06.12.09
WCCC to take up County Budget Officer issue next week
Earlier in the week the The Williamson County Public Policy Coalition (WCPPC) had a press release announcing that they had filed an official complaint against the Williamson County Commissioners Court (WCCC). It appears the complaint got the commissioners attention. This is the second item on the “Regular Agenda” for this Tuesday’s WCCC meeting:
Discuss and take appropriate action regarding the designation of County Budget Officer pursuant to Section 111.062 Texas Local Government Code.
Here is Section 111.062 of the Texas Local Government Code.
Sec. 111.062. APPOINTMENT OF BUDGET OFFICER; ABOLITION OF OFFICE. (a) The commissioners court of the county may appoint a county budget officer to prepare a county budget for the fiscal year.
(b) A county that establishes the office of county budget officer may abolish that office only by a formal action of the commissioners court. The court must take the action after the first day of the second month of the fiscal year and before the first day of the sixth month of the fiscal year. If the office is abolished, the duties of budget officer shall be performed by:
(1) the county judge, if the county has a population of 225,000 or less; or
(2) the county auditor, if the county has a population of more than 225,000.
Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 593, Sec. 1, eff. June 13, 1993.
Williamson County’s population was just under 250,000 in the 2000 US Census according to this recent RRL article. So clearly in Williamson County the County Judge, Dan Gattis, Sr., can no longer legally hold the positions of County Budget Officer. Of course this was all explained some time ago.