Breckenridge Texan

By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan

In recent meetings, the Stephens County Commissioners Court addressed a diverse agenda, including certifying election results, tightening burial assistance requirements, and recognizing veterans.

During a special meeting on Nov. 18, the court certified the November election results after finalizing the mail-in ballots. County Election Administrator Jared McLane presented the final voting numbers, which included additional mail-in ballots, and the court officially certified the election results. “We just filed that for the record today and got those election results officially certified today,” County Judge Michael Roach said after the meeting.

The Stephens County Commissioners and County Judge recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the Nov. 12 meeting. Pictured, from left, are Mark McCullough, Eric O’Dell, David Fambro, Michael Roach and Will Warren. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Following an executive session during the meeting, the court voted to appoint David Leonard as the new emergency management coordinator for Stephens County. According to Roach, the court interviewed Leonard in executive session before voting to appoint him to the position.

Roach said Leonard is a recent retiree who moved to Stephens County with extensive emergency management experience. The commissioners plan to formally introduce him at their next  meeting on Monday, Nov. 25.

“He’s got all kinds of certification I don’t even have. He’s been to all those schools and (has all those) state contacts,” Roach said. “It’s just a huge blessing to have him here in our community.”

According to Leonard’s resume, he was the Emergency Operations Specialist for the North Texas Municipal Water District in Wylie from 2016 until January of this year. Prior to that, he was the Environment, Health and Safety Manager for Ascend Custom Extrusions and held similar jobs at several other companies over the years. Leonard also is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

The position is unpaid. “We’re just giving him official credentials of the county, so he can do what he needs to do for us,” Roach said.

Leonard will take over duties previously handled by Roach and Stephens County Deputy Bill Flournoy. “Bill and I have been doing it behind the scenes,” Roach said. “This guy’s going to coordinate and keep the plans up for the county.”

In an earlier meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, the commissioners focused on tightening rules for indigent burial assistance, requiring financial disclosures, including online fundraising efforts.

“Nearly everybody does a GoFundMe for whatever they have going on nowadays, and this is one of them that they do it for. And if somebody does a GoFundMe for to help with funeral expenses, and then they come to us to get us to do it, we should know about that. So I think it’s something that needs to be added,” Commissioner Will Warren said during discussions that led to adding “crowd source funding” to required financial disclosures.

During the meeting, the court also recognized and honored county military veteran employees. They included the county’s Veterans Service Officer Les Strickland, a retired Marine; Stephens County Chief Deputy Justin Rose, a U.S. Army veteran who served with the 82nd Airborne; Stephens County Correctional Officer Kenneth Robertson, who served in the Navy; and other veterans who were at the meeting.

In other business commissioners:

• Approved participation in a statewide opioid settlement with Kroger, receiving approximately $2,654
• Allocated $5,000 for new courthouse holiday decorations
• Voted to advertise sealed bids for crushed rock and road materials for fiscal year 2025
• Discussed property cleanup enforcement concerns affecting neighboring home values

Roach also mentioned recent discussions with state Sen. Charles Perry regarding legislation he is proposing for EMS funding grants to rural counties with populations under 50,000 that would pay for EMS services.

Stephens County Veterans Services Officer Les Strickland talks to the county commissioners on Nov. 12 about his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as about his job as the veterans services officer. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Cutline, top photo: Stephens County Chief Deputy Justin Rose, a U.S. Army veteran who served with the 82nd Airborne, talks to the county commissioners about his time in the U.S. military service during the veterans recognition portion of the Nov. 12 meeting. Pictured on the front row, from left, are Stephens County Correctional Officer Kenneth Robertson, who served in the Navy; Sheriff Kevin Roach; Veterans Service Officer Les Strickland, a retired Marine; Kc Crawford, a U.S. Army veteran; and Rose. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)