As growth in Collin County continues, two issues remain vital — transportation and budgeting — and fall under the purview of the County Commissioners Court.
The Texas Constitution established the County Commissioners Court in 1876. It consists of a county judge and four commissioners and acts as the county’s governing body but does not have the function of a municipal court.
The primary function of the court, said Commissioner Cheryl Williams, is to be the financial arm of the county. Commissioners work with various elected officials within the county, such as the sheriff, county clerk and district clerk, to set the budget for each department and the county overall. The court also sets the county tax rate as part of the budgeting process.
As the budget season begins, Williams said most day-to-day duties consist of speaking with department heads, who are also elected officials, to determine their budgetary needs.
“We have a budget office, which compiles information and makes recommendations,” Williams said. “So, we will be speaking with them.”
Williams, who spent three terms as a Plano City Councilmember before being elected as county commissioner in 2010, said serving as a commissioner is different than serving as a city councilmember.
“Most cities, other than very small cities, are manager council forms of government,” Williams said. “So, you have someone there who is doing the day-to-day management of the city, and you are setting broad range policy at the council level and expecting those policies to be put into place by the city manager.”
For the full story, see the May 5 issue of The Princeton Herald.
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