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The job of the county commissioner
calls for hands-on service delivery as well as policy-making
budget decisions. Four commissioners, each elected from a
quarter of the county's population, serve along with the county
judge on the commissioners court. In addition to assuring that
county roads are maintained, commissioners vote with the county
judge to set the budget for all county departments and adopt a
tax rate. Among other responsibilities, the commissioners
court:
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Sets the yearly
property tax rate and approves the budget and employment level
for the county;
§
Sets commissioners
and justice of the peace precinct boundaries;
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Calls, conducts
and certifies elections, including bond elections;
§
Sets employment
and benefit policy;
§
Establishes
long-range thoroughfare, open space, land use, financial and law
enforcement/jail needs plans;
§
Acquires property
for rights-of-way or other uses determined to be in the public's
best interest;
§
Reviews and
approve subdivision platting and wastewater treatment for rural
areas;
§
Provides rural
ambulance services and subsidizes rural fire protection;
§
Oversees the
construction, maintenance and improvement of county roads and
bridges;
§
Appoints
non-elected department heads and standing committees;
§
Supervises and
controls the county courthouse, county buildings and facilities;
§
Adopts a county
budget;
§
Determines county
tax rates;
§
Fills vacancies in
elective and appointive positions; and
§
Has exclusive
authority to authorize contracts in the name of the county.
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