One of the most encouraging benefits of years of conservatives working to break up the Democrats’ good ole boy system in Liberty County is the efforts we are hearing from County Judge Craig McNair. One of the most recent items up for review is being smarter with taxpayer money by turning the clock back to when we just had 4 justices of the peace and four constables like most counties in Texas. Reducing the number of cars and offices and secretaries and maximizing efficiency is an idea that shows respect for the taxpayers and an adherence to good business practices.
I am hopeful this plan to go back to the number of JP’s and Constables we all see in most Texas counties will be implemented. And if is implemented, I hope officials will look at the JP office here in Liberty and model the other three after it. The JP office here in Liberty is a model of efficiency and professionalism. It handles more cases and runs a court with few complaints. This court actually brings in a great deal more funds than it pays out in expenses. It has the most active JP in the county and its business is done in a manner that makes one proud to be from here.
Managing the office on a daily basis, JP #1 has the knowledgeable and more than capable Darla Diaz. She helps organize and schedule the business surrounding the best JP court in the county. If the lines designating territories for JP offices change to reduce the number of JP’s from six to four change, it would only make sense to keep the court where it is in the county seat and close one of the rural area courts and it would make sense to hope that Mrs. Diaz continues to serve where she is now.
In fact, it may be best to make the new territories coincide with the commissioner territories. Of course, because of the census, these lines are up for review. This would be a tremendous opportunity to redraw these lines that were gerrymandered by Todd Fontenot and others, and create areas that consider the taxpayer and use efficiency and respect for the taxpayers in the rubric guiding decisions.
Favoring consolidation of the JP and Constable offices is no way meant to cast a negative shadow on all of the offices across the county or to take joy in any upstanding public servant’s sudden unemployment. People, like longtime JP Ronnie Davis, may retire or he may run again and simply work from the Liberty court and office in the annex. Others may not have that option, but good public servants should be the first applicants considered for other jobs in local government positions.
Richard Pegues, Contributor
Note: LD Reported on Diaz a month ago.
5 comments:
Finally.After years of fulfilling Lee Groce's wish lists and then having to even up with the other commissioners - all at our expense. Consolidate for taxpayers' sakes!
I've seen models, and I've seen super models. Rader and Diaz are certainly NEITHER.
Oh, yes, they're "models," and Bo Derek's a "ten." lmao
How about a list of the various JP's, their pay, and the number of hours per week that they work. I hear many of them are not even close to full-time, but are paid as if they are.
Rader is too busy running his business to be good at anything much less Sheriff. Besides, hes Mike Little's boy.
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