Published: August 20, 2008 08:25 am      

Guinn building super OK’d

Johnson County Commissioners approved Robert Rudzavice’s position as building superintendent for the Guinn Justice Center on Monday.

Rudzavice has the same position with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.

Johnson County Public Works Director Don Burns received approval in this year’s budget to hire a building superintendent for the Guinn Building. Commissioners last month voted to turn over operations of the Johnson County Corrections Center to a private company beginning Sept. 1.

The company, Community Education Centers, will hire and pay its own staffing. Rudzavice will move from there to the Guinn beginning Sept. 1.

Commissioners decreased a proposed agreement between the county and Alvarado ISD by $44,965. The agreement concerns school resource officers. The sheriff’s office supplies SRO officers who man various ISD campuses throughout the county. The original agreement, which remains to be approved, listed two SRO officers for Alvarado High School. One of the officers retired, and the school is only requesting one for the coming school year.

Commissioners recently agreed to fund 20 percent of the officers’ salaries with the affected school districts funding the remainder. The ISDs of Alvarado, Godley, Joshua and Venus must approve the funding proposals before they become effective.

During a budget workshop, commissioners discussed increasing salaries for new employees by $1,000 for each level of pay grade.

“We need to keep those starting salaries up to keep us competitive in the workforce,” County Judge Roger Harmon said. “We’re competing with other cities and counties and the gas companies.”

Commissioners also discussed the amount the county should contribute toward employee’s health insurance premiums. No action was taken on the item.

The county’s fiscal year begins Oct. 1.