Texas County Progress
The Official Publication of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas
Kelly Rowe learned a valuable lesson his first day on the job in the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Department back in 1999. “When I first walked into the old Lubbock County Jail, which was built in 1931, I made a lot of notes to self,” recalled Rowe. “One of those notes was to tour the jail before accepting my next job. I accepted this job, and then I toured the jail. I walked … [Read more...] about Time and Attention
When it comes to a county road, there’s a great deal beneath the surface. Just ask Hill County Commissioner Steven Sulak. In the November 2012 election, 61 percent of Hill County voters cast their ballots in favor of a transition from the Ex Officio Road System, known as the precinct system, to the County Road Department System, commonly referred to as the unit system, which … [Read more...] about Street Smart: Precinct, Countywide Road Systems Meet Varied Needs
By Lubbock County Commissioner Bill McCay, Newly Elected Director, West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association My commitment to public service started early. I was raised in a county jail helping my mom serve meals to inmates. We lived on the first floor of the Comanche County Jail where my dad served as a deputy, and my mom cooked for the inmates. My dad’s law … [Read more...] about Officially Speaking: Teamwork With a ‘Can-Do Attitude’
Slowly but surely, the state of Texas is trying to turn a complicated, costly, and often heartbreaking saga into a coordinated, comprehensive service delivery system – and counties are right in the thick of it. Anywhere from 16 percent to 20 percent of offenders in the Texas criminal justice system have a mental health diagnosis, said Leon Evans, director of the Center for … [Read more...] about Jail Diversion Programs Target Offenders With Mental Illness
