By Bee County Judge Stephanie Moreno, Newly Elected Second Vice President, South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association
I am incredibly honored to have been elected as your second vice president for the South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association. I am excited about the upcoming year and the opportunity to serve alongside Webb County Commissioner Jaime Canales and Hidalgo County Commissioner Joseph Palacios. I want to thank Past President Ben Zeller, Victoria County Judge, for his support and outstanding leadership as well as the membership who have entrusted me with the great responsibility of representing you on the executive board. I hope to make each of you proud.
In May 2015, I was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the late Bee County Judge David Silva and later elected to fulfill the unexpired term of Bee County Judge, which began in January of this year. Before my appointment, I was working at the Office of the General Counsel for the Texas Attorney General, Child Support Division. I am a proud graduate of Texas State University and obtained my law degree at Western New England University in Springfield, Mass.
This past New Year’s Eve, I married my best friend, Brandon Moreno, who works as a mechanical engineer in San Antonio. I am the proud daughter of Michael Silvas and Anna Marie Silvas, and I am the youngest of four children. I enjoy being an aunt to Matthew II, who is 11 years old, and Macyn, who just turned 7.
I never thought that I would end up being an elected official. My intent on filling the vacancy was short term, but I quickly fell in love with my role as County Judge and the ability to truly affect people’s lives. Every day, I walk into an office where my decisions impact my neighbors and friends, and I do not take those decisions lightly.
What our legislators in Austin cannot seem to understand is that we are the ones voters turn to when they have a concern. I see my constituents every day. I see them in my office, in the grocery store, at ribbon cutting ceremonies, and at lunch at our local restaurants. And if they are not happy with the way my Commissioners Court spends taxpayer money, I will hear about it before anyone in Austin. Whether we are Democrats or Republicans, as stewards of taxpayer dollars, we are all fiscally conservative. We MUST be in order to address the ever growing unfunded mandates imposed on us by state officials who know very little about the local services we provide to our constituents. My constituents understand the growing costs of those services. Every chance I get, I remind my community of the additional unfunded mandates imposed by the Texas Legislature and urge them to contact our state legislators. One of the things I am most eager to participate in is the next legislative session. I am excited to represent you all and continue the hard work of those who came before me.
In the next two years, I hope that we can strengthen our message and unite as local governments. By doing so, we will not only be effective during the next legislative session, but we will also be able to share best practices and provide a more efficient government to our taxpayers. As a member of the executive board, I hope to represent each of you. Please know that I will always be available to hear your concerns and learn how to make our Association better. Thank you, again, for your support.