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County Commissioner
The job of the county commissioner calls for hands-on
service delivery as well as policy-making budget decisions.
Four commissioners, each elected from
a quarter of the county's population, serve along with
the county judge on the commissioners 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
commissioners court:
- Sets the yearly property tax rate and approves
the budget and employment level for the county;
- Sets commissioners and justice of the peace precinct
boundaries;
- 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;
- Provides rural ambulance services and subsidizes
rural fire protection;
- Oversees 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;
- Adopts a county budget;
- Determines county tax rates;
- Fills vacancies in elective and appointive positions;
and
- Has exclusive authority to authorize contracts
in the name of the county.
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