Commissioners agree to revisit $5,500 stipend for district-court administration next week

County judges and commissioners spent a prolonged portion of the Sept. 22 Williamson County Commissioners Court meeting debating how to treat a $5,500 supplement included in the FY27 budget order that has historically been paid as a stipend to certain court administrative staff.

Donna King, judge of the 26th District Court and local administrative judge, told the court she reviewed a job description and concluded the work is more appropriately tied to the director of district court administration, August Alvarado. "I was unaware that it was tied to court administrator," King said, describing duties tied to her statutory responsibilities under Texas Government Code §74.092 and asking that the stipend be moved to the division director because those duties are integral to statutory reporting and oversight.

Several commissioners urged caution about replacing an interim stipend with a permanent salary increase absent HR and budgetary review; one commissioner said converting the stipend to salary would be more advantageous to the employee but could create future administrative complications. For clarity, County Auditor Julie Kiley and budget staff confirmed the court may change the budget order and also amend the job description through HR.

Rather than take final action, the court agreed to return the matter next week with a revised budget order and a job-description amendment (or, if needed, after August Alvarado is available) so the commission can explicitly direct whether the $5,500 becomes a stipend or is folded into base pay. The court did not make a final compensation change on Sept. 22.