State Association Welcomes New Officer

I am extremely honored to serve as second vice president of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas during this upcoming year. I look forward to working with each of you as we confront the many challenges we face in county government today.
I would first like to say to all of you who have been so devastated by hurricanes in the past few weeks that you are in our thoughts and prayers. I know how busy you have been working to recover from the damage caused by these disasters. As you are fully aware, local officials are the first line of defense when disaster strikes and are counted on to be there for the citizens of their communities. Elected and appointed officials, employees, and volunteers are asked to perform herculean tasks with little reward other than lost sleep and depressed spirits. To all of you who have worked so hard in the damaged areas, and to you who have housed, fed and clothed evacuees as well as sent workers and equipment into damaged areas, your efforts are what make this state a special place to live. Local government is the most efficient form of government because we still have to look our constituents in the face each day and work side by side with those we serve.
I also would like to thank our officers and their staff, as well as Tarrant County, for providing a wonderful conference in Fort Worth. Even though the number of attendees was reduced greatly because of Hurricane Ike, it did not dampen the spirits of those who attended. The education classes were some of the best I have ever attended, and the hospitality was tremendous. Thanks to everyone who had a part in making this conference possible.
I assure you I take the responsibility of being an officer in our State Association very seriously, and I will do my very best to be deserving of the confidence that you have placed in me. I am presently in my fifth term as Oldham County judge. Prior to taking office, I spent 15 years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 11 years in a county office, and the last four years as a state compliance supervisor.
I am a past president of the West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association and a past president of the Panhandle County Judges and Commissioners Association. I am a member of the board of directors and past president of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, our local council of governments, and president of the board of directors of Panhandle Community Services, which is the Community Action Agency that serves the Panhandle.
Oldham County’s economic base is predominantly agriculture and has struggled in the past with a very low tax base; however, we are encouraged by the developing wind power industry in our area. In 2006, a 161-megawatt wind ranch was constructed in Oldham County, and we are presently working on phase two, which is an 80-megawatt addition scheduled to begin construction in January 2009.
Evidenced by the recent hurricanes, emergency management is one of the areas of responsibility for counties that has grown tremendously in recent years. It is another area where we are being burdened to do more with less because of the mandates being placed on us both by the state and federal government. As we heard in Fort Worth from state Rep. Fred Hill, the upcoming legislative session will be crucial for local government. As stated by Chairman Hill, “The future of Texas as we know it is at stake.”
The issue of appraisal caps and revenue caps will again be high on the list of priorities of several of our state leaders and many special interest groups. We must be better organized and more heavily involved in the process to make sure that the county story gets to every state official, representative and senator. Jim Allison and his staff do a tremendous job of representing us in Austin, but nothing can take the place of county officials talking one on one with their legislators and making sure we know where they stand on these crucial issues.
Benjamin Franklin stated at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “We must all hang together or we will certainly all hang separately.” This statement certainly holds true for local governments today in Texas. We must stand together and be willing to make phone calls, write letters, and make trips to Austin when needed to show support and to make sure that our voice is heard, not just so we are heard, but because what we have to say is important to the citizens of Texas. I hope that each of us can develop a relationship with our legislators and serve as a resource for accurate information and answers to questions that will assist them in developing meaningful legislation. We must not let those who do not understand local government and the responsibility we have to the taxpayers of this state adopt legislation that will cripple our ability to provide the services needed for the citizens of our communities.
Donnie Allred