1 1 2 3 KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT 4 Special Session 5 Sunday, January 1, 2023 6 1:00 p.m. 7 District Courtroom #1 8 Kerr County Courthouse 9 Kerrville, Texas 78028 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 PRESENT: ROB KELLY, Kerr County Judge HARLEY BELEW, Commissioner Precinct 1 24 T. BECK GIPSON, Commissioner Precinct 2 RICH PACES, Commissioner Precinct 2 25 JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Precinct 3 DON HARRIS, Commissioner Precinct 4 2 1 I-N-D-E-X 2 NO. PAGE 3 1.1 Approval of bonds of all Elected Officials 3 and/or Appointed Officials whose bonds 4 have not previously been approved by Commissioners' Court. 5 1.2 Acknowledge existence and continuation of 4 6 all other bonds. 7 1.3 Administer oaths to all Elected Officials 4 and/or Appointed Officials whose terms of 8 office continue or commence on January 1, 2023. 9 1.4 Approve application(s) to appoint Deputies 13 10 or Assistants of all other Elected Officials whose terms of office continue or commence 11 on January 1, 2023. 12 *** Adjournment. 14 13 *** Reporter's Certificate. 15 14 * * * * * * 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 JUDGE KELLY: Court will come to order. It 2 is Sunday, January the first, 2023. It's right at one 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and the Kerr County 4 Commissioners' Court is now in session. If you would 5 let's stand and do the pledge. 6 (Pledge of Allegiance.) 7 JUDGE KELLY: Please be seated. If you look 8 the a the agenda, we actually have a Visitor's Input 9 provision on there. I hope we don't delay the 10 proceedings. Do we have anybody that wants to address 11 the Court at this point? Good. 12 (Laughter.) 13 JUDGE KELLY: We've got more important 14 things to do today. First item on the agenda is to the 15 approval of bonds of all elected officials and/or 16 appointed officials whose bonds have not previously been 17 approved by Commissioners' Court. This is a perfunctory 18 act that the Court has to approve all these bonds. The 19 bonds are in each one of the files that I have right 20 here. I will sign those bonds as you take your oath. 21 But I need motion to approve the bonds. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I move for approval. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 24 JUDGE KELLY: I have a motion and a second. 25 Then all those in favor raise your hand. Unanimous. 4 1 Item 1.2 is acknowledge the existence and 2 continuation of all other bonds. 3 And what this is, is we need motion and 4 second to approve all the bonds that are out there that 5 are not being sworn in today, and continue them in 6 effect through the remainder of their term. 7 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Move for approval. 8 COMMISSIONER GIPSON: Second. 9 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and second. All 10 those in favor say aye. Unanimous. 11 Okay. Item 1.3. Let me begin by an 12 explanation. First of all about judicial protocol. I 13 checked in with Judge Ables and learned that if you are 14 a sitting Judge, you wear your robe. If you are about 15 to be sworn in as a Judge, you put on your robe after 16 you take the oath. That is the protocol. And I see 17 Judge McGuire here has got his robe with him and he'll 18 be ready to suit up when we put him under oath. 19 One of the things that we have to do, the 20 State requires that we take an anti-bribery oath. And 21 that anti-bribery oath is something that we do to make 22 sure that no-one has been corrupted in obtaining the 23 office that they're about to be sworn in. 24 Now, our County Clerk sent out a notice to 25 all of us, that most of us did not read, including 5 1 myself. And I stand guilty of that. That we were 2 supposed to go ahead and print out what she sent us and 3 bring it before we get sworn in. 4 Each one of the officers do have to do the 5 anti-bribery oath before being sworn in. We're going to 6 do a little expedited procedure today. And what I'm 7 going to do is I'm going to ask everybody who's going to 8 be sworn in today to stand and we'll take the oath. 9 We'll take it all together in unison. And that way we 10 have it all done, and when you come up here Miss Dowdy 11 will have your oath there that you can sign. 12 MRS. DOWDY: The Statement. 13 JUDGE KELLY: Statement. That you can sign 14 with her, and we'll do that before you actually take the 15 oath. And for those of you that are being sworn in, the 16 person being sworn in will stand on this side over here 17 where Commissioner Gipson and Belew are, and the person 18 swearing them in will be here over on the other side, 19 and that will make it more convenient. 