County Commissioners

The job of the County Commissioner calls for hands-on service delivery as well as policy-making decisions.

Four Commissioners, each elected from a quarter of the County’s population, serve along with the County Judge on the Commissioner’s Court. In addition to assuring that County roads are maintained, commissioners vote with the county judge to set the budget for all county departments and adopt a tax rate.

Among other responsibilities, the Commissioner’s Court:

• May temporarily ban burning certain fireworks during hazardous drought Conditions
• May temporarily ban all out door burning during hazardous drought conditions
• Sets the yearly property tax rate and approves the budget and employment level for the county
• Calls, conducts and certifies elections, including bond elections • Sets employment and benefit policy
  Establishes long-range thoroughfare, open space, land use, financial and law
• Enforcement/jail needs plans
• Acquires property for rights-of-way or other uses determined to be in the public’s best interest
• Reviews and approve subdivision platting and wastewater treatment for Rural areas
• Oversee the construction, maintenance and improvement of county roads and bridges
• Appoints non-elected department heads and standing committees
• Supervises and controls the county courthouse, county buildings and facilities
• Has exclusive authority to authorize contracts in the name of the county
• Has authority to grant tax abatement for economic development