Burnet County will look to fill an upcoming vacancy in the emergency management department following a recent resignation.
Emergency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio submitted his resignation to the Burnet County Com- missioners Court, during the June 9 meeting.
He did so after three years and six months of service with the county.
"I have definitely enjoyed my time here,” the U.S. Army combat veteran who served in Iraq twenty years ago, told the commissioners. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve here. Thank you.”
Marchio praised local full-time and vol- unteer first responders for their selfless and timely assistance during his tenure as the county EMC, which included multiple calls to contain fire and flood disaster and also missions to support the recovery of residents victimized by foul weather.
“Their standards and discipline will help carry us forward,” Marchio said. “We have seen much better resource management on large fires and other incidents."
In particular, Marchio recalled how volunteers from local Veterans of Foreign War chapters responded quickly to calls for assistance during recent emergencies.
“I was beyond impressed,” he said. “They gave me a lasting impression of what emergency management must do.”
During a brief conversation, Marchio told the Bulletin, he has accepted a position with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a director of hospital emergency management.
In turn, the commissioners appointed emergency management volunteer Edward Hashbarger to serve as interim EMC.
Hi-Tech Help As the meeting continued, the commissioners voted 3-2 to approve $20,000 requested by 33rd/424th Judicial District Attorney Perry Thomas for the purchase of four high-end, enhanced- graphic and expanded- storage laptops to manage, store and display evidence during the prosecution of child abuse and neglect cases.
Thomas explained that the laptops would allow his office to legal ly and safely transport evidence though his district, which includes Burnet, Blanco, Llano and San Saba counties.
County Judge Bryan Wilson, Pct. 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr. and Pct. 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle voted for the purchase. Pct. 3 Commissioner Chad Collier and Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery voted against.
The slim majority of the court voted against objections aired by Burnet County Director of Technology and Cybersecurity Greg Harris.
Instead of laptops, Harris urged the commissioners to deploy workstation (also called desktop) computers for the district attorney, particularly since his appropriation for workstation computers during previous months and that type of computer could offer tighter controls over access to sensitive information.
“This is not a path the technology department recommends,” Harris told the commissioners. “It is a disservice to use county funds to purchase laptops (for the district attorney’s office) which would be better suited with more secure workstations.”
Also during the meeting, the commissioner recognized June 2026 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month; and received an update from Mike Maples, the Bluebonnet Trails Community Services chief executive officer.
