Ellis County adopts charter resolution allowing commissioners to occupy library board seat

The Ellis County Commission on Oct. 21 adopted Ellis County Charter Resolution 2025‑L1 to opt out of statutory language that designates the municipal head as an ex officio member of the library board and to allow the board of commissioners to appoint a commissioner to serve on the Ellis County Library Board.

Ellis County Councilor Bridal Jeter presented the charter resolution and explained the process and implications. Jeter said the statute governing library boards names the official head of the municipality as an ex officio member; the charter resolution would “charter out of that language and allow the commissioners to appoint any of the commissioners to that position.” She said the change is intended to allow flexibility when commissioners’ other board commitments or experience make one commissioner a better fit for continuity on the library board.

Jeter described the implementation mechanics: the resolution must be published once a week for two weeks, and if a referendum petition signed by qualified electors is filed within 60 days after the second publication the matter would go to a referendum; if no petition is filed, the resolution becomes effective automatically. The transcript records the commission’s approval on a 3-0 voice vote.

Jeter also noted an eligibility limitation included in the charter language: “no person holding any other Ellis County office shall be appointed,” meaning county elected officials who hold other county offices (for example, treasurer or sheriff) would not be eligible to be appointed as library board members under the charter language. The commission received the information and approved the charter resolution to allow the commissioners to include the Ellis County Library Board in their list of annual appointments.