Facts, Questions, and Answers
County government consist of a vast array of services and information that can make asking the right question difficult. This page is designed to help with answering common questions asked by citizens.
Departments:
- Elections, Voter Registration and Election Results
- Human Resources
- Jury and Juror Information
- Justice of the Peace Offices
- Public Health
- Recycling Center
- Road and Bridge
- Treasurer's Office
- Tax Office and Motor Vehicle
- Tax Office and Property Tax
- Sheriff's Office
- Department of Public Safety
Q: Where do I vote?
A: The Comal County Voting Precincts:
Click here for the latest Polling Places
Q: Who can vote?
A: Any United States citizen may vote provided that he/she is:
- a resident of the county
- at least 18 years of age on election day
- registered to vote
- not a convicted felon
- not declared mentally incapacitated by a court of law.
Q: How do I register to vote?
A: You may register to vote at any time. Postage-free postcard applications are available at the Elections/Voter Registration Office or from the Secretary of State . You may mail the card or return it in person to the Elections/Voter Registration Office.
- must be at least 17 years and 10 months of age on the date your application is submitted.
Q: How do I change my address for voting purposes?
A: If you are moving within the county, simply notify the voter registrar in writing of your new address by correcting the information on your current voter registration certificate and returning it to the voter registrar. If you prefer, you may complete a new voter registration application; just check the box for change. You will be able to vote in your new precinct 30 days after your notice has been received.
If you are moving to another county, you must re-register! Complete an application and mail it or take it in person to the voter registrar of your new county.
Q: How do I change my name on my voter registration card?
A: Promptly notify the voter registrar in writing of the change following the same steps as for change of address. You will receive a new, corrected certificate 30 days after your notice is received. You may continue to vote. You will be registered 30 days after your application is submitted. You will receive a new certificate.
Q: What if I lose my voter registration card?
A: Notify the voter registrar in writing or by phone, and he/she will issue you a new one.
Q: Are there any job openings at this time?
A: See our list at Employment Opportunities.
Q: How do I apply for a job with the County?
A: The County averages 50 to 60 job openings per year. All County jobs require that a job application be completed and returned to Human Resources (HR) prior to any job close out date. Applications are now only available on-line at https://www.co.comal.tx.us/HR/Employment.htm and should be completed as directed in each posting.
Job postings will close out at 5 PM on the date indicated as the closing date. Once all the job applications for a specific job have been collected, HR turns them over to the appropriate department head for review. The department head will determine who will be interviewed and ultimately select the best qualified candidate to fill their open position.
Q: What benefits are offered by the County to their employees?
A: Only full-time employees (40 or more Hrs/Week) are eligible for the following benefits:
- One week of vacation after 6 months credible service, increasing to two weeks after 12 months and increasing to three weeks after 10 years.
- Sick leave accrual of 3.076 hours per pay period (80 hours per year).
- (Note: sick leave benefits become effective 30 days after hire)
- Sick leave "buy back" program for leave accumulated over a set number of hours (non-exempt only).
- Automatic Deposits
- Major medical health plan (only full-time employees (30 or more Hrs/Week) are eligible).
- Employer funded retirement with the County paying half the cost.
- Up to twelve paid holidays (depends upon the calendar year and Commissioners Court)
- Cafeteria Plan (IRS Section 125 Flexible Compensation Plan)
- Guardian Vision Plan (paid by employee)
- Guardian Dental Plan (paid by employee)
- Allstate Major Medical Complement (GAP) Plan (paid by employee)
- Allstate Group Critical Illness Plan (paid by employee)
- Allstate Group Cancer Plan (paid by employee)
- Allstate Group Voluntary Term Life Insurance (paid by employee)
- Basic Life for employee with Accidental Death and Dismemberment Plan ($45,000)
- Flexible Spending Account (Medical/Dependent Care)
- Workers' Compensation / Unemployment Insurance
- Employee-run Sick Leave Pool Program (eligible after 12 months of employment)
- Short-term disability
- Long-term disability (paid by the employee)
- AirLife Ambulance coverage for all employees (Part-time and Full-time)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees (Part-time and Full-time)
- Prepaid Legal (paid by employee)
- Please note: Part-time employees (less than 30 Hrs/Week) are not eligible for County benefit package, but are still covered under workers' compensation and unemployment insurance. Part-time employees are eligible to participate in the County's retirement program. Provided their total work hours normally exceed 20 hours (but no more than 28 hours) per week, they are also eligible to participate in the cafeteria plan for supplemental insurance benefits at their cost (they are not eligible for full medical benefits).
Q: What do county employees pay for insurance?
