Bandera County Commissioners met on Friday, May 15, at the Lakehills Community Center to discuss the open position of Precinct 2 Commissioner.
Temporarily filling the position for the late Greg Grothues is Robert “Bobby” Harris, who offered insights into the two-year role.
“Part of the duties are setting the budget for Precinct 2, which covers road and bridge maintenance, county facilities, the annex, county park, and waste disposal,” he said.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Jack Mosely joined Harris in discussing finances, including the salary for the position.
“I might scare off potential candidates here,” Mosely said. “When I first started, [my salary] was $24,000 a year. We’re up to $30,000.”
Mosely went on to emphasize the importance of meeting with constituents.
“I always take my lunch to be with constituents,” he said. “I go to restaurants to eat breakfast and lunch, which I never did before.”
Several limitations and responsibilities for the position were also addressed: An individual commissioner does not have the authority to act alone; the county authority does not extend to the incorporated city of Bandera; a county commissioner has the right to determine with contracts to pursue and set the tax rate; the county commissioner has control of water sewer and floodplain, but has turned over water district management to a specialized water district; and the position does not offer the ability to handle civil disputes.
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have a solar farm in my precinct,” Mosely said.
Mosely also acknowledged a hot issue in Precinct 2 – paved roads.
“There are over 200 miles of road in my own precinct [3], with 83 of them still being dirt,” Mosely said.
The commissioners cited Texas Department of Transportation as a “headache”, causing delays in road repairs in addition to limited funds.
The meeting also informed residents that Bandera County GOP would be responsible for the application vetting process. After an inquiry from a resident regarding a potential question-and-answer panel with the candidates, incoming party chair John Irving stated he would look into it.
“We want to make sure you have a say in who represents your area,” said Precinct 1 Commissioner Troy Konvicka.
A timeline for residents was also established: July 4 to August 12 will be the vetting process. On August 24, the name of the selected candidate will given to Bandera County Tax Assessor Andrea Jankoski. Election voting will be held in November.
Harris offered final words of advice to potential candidates.
“You got to learn to count to three,” Harris said. “And don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
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