County veterans director gets pay raise

Washington County opened a new Veterans Service Office on Thursday at 62 W. North Street in Fayetteville. New Veterans Service Director Josh Medina received a raise Tuesday.
Washington County opened a new Veterans Service Office on Thursday at 62 W. North Street in Fayetteville. New Veterans Service Director Josh Medina received a raise Tuesday.

FAYETTEVILLE -- An employee hired by County Judge Joseph Wood in January will get a $2,300 annual pay raise without input from the Quorum Court, according to county records and county officials.

Veterans Service Director Josh Medina will be paid $21.19 an hour, up from $20.08 when he was hired, records show. That's an annual salary of $44,075.

New hires

Washington County Judge Joseph Wood has hired new employees, most at lower salaries than their predecessors whose annual salaries are in parentheses.

• Julie Harris, executive assistant to the county judge, $40,000 ($49,284)

• Dwight Gonzales, building and maintenance supervisor, $53,000 ($64,173)

• Jim Kimbrough, planning director, $50,694 ($60,691)

• Brian Lester, county attorney, $70,000 ($76,300)

• Sharon Lloyd, grants administrator, $53,000 ($50,473)

• Carl Gales, chief of staff, $69,000 ($69,888)

• Josh Medina, veterans service director, $44,075 ($44,992)

Source: Brian Lester

Meanwhile, Wood withdrew his request for a new top administrator. Justices of the peace said last month they wanted Wood to explain why he needed the position before approving the proposal.

County documents show Wood wanted to split his chief of staff position into chief deputy of operations and chief deputy of administration. The chief of staff title would be dissolved, and the employee holding the position would become chief deputy of operations. The plan was to divide the county judge's 14 departments between the two administrators.

That proposal was tabled for one month during the Personnel Committee in February, then quietly dropped from the agenda without explanation this month.

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Law doesn't require Wood to tell justices of the peace about the pay raise or the withdrawal of the proposed position, said Justice of the Peace Butch Pond, a Republican representing eastern Washington County. Still, Wood saying something might help build a rapport with the Quorum Court, Pond said.

"He's holding his cards pretty close to his breast," Pond said.

County Attorney Brian Lester said in email Thursday that Wood "pulled his previous request regarding the deputy positions to allow himself more time to evaluate the organization and structure of the executive office and will reconsider any changes at a later time."

Wood did not respond to a message sent to his cellphone Wednesday. Lester has been acting as county spokesman.

The Job Evaluation and Salary Administration Program Committee on Monday approved the pay raise for Medina. The committee -- made of county employees from various departments and elected officials -- reviews job descriptions, title changes and new positions, among other items.

Two justices of the peace attended the committee meeting.

All employees are eligible for pay raises, which are decided on a case-by-case basis, Lester said.

Human Resources Director Michael Watson told the committee Medina had gotten a certification with the U.S. Veterans Affairs and has more education than required to hold his position. A resume for Medina was not provided in the committee's documents. Lester wrote in email no resume exists.

Medina previously referred questions about his background to Lester.

In a letter dated Feb. 24, Wood told committee members Medina has three years of managerial experience, a bachelor's degree in business management and served four years as a noncommissioned officer in the Marine Corps.

The Quorum Court doesn't need to approve Medina's pay raise because the money used was in the county judge's budget, said Michael Watson, human resources director. County policy and state law lay out what must be presented to and approved by the Quorum Court, Lester said.

Wood has saved roughly $35,000 this year by replacing some longtime employees with new employees for less pay, according to salary figures provided by Lester. Medina's new salary is slightly below that of former Veterans Service Officer Wayne Haines, who was hired in 2006. Haines' salary was $44,992 at the end of last year, but he was not rehired by Wood.

Other savings have come from renegotiated contracts, Building and Grounds Director Dwight Gonzales said previously.

NW News on 03/13/2017

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