With the appointment of a permanent police chief still pending, the Brookshire City Council has approved a temporary increase in pay for Interim Chief Darrell Branch.
Branch, a 15-year veteran of the department, normally holds the rank of lieutenant.
He was given a $3,000 raise over his current salary for the remainder of the time he serves as interim chief.
That increase brings Branch’s salary in line with what former police chief Joseph Prejean was making prior to his June 14 departure. Branch has been interim chief since that time.
Mayor Joey Vaughn said he had previously given Branch a “$100 per paycheck” raise at that time; however, council members felt he should be compensated at Prejean’s salary level.
City Attorney Loren Smith said the council had full authority to grant the temporary raise, but it could not be retroactive because that would be interpreted as a “bonus.” Bonuses are prohibited by state law, Smith said.
“The Texas Constitution does not allow public entities to grant bonuses, and (retroactive pay) would be considered a bonus under the law,” Smith said.
Alderman Jimmy Sanders formally moved to grant Branch the temporary pay increase; Alderman Lyndon Stamps seconded the motion. It was approved on a 3-0 vote, with one abstention.
Alderwoman Kim Branch abstained from both the discussion and the vote because she is married to the interim chief.
Mayor Pro-Tem Marilyn Vaughn was not present for the meeting.
Branch had been one of 12 applicants for the police chief position, but the selection committee did not name him as a finalist. San Felipe Police Chief Brandal Jackson and Austin County sheriff’s detective Charles R. Holmes were the two applicants recommended by the committee.
City council interviewed both finalists in a closed-door executive session earlier this month. After the interviews, Sanders made a surprise motion, asking to re-open the interview process and adding long-time Brookshire resident and veteran lawman Rex White to the list of finalists.
White, who is director of the University of Houston-Downtown Criminal Justice Center and a former Brookshire Police Chief, was one of the original applicants for the post but, like Branch, was not named as a finalist by the selection committee.
Sanders motion died in a 2-2 tie vote, with Alderman Eric Green abstaining. He said he was “not ready to make any decision.”
No council member made a motion to hire either Jackson or Holmes.
Since that time, no further action has been taken to fill the police chief position.
