From the President

Let me express my deepest sympathies to everyone who has suffered loss during the tragic floods of June and July. My heart goes out to those who have lost family members, those who have lost friends, those who have lost their homes and property, and to those who have suffered in any way during these disastrous floods. I also want to express my appreciation to the members of our Association for their efforts during these trying times. The emergency management planning and work that county judges and commissioners do year-round is often overlooked; but when disaster hits, they are on the front lines. My thoughts and prayers have been with you while watching the news coverage.
Hopefully by the time you read this article the rains will be over and we will be drying out, but not too much. Hopefully the floods will not be immediately followed by drought. The dog days of summer are here, which for most of us in county government means budget time. Good luck!
I had the pleasure in June of representing the Association at the South Texas Annual Conference in Corpus Christi. It was outstanding. Lee County Judge and Association President Evan Gonzales did a great job in planning and running the conference, ably assisted by his only other officer, Hays County Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe. Calhoun County Commissioner Roger Galvan, newly installed second vice president, will join Judge Gonzales and Commissioner Ingalsbe as they plan next year’s events.
The 85th Annual County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas Conference is being held next month, Sept. 24-27, at the Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa and Conference Center in Galveston. There may still be rooms available, but as I write this column the hotel is rapidly filling up, so call immediately. Planning for the conference has been ongoing, and the conference is shaping up to be one you will not want to miss. In addition to outstanding commissioner and judicial educational opportunities, there will be several special events for the attendees and their spouses.
The Annual Conference this year will include a bay fishing trip on Monday afternoon and golf and domino tournaments on Wednesday afternoon, two separate spouse events, and possibly an additional feature that is not finalized at this time. Retired Galveston County Commissioner Eddie Janek has been working on Host Court Night, and we can always count on Eddie to put on a great event. So get registered and make your plans to join us in Galveston.
As I mentioned earlier, the dog days of summer are here and with it the county budget process. This can be an especially tough time of the year for us as we try to do what county government does best