A: The monthly rate for a county employee is currently $741.63 and is paid by the county. The employee may add coverage for his/her spouse at a bi-weekly rate of $175.87, or add a child at a bi-weekly rate of $87.06. The bi-weekly rate for complete family coverage begins at $262.90 for Spouse/1 Child, and increases by $16.13 per additional child.
Q: What kind of jobs does the County have?
A: Most of the County's jobs fit into three categories: Law Enforcement (37%), Admin/Clerical (49%), and Road & Bridge (14%). A high school diploma or GED equivalent is required
Q: Does the county perform and reference background checks?
A: Yes, all position being filled, require a criminal history and or comprehensive background check (especially for all positions within the Comal County Sheriff’s Office). The county's policy is to verify all information submitted on the employment application. This is done via reference checks and criminal history checks thru DPS Driving history and verification of current Auto Insurance is also required for any and all positions requiring the use of a county vehicle or use of your own privately owned vehicle in pursuit
Q: Is the County an Equal Employment Opportunity employer?
A: Employment decisions at the County are based upon merit, qualifications, and abilities. The County does not discriminate based on race, age, gender, sexual preference,
Q: Does the County have a retirement plan?
A: Yes. The County is a member of the Texas County and District Retirement System (TCDRS). Under this system, employees currently contribute 7% of their gross salary each month with the County contributing 14%. Employees earn vested benefit rights upon the completion of eight (8) years of creditable service. An employee is eligible for lifetime monthly benefit payments if one
- accumulated as least 8 years of credited service and attain the age of at least 60; or,
- attained an age and total credited service which equals 75 years or more;
- or accumulated at least 30 years of credited service.
Q: What holidays are paid by the County?
A: Paid holidays are reviewed annually by Commissioners' Court and are subject to change. Paid holidays can run from 10-12 per year depending on when they fall in that particular calendar year
Office Holiday Schedule - click here
Q: When does the county begin to provide paid vacation and how is it accrued?
- VACATION ACCRUAL
VACATION ACCRUAL # Days Eligibility Accrual Accumulate 10 Days
(2 weeks)1st Week
Following 6 months service
2nd Week after 1st year service
3.076 hours per pay period
(26 pay periods per year)
Note 1.20 days maximum 15 Days
(3 weeks)Completion of 10 years of service 4.620 hours per pay period
(26 pay periods per year)
Note 2.30 days maximum Note 1: Begins (as noted above) on pad period following 6 month & 1st year anniversary, and each pay period thereafter.
Note 2: Begins on last day of month in which tenth anniversary occurs and each month thereafter.
Q: Who is eligible for the county sick leave pool, and how is it managed?
A: Any full time employee who has completed one year of continuous service with the County and donates a minimum of 8 hours (1 Day) to the pool may become a member. The pool is for members who experience a catastrophic injury or illness and have exhausted all of their accrued sick leave and vacation time. Depending upon the recommendation of a doctor, a member may be able to withdraw up to one-third of the balance of hours in the pool or 180 days, whichever is less.
Q: Is the County an "At Will" employer?
A: Yes. This means that either the County or employee can sever the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, for any legal reason, or for no reason at all. Normally, a two-week notification by either party is desired
Q: Does the County promote a "Drug-Free Workplace"?
A: Yes. It is the County's desire to provide a drug-free, healthful, and safe workplace. No employee may use, possess, distribute, sell, or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. Violations of this policy will lead to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination of employment. A pre-employment drug test is required as part of a conditional offer of employment for all positions. Random drug test are also performed in accordance with the Department of Transportation (DOT) for all Commercial Drivers License (CDL) positions, as well those that fall under reasonable suspicion criteria using the DOT limits as
Q: How does one get promoted in the County?
A: Promotions in the County occur when a higher-graded position comes open, through normal attrition (retirement, termination, death), and a lower-graded County employee competes for and is selected to fill it. The employee would then assume the higher grade of the new position. Before advertising a new vacancy, a department head will normally look within his/her own department first, but it is not mandatory. If they cannot fill the vacancy from within, then it becomes open to all employees who must compete for selection.
Q: How does the county treat Family Medical Leave
A: A family and/or medical leave of absence is available to eligible employees for up to twelve (12) weeks of unpaid leave in any 12-month period under certain circumstances that are related to the health of the employee or the employee's family. FMLA is based on a rolling measured backward from the date the employee uses any FMLA leave. Comp time, sick leave, and vacation accruals will be exhausted with FMLA requests until it reaches an unpaid status.
