Details emerge in county judge search process

Burnet County Commissioners Court recently clarified details for the appointment process for a county judge to fill the unexpired post.
During the Jan. 14 regular meeting as well as the Jan. 3 special meeting, Pct. 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle led the proceedings, which he will continue to do until a new county judge is selected.
That selection is expected to occur during a public meeting Feb. 25.
The new county judge will serve the unexpired term of the former county judge, James Oakley, through Dec. 31, 2026.
Beierle pointed out the new county judge, appointed by commissioners, will be addressed as the “county judge” not the “interim county judge.”
In a later interview, Beierle said additional details will soon come into focus related to the selection process.  Next month, two public workshops and two regular court meetings are scheduled.
“I assume all of us will attend the meetings,” Beierle said, referring to himself, Pct. 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr., Pct. 3 Commissioner Chad Collier and Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery. 
According to Beierle, the format for both workshops will be decided during the regular commissioners court meeting 9 a.m. Jan. 28 in Burnet at the County Courthouse, 220 S. Pierce St. 
The first workshop is 6 p.m. Feb. 6; the second one is 6 p.m. Feb. 13; both in Burnet at the Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension auditorium, 607 N. Vandeveer St. 
“When we laid out the (selection) process, the AgriLife Extension was the largest county-owned building available,” Beierle recalled. “We are working on a live stream for both workshops.” 
Neither workshop will feature an agenda, the commissioner added. 
“No action can be taken (during either workshop),” Beierle said. “Still, all (county commissioners) court members may attend (both workshops).”  Too, all county judge applicants will be asked to attend both workshops, the commissioner said. 
The first regular court meeting is 9 a.m. Feb. 11. The second regular court meeting is 9 a.m. Feb. 25. Both court meetings will be held at the Burnet County Courthouse, Beierle said. 
The commissioners will identify two county judge final applicants during the Feb. 11 regular court meeting. Those two finalists will be asked to attend the Feb. 13 workshop.
The commissioners will make their final selection for judge during the Feb. 25 meeting, Beierle said. 
Besides judge selection, the commissioners will discuss normal court business during both the Feb. 11 and Feb. 25 meetings, he added. 
CAMPO Designee
Turning to other matters at the Jan. 14 regular meeting, commissioners agreed to appoint Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery to serve as the Burnet County representative to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization based in Austin. The appointment became necessary follow- ing the Jan. 2 resignation of former county judge, James Oakley.
“He is the perfect choice,” Beierle said.
Dockery mentioned CAMPO is “very important” because the organization oversees federal grants to Texas counties.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved a grant from the Texas Criminal Justice Grant Program to fund 100% of more than $23,000 for the installation of panic button systems in Burnet County government buildings;
• Released the maintenance bond for Ridge Point Estates, Phases 1 and 2; the maintenance bond for the Whispering Wind subdivision;
• Approved the replat of lot 142-A and 145-A in the Windermere Oaks Devonshire Section;
• Approved the replat of lots 23 and 24 in Shady Acres; and
• Announced that a combination of public workshops and regular meetings will be utilized to consider appointment of the next county judge. The dates are:  6 p.m. Feb. 6, in Burnet at the Texas AgriLife Extension, 607 N. Vandeveer St. (workshop); at 9 a.m. Feb. 11, in Burnet at the county courthouse, 220 S. Pierce St. (regular meeting); at 6 p.m. Feb. 13 at the AgriLife building (workshop); and at 9 a.m. Feb. 25, in Burnet at the county courthouse (regular meeting).