Sunday Sitdown
JIM LOVELL
HOUSTON COUNTY JUDGE
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
The Messenger has expanded our Sunday Sitdown reports to include not only our local pastors but educators, local businesspeople, students, interesting people of all walks of life in Houston County. To see the full interview, check out the video by clicking the link below. The Messenger would like to thank Cutshaw Chevrolet in Grapeland for sponsoring this week’s edition.
How did you come to be county judge?
“I guess it was in my blood and I didn’t realize it because I never intended to be in politics or hold public office. But my grandfather was sheriff for three terms and county judge for two. My dad was state representative in the late 60’s and early 70’s. But I was born and raised here in Houston County.”
What is the role of a county judge?
“Well, it’s a lot but mainly, of course, there are 254 counties in Texas and every single county, regardless of its size or population, has one county judge and four commissioners. The county judge presides over the Commissioners Court meetings. Commissioners court tends to all the business of the county. It’s a tiny legislature for the county. And then I have some judicial duties. I actually sit on the bench some and I serve on a lot of committees and boards. I am a board member of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments of which Lonnie Hunt – a Houston County guy – is executive director of. I also serve on the board for the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas for the north and east region. I’m on the Texas Forest Country Partnership board of directors. So I stay busy.”
How does the county recruit and retain good people?
“Well, the jobs vary a lot in diversity. But when a position comes open, it’s posted on our website and people just apply and then are interviewed and hired like any other business. But they soon learn that we’re a family; we’re pretty close knit and they just enjoy it. I can’t think of any other reason people would stay…the money’s not all that great quite frankly. We do have the fringe benefits of the insurance and retirement plan. But it’s a family atmosphere.”
What are some of the challenges we face in Houston County?
“Well, let me point out that there are 254 counties but Houston County was the first one established in Texas. So we hold bragging rights to that! I don’t think we have any challenges that are unique to this county. One of our challenges is as county government we provide services and we would like to have more paved roads and a lot of bells and whistles but we just wouldn’t have the money. We don’t have the tax base to be able to have some of what we would like to have. So it’s a challenge to me as budget officer that we are not able to provide some things that I would like. Growth is good – it’s also a challenge and we are experiencing some growth. Our census didn’t say that, but I’m satisfied that was was not an accurate census at all.”
Where do you see Houston County in the next 3-5 years?
“I see more growth. And I think that it is coming from people wanting to get out of the cities to come here. I know people are flocking to Texas, most of them are going to the urban areas. But as that fills up I think a lot of people are coming here from from other states like California or up in the Northeast. I think a lot of times they like our politics better here in Texas. There’s a lot to like about Texas and even more to like about Houston County in particular.”
How has Houston County changed in your lifetime?
“Anybody that’s been here as many years as I have knows it’s changed a lot. I can remember when I knew just about everybody that lived in this county. I grew up here and played as a kid around here on this square. The jail was on the third floor of the courthouse and had about six or seven cells in it. It takes a lot more than that now. A lot of downtown buildings are vacant. That did not used to be. As far as my prediction on what might happen in the future? It’s coming back! We’ve got some buildings that are being occupied now that have been vacant a long time. One of the big changes is law enforcement. My grandfather was Sheriff when I was growing up and I think there were four deputies total and a small jail. Now you see what we do! We are fortunate to have a very nice Justice Center. And our law enforcement is second to none. We are very well protected here in my opinion.”
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
