Rockwall, TX-Dec. 17, 2024 – On Tuesday, Commissioners Cliff Sevier and Dennis Bailey attended their final County Commissioners Meeting. On January 1, 2025, the new commissioners will be sworn in. Bobby Gallana will serve as Commissioner for Precinct One, and Lorne Liechty will serve as Commissioner for Precinct Three.
Commissioner-Elect Bobby Gallana
I am excited and honored to take office as the Rockwall County Commissioner for Precinct 1 on January 1st. I moved to Rockwall in 1983, graduated from high school here (JFND), and feel fortunate to have settled here with my family.
Rockwall County is a unique place with a great quality of life, and I plan to work very hard to maintain that. Some key items on my initial agenda include:
1. A thorough review of our infrastructure development plan, which includes the proposed outer loop. We have many necessary road and infrastructure projects to complete, and we must ensure these projects align with the desired outcomes for our county residents.
2. Strengthening our subdivision rules, including implementing reasonable apportionment fees, to ensure developers pay their fair share of the impact of development growth on our county. I intend to work with State Representative Katrina Pierson and Senator Bob Hall on legislation to return local control of development decisions to the Commissioners Court. Government representation should be as close to the people it affects as possible—this is how I believe our forefathers intended it to be, and I aim to follow their lead.
3. Completing an extensive review of our $55.48 million budget. In January, I plan to meet with every department to ensure that our tax dollars are used as efficiently as possible across all areas of county government.
I will be easily accessible (more details to come) and value your opinions, concerns, and suggestions. I’m looking forward to a productive and impactful first term.
Commissioner-Elect Lorne Liechty
I am excited to serve as the Rockwall County Commissioner for Precinct 3. My wife, Mary, and I moved to Rockwall County in 1986 and raised our family in Heath. Rockwall County is our home, and it is a great honor to represent the residents of Precinct 3; I take this responsibility very seriously.
The County Commissioners Court is responsible for managing and overseeing the business and affairs of the County. This is a significant responsibility, and I believe there are three specific areas currently facing the Commissioners Court that directly impact all residents of the County: (1) our county budget and tax rate; (2) roads; and (3) the development of the unincorporated areas of the County. Below is a brief discussion of these areas of responsibility.
Budget and Tax Rate:
Each year, the Commissioners Court establishes a budget and a tax rate for the County, which directly affects every property owner. The budget for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $55.479 million, an increase from 2024. The tax rate for FY 2025 is $0.2547, which is lower than that of FY 2024. A significant portion of the budget is allocated to law enforcement-related expenses, including the Sheriff’s Office, County Jail, District Attorney’s Office, and the Courts.
I will work to ensure that all funds spent by the County are used wisely. This way, we can keep our county taxes as low as possible while still providing high-quality services and maintaining an efficient County Government for our residents.
Roads:
A major responsibility of the County Commissioners Court is to plan, develop, and maintain roads. This is done in two main ways.
First, the Commissioners Court collaborates with representatives from the cities in Rockwall County through the Road Consortium. This partnership presents a unified front and a consolidated list of priorities to TXDOT regarding the improvement of state highways and farm-to-market roads. The Road Consortium has been operating for over 15 years and has successfully served our county. We need to continue this success, and I look forward to working towards that goal.
Second, the Commissioners Court is responsible for overseeing the maintenance of our county roads. There are well over one hundred segments of county roads, which require significant attention. Notably, more than half of these roads are in Precinct 3, making their maintenance especially important to the precinct I represent.
Development:
The Commissioners Court has the authority to review and either approve or disapprove plats for property subdivisions in the unincorporated areas of the county. Traditionally, residential and commercial developments have occurred within the cities. However, recent changes to state law have limited the cities’ ability to annex property, prompting developers to focus more on land development in unincorporated areas of the county.
While the county has adopted subdivision and land development regulations, it does not have the same regulatory tools available to cities. For example, state law restricts the county’s authority to regulate the use of buildings or property for business, industrial, residential, or other purposes. Unlike Texas cities, which can adopt zoning ordinances, Rockwall County does not have that authority. Additionally, the county is not allowed to limit the number of residential units that can be built per acre of land. These limitations pose challenges for the Commissioners Court in managing development in the unincorporated areas.
Nonetheless, the Commissioners Court must do everything possible to manage future development in these areas. In this regard, we can (1) keep our subdivision regulations up to date and enforce them, and (2) require developers to share some of the costs for county infrastructure improvements, as permitted by state law. Furthermore, I look forward to collaborating with our State Representative and State Senator to gain additional authority to manage developments within the county.
We are all fortunate to live in Rockwall County, which is the best county in the best state in the best country on earth! Although we face various challenges, if we work together, we can overcome them. Remember why you live here—let’s KEEP ROCKWALL COUNTY GREAT!
Commissioners Court meetings occur at 9 AM on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Historic Courthouse in Downtown Rockwall.
Press Release: Meet The Commissioners: Class of 2025
Submitted by: Jim Barto, Rockwall County Public Information
