CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Employees at the Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office will soon see a pay increase on their pay check as early as May.
The decision was made at Wednesday’s County Commissioners Court meeting after Dr. Timothy Fagen asked the court to cut certain positions within his office and use that money to pay higher wages to current employees.
"We've changed some of the staffing for this office,” Dr. Fagen said. “What we did, we eliminated one full time position for the office coordinator and then we eliminated one part time position which was a part time investigator position."
According to the city's website, Dr. Timothy Fagen is a physician licensed by the Texas Medical Board and is certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic, clinical, and forensic pathology. He believed the change would be good for his office.
The changes include eliminating a vacant medical examiner coordinator position and a part-time medical examiner investigator that was vacant since last year. In addition, a voluntary director of operations salary decrease was also approved.
On Wednesday, Fagen said the changes would allow a salary increase for various positions like autopsy technicians and investigators. Salaries would help Nueces county compete with other cities pay and lure autopsy technicians and investigators to our area.
"Having good quality services means that we have good quality employees who are proper trained and do their jobs well. Not that we attach new employees, but we also retain the ones we currently have," Fagen said.
Dr. Fagen told commissioners the changes will come with no additional cost to Nueces County but would rather allow them to save money.
"Under Texas law, once the budget has been set for the year, unless it's an unforeseen emergency, the budget can't be changed," he said.
Fagen believed that the increase in pay will help current employees make ends meet.
"There were employees who worked very well and were a pleasure to have at this office, but they had difficulties paying rent and I understand. That's a basic need," he said.
There's hope that the pay increase will also lead to less turnover at the medical examiner's office.
For a recap of the County Commissioners Court meeting, click here.
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