Q: Does the County have an active Safety Program
A: Yes, the County has an active accident prevention plan with Safety Committee participation. The committee meets once a month and members are elected to serve one year terms.
Q: Where do I go to pay my speeding ticket?
A: That depends on where you got the ticket; the location for payment should be written on the ticket. If you have lost your ticket but remember its color, you may be able to determine where you should go. Yellow tickets are issued by the city; you will go to municipal court. Green tickets are issued by the county; you must pay the ticket to the office of the JP of the district in which the ticket was issued. Tickets issued by the Department of Public Safety are also paid to the JP of the district in which the ticket was issued.
Q: How do I pay my fine?
A: You may mail a money order or cashier's check for speeding ticket fines made payable to the appropriate JP. For example, you need to pay in Precinct 3 and the check should be made out to Judge Mike Rust, JP 3 if you got the ticket in Precinct 3. You may pay cash if you pay in person at the JP office. Call the office to verify if they take credit cards or personal checks. JP Offices
Q: How should I plead, no contest or guilty? What's the difference?
A: A plea of no contest has the same result as a plea of guilty, except you are not admitting fault. You are allowing the judge to make the ruling. This is only important in the case of future lawsuits where an admittance of guilt in the first hearing may be held against you in future actions.
Q: What do you take for recycling?
A: All Food Grade Plastics, all glass bottles, aluminum cans, brown paper bags (grocery), chipboard (thin cardboard), corrugated cardboard, junk mail ,magazines, newspaper, scrap metal - "no AC compressors", tin cans, *tires: Fees apply
Q: What can you not accept for recycling?
A: Trash, PVC pipe, dryer lint, light bulbs, medical waste, syringes, ceramics, mirrors, window glass, aluminum foil, aluminum pie plates or food containers, soiled newspaper, plastic bags (grocery), Styrofoam of any kind.
Q: What is the chipping program?
A: The Recycling Center accepts (Green Waste) brush, yard trimmings and limbs (with diameters no larger than 18 inches) which we can then process into chips for use as mulch. No rocks, Palms, Yucca, Cactus, food, waste or building materials will be accepted. The mulch is free and available Tuesday- Friday from 7:00am until 3:00pm. And Saturday 8:00 to 12:00. This service is strictly for residential
Q: Where does the county get its money?
A: About 45% of the county's revenue comes in the form of property taxes. Investment Income contributes around 10%. The other 45% is from fines and fees.
Q: When are Accounts Payable checks distributed?
A: Usually after 1:00pm on Thursdays.
Q: I've heard talk about positive pay AP. What is that?
A: This is a banking concept to eliminate fraud. The Treasurer tells the county's bank which check numbers have been issued and the amounts of each, authorizing the bank to pay only those checks. In this way, the bank knows if a fraudulent check is presented. The concept may be applied to all accounts.
Q: What do I need to get a driver's license?
A: If you have never been issued a driver's license, you must bring proof of identification, Social Security
Q: What do I need to renew my driver's license?
A: To renew your license to drive, you will need to bring your current driver's license, proof of liability insurance on your personal vehicle and your Social Security card.
Q: I've just moved to Texas. How do I get a Texas driver's license?
A: To get a driver's license for Texas, you will need to show proof of Texas registration, proof of liability insurance on your personal vehicle, your Social Security card, a valid out-of-state driver's license, and birth certificate. If you have not yet registered your vehicle in Texas, you must do so before we can issue you a driver's license. Vehicle registration is handled in the tax office. Before you can get a vehicle registered, it must be inspected; inspections can be done at most full service gas stations, automotive repair shops and inspection stations.
Q: I've lost my driver's license? What should I do?
A: Come into the office between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday with proof of liability insurance and your Social Security card. A duplicate license costs $10.
Q: How much does the driver's license cost?
A: The type of license determines your cost.
- For a non-commercial license, the cost is $16, $20 or $24.
- A commercial license is $40, $50 or $60.
- A motorcycle license is $8 for re-newels or $s or $15 to add the class to an existing license.
- An identification card (no driving privileges) costs $5 for persons over 60 or $15 for anyone under 60.
- An instructional or provisional license costs $5.
Q: When may I renew my driver's license?
A: The driver's license bureau is open from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday.
Q: What does my 15 year old need to get a learners permit?
A: He/She will need a certified Birth Certificate, their Social Security card, the TEA form for proof of enrollment in school, their Driver's Education Certificate, one parent, and $5.
Q: What does my 16 year old, who already has a learner's permit, need to get a driver's license?
A: He/She needs their learners permit, their Social Security card, the TEA form for proof of enrollment and attendance, their Driver's Education Certificate, and $5.