Residents and law enforcement urge larger raises, warn of deputy shortages

Three public commenters and a sheriff's office representative told the court they are concerned the county's proposed employee raises are insufficient and warned of a growing shortage of experienced deputies.

"By giving yourself 16.6% increase and the staff a 5% increase, you are saying that you deserve it more than they do," public commenter Fern McClary said during the public-comment period, criticizing what she described as a larger increase for elected officials than for rank-and-file staff.

Corima Rivera, who identified herself as the wife and family member of a sheriff's deputy, described a near-fatal shooting involving her husband and urged commissioners to consider deputies' families when evaluating raises. "My husband wasn't going to a race... he was going to help his fellow deputies... That morning, he was shot and almost killed in the line of duty," Rivera said.

Senior Deputy Ramiro Gonzales and Jesse Campos, president of the Alamo (sic) Sheriff's Association, told the court that starting pay and retention are driving experienced deputies away. Gonzales said deputies' starting pay in the county is roughly $55,000 and called the 5% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 inadequate. Campos said the sheriff's office is currently assigning "an average of 14 to 18 deputies per shift" to cover county patrols and urged citizens to pressure elected officials to act.

The court did not take an immediate public vote to change compensation during the session. Commissioners acknowledged the comments and recorded the speakers' statements in the minutes. No specific alternative increase or timetable was adopted on the floor during this meeting.

Sources: public-comment presentations by Fern McClary, Corima Rivera, Senior Deputy Ramiro Gonzales and Jesse Campos.