Open Stewardship in Action
Monday evening, I attended the Rockdale City Council meeting. I don’t attend every city council meeting, but when a council requests it—or when a local resident asks me to—I will be there to offer whatever help or information I can. This week’s agenda included the proposed industrial park, its annexation, and the zoning of the property as an industrial site. Several residents asked me to attend and speak if needed, and I was glad to do so.
It is important to remember that as County Judge, I do not have the authority to tell a city council what to do or how to do it. What I can do is support our cities, provide counsel, and help facilitate cooperation when needed. During Monday’s meeting, the council discussed the annexation and zoning of the property. I spoke about the improvements that would be required on FM-908 and about the importance of holding a town hall meeting so the Municipal Development District (MDD) could present its plans and the community could ask questions and express concerns.
Four years ago, when I first ran for County Judge, one of the things I felt was missing in county government was what I call Open Stewardship—the belief that government should operate as openly and transparently as possible. It’s a principle I learned from my grandfather, who was also an elected public servant. He believed the public has a right to know what their government is doing and to have opportunities to weigh in on the decisions that affect their lives.
Since taking office in January of 2023, we have worked hard to put that principle into practice. I continue to write a weekly column for our county newspapers and share those articles with our local radio stations and on the county website. I host a weekly radio program on KMIL every Wednesday and appear regularly on KRXT on Thursday mornings. I also hold office hours every Monday afternoon and Friday morning so residents can come in and talk directly with me about their concerns. And I attend meetings throughout the county—like Monday night’s Rockdale City Council meeting—or send a member of my staff when I am unable to attend personally.
That is part of the job of public service. We should always want to know what the people we serve are thinking about the issues we face. One of my heroes growing up was U.S. Representative Jack Kemp, who often said that the role of a public servant is to find out where the people want to go and then work as hard as possible to help get them there. That doesn’t mean everyone will always agree with every decision, but it does mean decisions should only be made after listening to the people who are affected by them.
A few years ago, a former city manager questioned why we were holding town hall meetings on certain issues. He didn’t see the value in public input. I disagree. Whether that input is supportive or critical, it is essential. It is the barometer that tells us where our community stands, and it should help guide the decisions made by any elected body—especially at the local level.
I am pleased that the Rockdale City Council will be holding a town hall meeting on this issue in the evening so that as many people as possible can attend. The purpose will be to inform the public and to listen to their concerns and questions. That is exactly how local government should work.
Rockdale continues to be a strong partner with Milam County, and I thank the City Council for their service and their commitment to transparency and public engagement.