On any given day, a Texas county commissioner wears a multitude of hats. But when disaster strikes, that number can double.
After the steady rains of Aug. 17-18, Jones County Commissioner James Clawson became a loader and a hauler, piling and pushing soaked belongings of flood victims and dumping them into sobering heaps of prized-possessions-turned-trash. Clawson became an emergency responder, helping people escape rising floodwaters, and a road crewman, diverting cars from submerged streets.
The commissioner of 19 years also became a counselor, offering comfort to dazed homeowners
“You just couldn’t imagine,” said Clawson. “It’s the worst I’ve ever witnessed. It’s almost like a death in the family, when you have your home destroyed like that. Children with no toys. Families with no homes.”
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Texas County Progress
The Official Publication of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas
