In October 2022, the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas will conduct its 100th Annual State Conference. Texas County Judges and Commissioners, known for their servant leadership, have joined together for a century to not only educate themselves as required by law, but to also learn and grow from one another’s experiences.
As the Official Publication of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas, County Progress has been privileged to record the history of hundreds of regional and state meetings along with county news from across the Lone Star State.
For the next year, we will celebrate a Century of Service with glimpses into each decade. This month, we take a glance back at the 1930s!
“This Association shall encourage active participation in governmental affairs, particularly that pertain to county government, by all members of Commissioners Courts of Texas. This Association shall uphold the principles of good government in Texas. This Association shall sponsor and co-sponsor educational conferences, seminars, and other programs for county officials and county employees to study information relative to county affairs and assist those officials in need of Continuing Education credits, as required by law.” – Excerpt, CJCAT Constitution
In this July 1934 article, Tarrant County Commissioner Earl Mitchell suggests that a placard be placed in the Commissioners Courtroom that reads as follows:
Commissioners Court
Excuse for Existence: General Welfare of the County
Manner of Accomplishment: Sound Business Methods
Article Excerpt:
“…Then before approaching any problem that arises, the members of the Court should take a look at the placard and proceed in accordance with its suggestions; here is where my subject comes in ‘Cutting County Expenses.’ My proposition is that when we proceed to accomplish the general welfare of the County along sound business lines, the matter of cutting County expenses will take care of itself. But what do we mean by sound business lines? Simply this: anticipating the needs of the County in light of the available revenues. You will notice that I did not say, “Balancing the needs of the County against the available revenues.” Too often that is the procedure. We spend all the money there is to spend. We find we have a million dollars to spend, and we say, “Let’s go out and spend it,” and we balance it off against certain needs, but those need are not always paramount….”