Government - Wheeler, Texas

COURT HOUSE

Wheeler County Organized in 1879 is the oldest County in the Texas Panhandle. A Texas County has numerous statutory duties and responsibilities ranging from mandatory requirements to essential public functions to optional authority to carry out discretionary activities.

The Commissioners court is the governing body of the county. The Texas constitution specifies that the courts consists of a county judge and four county commissioners elected by the qualified voters of individual commissioners precincts. The county judge is the presiding officer of the county commissioners court. The court has the authority to divide the county in to four individual commissioners precincts. The court shall exercise powers over county business as provided by law (Tex. Const. Art. V, Sec.18).

Many state administrative responsibilities rest with the court as well as growing number of permissive authorities. The local Government Code contains many of the provisions that guide the commissioners court in carrying out its responsibilities for the operation of county government. For example, the code covers the duties and authority of the commissioners court and other officers related to financial management, public officers and employees, regulatory matters, property acquisition, building, and many other areas of county affairs, Another important statute concerning the commissioners court is Chapter 81 of the local Government Code which sets out the following responsibilities and powers;

Establish public ferries where required.
Lay out and establish, change, and discontinue public roads.
Build bridges and keep them in repair.
Appoint road overseers and apportion hands.
Exercise general control over all roads, highways, ferries, and bridges.
Provide for the support of paupers.
Provide for Burial for paupers.
Acquire property necessary to obtain a surface water supply or to transport and deliver surface water.

Numerous other statutes augment the above grants of authority.

Elected County Officials
Name	Position
Jerry Dan Hefley	County Judge
John Walker	Commissioner , Precinct 4
Hubert C. Moore	Commissioner , Precinct 3
Tommy Puryear	Commissioner , Precinct 2
Daryl G. Snelgrooes	Commissioner , Precinct 1
Misty Walker	County Attorney
Brady Meadows	Justice Of The Peace, Pct #1
Rick Walden	Justice Of The Peace, Pct #2
Joel Finsterwald	County Sheriff
Johnny Carter	Constable, Pct #2
Mack Marshall	Constable, Pct #1
Jauna Benefield	County Treasurer
Lewis Scott Porter	County Tax Assessor-Collector
Margaret Dorman	County Clerk
Sherri Jones	District Clerk