When David Writer took office as county judge a month ago, he came to the job with more advantages than previous judges.
The county judge has a variety of responsibilities but overseeing the county’s roads constitutes the biggest part of the job. Writer worked his way up through the Road Department and had become foreman before filing for the county judge position. That gives him an intimate knowledge of the Road Department, but Writer admits that he has to fight the temptation to micromanage. He said having a quality foreman in place makes it easier for him to stay out of the Road Department details.
“Billy Myers has a long history with the department, and he has the experience to get the job done,” Writer said. “We meet to discuss projects, but I try to leave the execution to him.”
When he was asked about his overall approach to his position, Writer said, “I look at this job as a way to help people take care of problems.”
Throughout his campaign, Writer promised transparency, and has already begun using Facebook as a way to keep the public informed. The Facebook page also helped attract some quality candidates to fill vacancies in the Road Department.
“It’s a great place to work,” Writer said, as he explained his own history. “I left another good job to work there.” He mentioned competitive pay and excellent benefits as factors in his decision to begin working with the county.
The county judge serves as chairman for quorum court meetings, and Writer presided over his first regular meeting Jan. 17. “This is a very good quorum court, and I look forward to working with them,” he said.
Writer was also fortunate to begin his term with an experienced administrative assistant. Ronda Griffin served for years in that same capacity under former county judge Sam Barr. She also served as interim county judge for a year, after Barr’s resignation.
“It’s a big relief to have her there,” Writer said, although he admitted, “It still feels funny sometime,” because she was his boss for a year. Writer said County Clerk Connie Doss has also been “a wealth of information and guidance” during his first few weeks.
Griffin said she has enjoyed returning to her former role, although she also appreciated her time as county judge. “I know this job, and since I’ve sat in that other chair, I can help him even more than I could help Sam,” she said. “We make a pretty good team.”