20 If you have a wife or a loved one that's 21 holding the Bible for you, they'll be in the middle. 22 That way you can just put your left hand on the Bible 23 and raise your right hand so that everybody can see you. 24 So that'll be the protocol. 25 So with that, let me ask everyone who is 6 1 being sworn in today, please stand. And I have to do 2 this myself so I'm going to read the blank. Raise your 3 right hand. 4 (Oath administered to all being sworn in.) 5 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Thank you. Lower your 6 hand. Now, that will expedite a lot of things. So I'm 7 going to go ahead and call 1.3, which is to administer 8 oaths to all elected officials and/or appointed 9 officials whose terms of office continue or commence on 10 January 1, 2023. 11 And I'll ask Judge Ables if he would come 12 up, and first will be the 198 District Court, Judge Pat 13 Maguire. And the oath will be administered by Judge 14 Ables. You don't need to rush. Take your time on this. 15 We'll put you in the middle. You look 16 straight forward. You on this side and Judge Ables on 17 this side. Here's the oath. 18 JUDGE ABLES: This is so special. When Pat 19 passed the Bar and needed to be sworn in by a lawyer in 20 the State of Texas, I was fortunate that I got to do 21 that for Pat, so we're kind of closing the circle today 22 as Pat will take the oath as State District Judge. 23 Would you raise your right hand. 24 (Pat Maguire was sworn in by the Honorable 25 Stephen Ables.) 7 1 JUDGE ABLES: Congratulations. 2 JUDGE MAGUIRE: Thank you. 3 (Judge Maguire putting robe on.) 4 JUDGE ABLES: He's official. 5 (Applause.) 6 (Signing paperwork.) 7 JUDGE KELLY: Second is County Judge. Judge 8 Williams. And Vicki. 9 JUDGE WILLIAMS: I am honored to swear in 10 Rob again as County Judge of Kerr County. We've known 11 each other for 45 years. We practiced law together in 12 the late 70's and early 80's, and I moved to Kerrville 13 and we reconnected years later, and have been dear 14 friends. I know personally the dedication that he has 15 to the enforcement of the law as a lawyer and as a Judge 16 and his work ethic, and it's just been an honor to work 17 and serve with Rob as a dear friend, and with Vicki as 18 well who's been such a support to him. 19 So Rob, with that, put your hand on the 20 Bible and raise your right hand and repeat after me. 21 (The Honorable Rob Kelly was sworn in by the 22 Honorable Keith Williams.) 23 JUDGE WILLIAMS: Congratulations. 24 (Applause.) 25 (Signing paperwork.) 8 1 JUDGE KELLY: Next is the District Clerk, 2 Dawn Lantz. And Judge Patillo. 3 JUDGE PATILLO: Happy New Year. 4 Raise your right hand, please. Repeat after 5 me. 6 (Dawn Lantz was sworn in by the Honorable 7 Pat Patillo.) 8 JUDGE PATILLO: Congratulations. 9 (Applause.) 10 (Signing paperwork.) 11 JUDGE KELLY: Next is the County Court at 12 Law Judge, Susan Harris. 13 JUDGE PATILLO: Judge Harris, how many times 14 have you done this? 15 JUDGE HARRIS: This will be my third time. 16 JUDGE PATILLO: Well, I just wanted to say 17 as a practicing attorney locally since 1995, it was 18 always a pleasure to appear before Judge Harris, and her 19 Title 4E Judicial Capacity, and then later as the County 20 Court at Law. So today it's a real honor to be able to 21 do your swearing. 22 Raise your right hand and repeat after me. 23 (The Honorable Susan Harris was sworn in by 24 the Honorable Pat Patillo.) 25 JUDGE PATILLO: Congratulations. 9 1 (Applause.) 2 (Signing paperwork.) 3 JUDGE KELLY: Next is County Commissioner 4 Precinct 4, Don Harris. 5 JUDGE HARRIS: It is truly an Honor. We 6 have the Harris's up here, we're going to stick 7 together. 8 (Laughter.) 9 JUDGE HARRIS: Please raise your right hand. 10 (Don Harris was sworn in by the Honorable 11 Susan Harris.) 12 JUDGE HARRIS: Congratulations. 13 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Thank you. 14 (Applause.) 15 (Signing paperwork.) 16 JUDGE KELLY: Next will be the County 17 Treasurer, Tracy Soldan. 18 JUDGE HARRIS: This is truly my honor. This 19 is my friend. 20 (Tracy Soldan was sworn in by the Honorable 21 Susan Harris.) 22 (Applause.) 23 (Signing paperwork.) 24 JUDGE KELLY: Next is the County Surveyor, 25 Lee Voelkel. How many people knew we had a County 10 1 Surveyor? 