Williamson County Commissioners clash over temp position funding

Tensions were high at Williamson CountyCommissionersCourt Tuesday during a discussion about funding a temporary position in the Precinct 4 office.

An employee in Precinct 4 — overseen by Commissioner Russ Boles — will be absent on Family and Medical Leave for five weeks. An item on Tuesday’s agenda would transfer $4,300 from the Non Department/Contingencies to cover temporary labor to fill the position.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Terry Cook asked what work the temporary employee would perform before the motion was put to a vote by County Judge Bill Gravell.

“It’s a commissioners office,” Mr. Boles responded after Mr. Gravell’s motion. “There’s phones, there’s emails.”

Ms. Cook argued that Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey has been operating without a third employee for five months. She asserted that the Precinct 3 office had not suffered because of it.

“I don’t understand what’s going on that you need somebody,” Ms. Cook said, going on to say she had heard from residents that the Precinct 4 office had been difficult to contact.

Mr. Gravell asserted that, as Commissioner of Precinct 1, Ms. Cook did not have jurisdiction in Precinct 4.

“I want to encourage you to stay in your precinct,” he said. “We don’t meddle in your affairs and if you want us to, we will. But you’re not going to be pleased with the outcome.”

Ms. Cook said the matter was one of funding.

“The taxpayer money is mine to be careful with,” she said. “I don’t understand how he needs someone for five weeks for $8,612.”

Mr. Boles said he has two people in his office and one will be out, thus the need for temporary labor. The motion passed with Ms. Cook voting against the action.

After the vote, Mr. Gravell said he believed Ms. Cook spoke out as a political device. Commissioner Boles and Judge Gravell are both up for reelection in November.

“It would have made a lot of difference if you had this discussion [outside] of the political season,” he said. “But you only did this for political gain.”

Ms. Cook responded, “During the political season, this smells bad.”

“It smells bad what you did,” Mr. Gravell answered. “What you did is inappropriate. If you want to play politics from this dias, folks can play politics from this dias.”