Rural Counties Face Unique Challenges

My name is John Nanny. I am currently an Irion County commissioner and newly elected secretary-treasurer of the Far West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association. I have been serving as commissioner of Precinct 3 since January 1997.
My wife, B.J., and I have three children and four grandchildren. We have resided in Barnhart our entire married life. In 1996 the great folks of Irion County allowed me to fulfill a decades-old dream, electing me to serve them as commissioner.
During my high school years some very good teachers of Texas history-civics awakened within me a very real interest in county government. Later on in college at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, a gifted professor worked to bring that interest into a desire to serve the people as a member of county government.
Serving in a rural West Texas county, we are affected by a set of circumstances that our urban counterparts don’t experience. In our sparsely populated regions, we sometimes see difficulties in getting necessary personnel to handle our EMS and fire departments. Often when first responders are needed, none are immediately available because of job requirements or other daily activities. Acquiring and retaining employees is also a challenge in rural counties. We do not possess a large pool of employee candidates and often find it difficult, if not impossible, to compete with the private sector. With the oil boom and the windmill electricity activity in our region, these employee candidates can obtain a more lucrative livelihood elsewhere.
Another area of concern for every Texas county is unfunded mandates and the threat of revenue and appraisal caps. These two threats are harder on our rural counties due to the slow growth of the tax base.
I am looking forward to working with friends and colleagues in the Far West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association as we deal with these important issues. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your leadership team.
John Nanny, Irion County Commissioner