TYLER, Texas (East Texas News) – The Smith County Commissioners Court will consider the possibility of eliminating the Budget Officer position and replacing it with a Budget Analyst.
The county has not had a Budget Officer since the end of last summer, when Kari Perkins resigned after a controversial budgeting process. Perkins is now running for County Treasurer in Wood County.
Smith County Judge Neal Franklin indicated that the court will consider hiring a Budget Analyst who would work under the supervision of the county auditor.
“If we opt for a Budget Analyst position and have that person work under the auditor’s supervision for a year, to learn and participate in the budgeting process, or even two years, then we could consider the possibility of that person filling the Budget Officer position,” Franklin said.
The commissioners court will address the matter at Tuesday’s meeting and will interview at least one candidate in a closed session, according to Franklin.
The agenda includes items to “consider and take the necessary steps to approve an order to abolish the Smith County Budget Officer position, in accordance with Section 111.062(b) of the Texas Local Government Code, and to approve the reclassification of the Budget Officer position to Budget Analyst.”
Another item on the agenda would be “consider and take the necessary steps to appoint a new Smith County Budget Officer or hire a Budget Analyst, depending on the availability of the respective positions.”
According to the state government code, a county that establishes the county Budget Officer position can only eliminate it through formal action by the Commissioners Court. The court must make this decision after the first day of the second month of the fiscal year and before the first day of the sixth month of the fiscal year.
If the position is eliminated, the duties of the Budget Officer can be performed by the county auditor, if the county has a population over 225,000 residents, as is the case with Smith County.
According to an agenda item published earlier, the salary range for a Budget Officer is $93,117 to $107,085. The salary range for a Budget Analyst is $75,000 to $85,000.