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I voted for him. 3 JUDGE HARRIS: Lee, this is an honor. Lee's 4 been doing this for 40 years. He started when he was 9. 5 All right. Would you please raise your 6 right hand. 7 (Applause.) 8 JUDGE KELLY: 40 years? 9 MR. VOELKEL: What's that? 10 JUDGE KELLY: 40 years? 11 MR. VOELKEL: Don't tell anybody. 12 (Signing paperwork.) 13 JUDGE KELLY: Next will be the County Clerk, 14 Jackie Dowdy. 15 (Jackie Dowdy was sworn in by the Honorable 16 Susan Harris.) 17 JUDGE HARRIS: Congratulations. 18 (Applause.) 19 (Signing paperwork.) 20 JUDGE KELLY: Next is County Commissioner 21 Precinct 2, Rich Paces. 22 MRS. DOWDY: What an honor to be here, and 23 thank you so much for asking me. 24 (Rich Paces was sworn in by Jackie Dowdy.) 25 MRS. DOWDY: All right. Congratulations. 11 1 (Applause.) 2 (Commissioner Gipson stepping down.) 3 (Signing paperwork.) 4 JUDGE KELLY: While he's signing his 5 paperwork, this is another condition that we do here is 6 he now comes and sits -- takes a seat on Commissioners' 7 Court. 8 This is Beck's phone. 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: No, no. That's Rich's 10 phone. 11 MR. RICHARDSON: Lucky me. 12 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Congratulations. 13 COMMISSIONER PACES: Thank you. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Congratulations. 15 COMMISSIONER PACES: Thank you. 16 JUDGE KELLY: Next will be the Director of 17 Place 4 for the Headwaters Groundwater Conservation 18 District. Lori Lowe. 19 (Lori Lowe was sworn in by Jackie Dowdy.) 20 MRS. DOWDY: Congratulations. 21 (Applause.) 22 (Signing paperwork.) 23 JUDGE KELLY: Congratulations. 24 Next is Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, 25 Mitzi French. 12 1 JUDGE HOYNE: Mitzi was my clerk when I got 2 hired 12 years ago. I was her Judge actually when I 3 first got elected and now she has moved up, and I'm 4 proud of ya. Raise your right hand. 5 (The Honorable Mitzi French was sworn in by 6 the Honorable J. R. Hoyne.) 7 JUDGE HOYNE: Congratulations. 8 (Applause.) 9 (Signing paperwork.) 10 JUDGE KELLY: Next is the Justice of the 11 Peace Precinct 2, J. R. Hoyne. 12 JUDGE FRENCH: And y'all already heard his 13 story. I worked for four years for J.R. as his clerk 14 after Dawn Wright retired, and he was an excellent boss, 15 and he's an excellent colleague. Glad to work with you. 16 (The Honorable J.R. Hoyne was sworn in by 17 the Honorable Mitzi French.) 18 JUDGE FRENCH: Congratulations. 19 (Applause.) 20 (Signing paperwork.) 21 JUDGE KELLY: Justice of the Peace for 22 Precinct 3, Kathy Mitchell, has already taken her oath, 23 so the next one will be Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, 24 Bill Ragsdale. 25 Is this King William? 13 1 JUDGE RAGSDALE: Prince William. 2 (The Honorable Bill Ragsdale was sworn in by 3 the Honorable Rob Kelly.) 4 JUDGE KELLY: Congratulations. 5 JUDGE RAGSDALE: Thank you. 6 (Applause.) 7 (Signing paperwork.) 8 JUDGE KELLY: And then we have Constable of 9 Precinct 3, Paul Gonzales. 10 (Constable Paul Gonzales was sworn in by the 11 Honorable Rob Kelly.) 12 JUDGE KELLY: Congratulations. 13 CONSTABLE GONZALES: Thank you, Sir. 14 (Applause.) 15 (Signing paperwork.) 16 JUDGE KELLY: That concludes the swearing 17 in. 18 1.4 on the agenda is to approve the 19 application(s) to appoint Deputies or Assistants of all 20 other Elected Officials whose terms of office continue 21 or commence January 1, 2023. 22 I'll need a motion and second on it. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Move for approval. 24 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and second to 14 1 approve the appointment of deputies or assistants of all 2 the other elected officials whose terms continue or 3 commence on January 1, 2023. Any discussion? Those in 4 favor say aye. Unanimous. 5 And with this, we are adjourned. 6 * * * * * * 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 15 1 STATE OF TEXAS * 2 COUNTY OF KERR * 3 I, DEBRA ELLEN GIFFORD, Certified Shorthand 4 Reporter in and for the State of Texas, and Official 5 Court Reporter in and for Kerr County, do hereby certify 6 that the above and foregoing pages contain and comprise 7 a true and correct transcription of the proceedings had 8 in the above-entitled Special Commissioners' Court. 9 Dated this the 13th day of January, A.D. 10 2023. 11 12 /s/DEBRA ELLEN GIFFORD Certified Shorthand Reporter 13 No. 953 Expiration Date 04/30/2023 14 * * * * * * 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25