A Look at County Job Descriptions
We’ve had quite a bit of coverage over the last few editions from the various candidate forums held for the upcoming county judge, county commissioners and justice of the peace races here in Fayette County. That election is March 1. A lot of us are wondering what exactly these roles entail anyway. Here’s the job descriptions of all three of those roles according to the Texas Association of Counties:
What is a County Judge?
Depending on the size of the county, the county judge has a wide range of judicial and administrative duties and is the presiding officer of the commissioners court.
What Does a County Judge do in Texas?
• Presiding officer of the commissioners court
• Represents the county in many administrative functions
• Serves as budget officer in counties with fewer than 225,000 residents
• Most have broad judicial duties, such as presiding over misdemeanor criminal and small civil cases, probate matters and appeals from the Justice of the Peace Court
• Serves as head of emergency management
What is a County Commissioner?
The county commissioner is responsible for roads and bridges within their precinct and makes policy-making budget decisions. Four commissioners, elected from a quarter of the county’s population, serve along with the county judge on the commissioner’s court.
What does a County Commissioner do in Texas?
A county commissioner in Texas has the following duties:
• As member of the commissioners court, exercises broad policy-making authority
• Represents one of four precincts within the county
• Typically responsible for building and maintaining county roads and bridges within the precinct
Commissioners Court
The commissioners court conducts the general business of the county and consists of the county judge and four commissioners. The court:
The court:
• Adopts the county’s budget and tax rate
• Approves all budgeted purchases of the county
• Fills vacancies in elective and appointive offices
• Sets all salaries and benefits
• Has exclusive authority to authorize contracts
• Provides and maintains all county buildings and facilities
What is a Justice of the Peace?
The justice of the peace presides over the justice court in cases involving misdemeanors, small civil disputes, landlord/tenant disputes and more. They also conduct inquests and may perform marriage ceremonies.
What Does a Justice of the Peace do in Texas?
A justice of the peace in Texas has the following duties:
• Hears traffic and other Class C misdemeanor cases punishable by fine only
• Hears civil cases with up to $20,000 in controversy
• Hears landlord and tenant disputes
• Hears truancy cases
• Performs magistrate duties
• Conducts inquests
In addition local folks are also announcing their candidacy for school board positions. That election is May 7. According to the Texas Education Agency, here’s the role of school board members (which are unpaid positions):
School Boards
Texas school districts and charters are overseen by school boards. The boards of independent school districts are elected by the citizens of their communities, while the boards of charter schools are appointed.
In each instance, the school board oversees the management of the district or charter school and ensures that the superintendent implements and monitors district operations. The board and the superintendent work together as a team to bring about the best education possible for the boys and girls they serve.
To make sure they carry their job out appropriately, school trustees are required to receive training in the laws and rules of the state education system.