $2,690 Travis County
$2,2/5 Bell County
$2,204 &-aws county
(Same pay for both county
and district court reporters.)
$2,136 Victoria County
$2,C0;33 Hays County
(FYgure represents what
judge will be requesting
to hire e:d.sti.ng part-tip
crnst reporter as full-tine.
Includes allowing her use
of county office and equip-
ment to do free lance work.)
$1,887 Navarro County
(Salary is for district
court reporter. Contract
with court reporting film
for county court-:st-law
court reporter.)
$1,357 Val Verde County
Average: $2,242
Median: $2,2(Y~
Job Description: Court Reporter
CLASS N0, 1010
OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORY:
Office/Clerical
PAY GROUP: Exempt
JOB TITLE: Court Reporter
OBJECTIVE:
FLSA: Nonexempt
To record and accurately transcribe all court proceedings.
ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
1. Reports to: A District Judge or County Court-at-Law Judge.
2. Directs: Does not supervise any employees.
3 Other: Has contact with the District and County Clerks' offices and
all parties involved in trying a case in district court or the county
court-at-law, including attorneys, witnesses, members of the jury,
defendants, prosecutors, and spectators.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:
This a responsible nonsupervisory position. Duties include recording (by
hand or shorthand machine) proceedings in the courts and preparing an
accurate transcript of the proceedings for appeals or future court use.
EXAMPLES OF WORK:
Attends all sessions of the district court or county court-at-law and
makes a full record of evidence, objections, rulings, voir dire of jury
duty, and arguments;
Takes full shorthand notes (by hand or by machine) of closing arguments if
requested to do so by the attorney of a party to the case, including
objections to the arguments, court rulings and remarks on the objections,
and exceptions to the rulings;
Takes full shorthand notes (by hand or by machine) of oral testimony
offered before the court including objections made to the admissibility of
evidence, court rulings and remarks on the objections, and exceptions to
the rulings;
Preserves all shorthand or machine notes taken in court for three years
from the date taken for future use and prepares accurate transcripts of
court proceedings for appeals or future court use as instructed;
Marks and files with the court exhibits introduced into evidence during
trials or hearings, and indexes and files notes taken in court;
Revised 7/16/86
CLASS NO. 1010 (Continued)
Locates and reads testimony adduced in court for court or jury assistance;
May conduct the deposition of witnesses, receive, execute, and return
commissions, and make a certificate of the proceedings in any county that
is included in the judicial district of the court;
May prepare jury charges in civil cases;
May perform secretarial services which assist in the administrative
functions of the court; and
Performs such other duties as may be assigned.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
Thorough knowledge of hand or machine shorthand theory and ability to meet
standards established for certification as a Certified Shorthand Reporter
through the Supreme Court of Texas (180-225 words per minute depending
upon nature of dictation, scoring at least 957 accuracy on this portion of
the certification exam); knowledge of and ability to apply correct English
and spelling, vocabulary, including legal and medical terminology, and
general knowledge of Texas law as well as of proper court procedure
(scoring at least 75~ accuracy on this portion of the certification exam);
ability to type accurately at a minimum speed of 55 words per minute;
ability to apply correct punctuation; and ability to establish and main-
tain effective working relationships with the District and Co~!nty Clerks'
offices and all parties involved in a case.
ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
High school graduation or its equivalent, plus graduation from court
reporting school and experience sufficient to permit certification as a
Certified Shorthand Reporter by the Supreme Court of Texas;
OR
Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the
required knowledge, skills, and abilities and satisfies state statutes.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Certification as a Certified Shorthand Reporter by the Supreme Court of
Texas (V. T. C. A., Government Code, Sec. 52.023).
Revised 7/16/86