What should we expect from the new commissioners court

Christmas is Sunday, and seven days later we here in Rockwall County will have a new Commissioners Court with three brand new members. What should we expect of this new court going forward?

The new judge, Frank New, is currently a Heath City Council member and owner of his own business.

He has been a member of several of the county work groups during the past several years and has expressed increased interest in the way in which new roads are scheduled and constructed in the county. During his campaign for judge, he also commented extensively on the way emergency management has been handled in the county as well as how the county communicates with its citizens.

Cliff Severe, Commissioner of Precinct 1, has been on the court for 10 years. He is a retired U.S. Army soldier who was on the Rockwall City Council prior to his current position.

Dana Macalik, Commissioner of Precinct 2, was just elected to the court. Prior to this she was the manager of the local Keller Williams real estate office and was also a member of the Rockwall City Council.

Dennis Bailey, Commissioner of Precinct 3, has been on the court for 14 years. Prior to this he was mayor of Heath and was employed as a lobbyist with AT&T.

John Stacy, Commissioner of Precinct 4, was just elected to the court. Previously he was on the Fate City Council and owns his own health insurance business in that city.

Clearly, this is a new Commissioners Court experienced in both business and local politics and the ways of government.

They are coming into office where the county is in excellent fiscal shape. A road bond is approved and in place along with established processes and procedures for the entire county involvement in the selection and planning for new roads.

The physical plant for the county is either already in place or established plans and funding has been identified and provided for completion of the one new facility needed: an annex to house elements of the county workforce, which will be built at the county complex now comprising the courthouse and the library.

The county's workforce is well established with experienced elected officials leading each department. A pay-for-performance salary system is in place to ensure the best performers are adequately rewarded. The elections office responsible for the conduct of all elections in the county is outstanding and the envy of our surrounding counties.

Processes and procedures for conducting business, both internally as well as externally, are in place and enjoy the cooperation and involvement of the county's cities as well as the county employees.

In short, the current Commissioners Court has done a good job of managing our tax money while providing the services we need to function.

So what should we expect from the new guys on the block?

Number 1. We should expect to see things run as smoothly and efficiently as they do now.

Number 2. We should expect the advent of a strategic plan that is developed to take this county into the future. We are at 114,000 population and are expected to grow to 150,000 in seven short years. We need a plan that gets us there efficiently and meets the requirements that got Rockwall County to where it is today.

Number 3. We need built into our strategic plan an open-space plan. If we don't have it, we will end up like Rowlett, inundated with apartment buildings everywhere.

Number 4. We need citizen involvement in the development of these two plans.

Number 5. We need the continued cooperation between the county and the cities.

Number 6. We need full-time involvement by each member of the Commissioners Court. Each member of the Court now has a salary and benefit package of approximately $140,000 a year. These positions are no longer the "part-time" jobs of the past.

These are things the new court must do. We as citizens need to participate as much as possible and then measure the individuals on the Court by how effectively they carry out their duties and responsibilities.

It's an all-person game. We all have a stake in what our county becomes. The Commissioners Court is the organization we rely upon to get us where we want to be.

Jerry Hogan is a former county judge for Rockwall County. He volunteers to write these articles. He can be reached at 214-394-4033 or [email protected].