go

Da,llas Caunty Judge CIay Le*is Jenkfns Date: To: Frorn Re: 17,2412 January Court Commissioners JudgeClay LewisJenkins DallasCounty O#icials Payfor Hlected Weather Poficyfor Inclement

BACKGROUND faciiities and poticyregarding closure county of the Countyhas a lang-standing Dallas Directcr with the Fire Marshal, Afterco*sulting for operations weatherrelatedpurposesthe $ecurity and the County Administrator, Dallas County Judge is oi Hometand on to authorized makethe finaldecision whetheror not to openthe countyfor business. the afterconsidering ta Thedecision closethe countyis one that is takenvery seriously whornwe serve. wot*forceand the public of bestinterest the counly's to policieson taking leave of absenceand timekeeping The county has established their officesto fulflll their requiredor core to administer provide for flexibifity officials functions. Courl ciosedby *ctionof Commissioners Lastyear,DallasCountywas only officially However, manyof our 6,700 for 4,2A11, a costof $512,000. February oneday,Friday, who closedtheir officesat electedofficials work directlyfor independently emplsyees Courtdoes exercise that while a Comnnissioners Texas law specifies their discretion. far auihority the County,a countyofficerretainscontrolover how to operate budgetary JC-0239 opinions. TexasAttorney General According the foflowlng to {2000); theiioffice. (1989), elected offlcialsmay use their dis$etion in JC-0131 (1999); JM-1099 when to close their own olfices, as long as .doing so serves a public determining purpose, were not required for electedofficials who tivork separately the Accordingly. employees tiffie, or leave withoutpay. In these instances, use vacationtime, compensatory to to for to obligated pay thoseemployees timetheywereunable was legally Dallas County official. Lastyear,DailasCounty elected sf workbecause officeclosureby independent weatherpay for the hoursnot workedby in spentan addiiional $468,000 inclement other eiectedofficials Meanwhile, due to offrceclosureby indepe*dently employees to were required use their who workedin oiherdepartments employees County Dallas for own vacationtime in order to be compensated any absencesfronr work durtng situations. weather inclement are officials not at workvrhenthe elecied of whenempioyees independently Additicnally, fot" affectsdailyoperations otherdepartment it negatively countyis open for business.

s1
": and officesfsr their who relyon interaction assistance all electedofficials' of empioyess dailyactivities. to of This amendment the currentpolicy will requirethat amountspaid to employees Heads whs close their effices independent Fallas of Elected OfficialslDepartment duringinclement to weather be briefed Ccmn:issioners witl Court. County Administration IMPACT OPERATIONAL countycfficialcloseshis or her office vveather other due to inclemeni or Whe* an elected thal is normally partof a regular a work period, fcr and intends to circumstances a period the Office of Budgetand fvaluationwill: {1) notify those employee$, compensate (2) that c{osed, the reason(sithe depa*ment Comrnissioners Courtof the department closureduringthe first postedmeetingafter closedand (3) the ccst of the department theclosure. costs tCI county, Dall*s CountyCommissioners the the ln orderto reducethe monetary that any time off frsrn work grantedby a countyofficialdue io office Couri requests weatheror other circurnstances enteredin the county's be closuredue to inclement Kroncs,underthe code"holiday". system, timekeeping FINANCIAL IMFACT to of to Thereis no financialirnpact the implementation this amendment the Inclemeni unableto work becauseof officeclosureby Weatherpolidy. Time paid to employees LegallyAdoptedSudget. No budget electedofficiafurillbe fundedfrom the officiaf's for will be considered this compensation. amendmenis LEGALREVIEW Attorney review. for in havebeensentto the District outlined this document The changes PLANCOMPLI.ANCE STRATEGTC approved Strategic with PlanMsion 1: Dal/asColniy r'sa This is consistent the County's paftner,specifically,Strategy1:2; Electedofficralsreaclr consensus model int*ragency gavernment. and cn roles,responsibf/fties, funcfionscf Da/lasCaunty RECOMMENDATION to the CountyCommissioners approve amendment Court the li 1srecsmmended Dallas Weaiher the Inclement PolicY. bY: Recsmmended DallasCountyJudgeClayLewisJenkins