Commissioners Court
Photo by Dakota McDonald/The Post Dispatch
Sheriff Terry Morgan, right, is sworn in by County Judge Lee Norman at the Jan. 4 Commissioners Court meeting.
By Dakota McDonald
Garza County commissioners approved the consolidation of election precinct boxes to one polling location for the Jan. 23 Special Election at the recent Jan. 4 special meeting.
With traditionally low voter turnout for special elections, County Clerk Jim Plummer proposed to the court that it would be cost prohibitive to open the six regular polling locations on Election Day, Jan. 23.
Determining it to be more convenient to voters and financially prudent to taxpayers, the commissioners approved the consolidation of precinct boxes 1 through 6 at the Post Community Center, 129 W. Main St.
The commissioners also approved a required expenditure of $720 for the Early Voting poll worker team which includes Clerk Jim Plummer and Deputy Clerks Ginger Clemmons, Lina Rodriguez and Vicki Gray.
Additionally, a required expenditure of $200 was approved for the Early Voting Ballot Board (EVBB) which will count the Early Vote ballots Jan. 23. The EVBB includes Presiding Judge Kathy Beach (R) and Pat Cruse (D). Clerks are to be appointed by Beach at a later date.
Another required expenditure of $700 for the Election Day judge and alternate judge, which includes Presiding Judge Diann Windham (R) and Alternate Judge Victor Ashely (D), was also approved by the commissioners. Clerks for Election Day are to be appointed by Windham at a later date.
Also at the meeting, County Judge Lee Norman swore in Sheriff Terry Morgan, who was unavailable for the Jan. 1 swearing in by 106th Judicial District Judge Reed Filley, for his third four-year term.
“Thank you for your support, endorsements and friendships,” Morgan said. “I can’t even begin to express my sentiments for you believing in my mission enough to elect me for a third term.”
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 25 at 9 a.m.
