Court appoints Janet Leigh to Aransas County Appraisal District board amid debate over term length; former chair criticizes court

Aransas County commissioners voted 5–0 to appoint Janet Leigh to the Aransas County Appraisal District Board of Directors. The appointment was made as the court considered whether the seat should be filled to the end of 2025 or 2026; county staff and several commissioners noted a statute indicating two-year terms and an internal practice of alternating appointments, but the court approved the appointment "as written" and agreed to research whether a prior multi-entity resolution requires changing the term.

Jeff Hutt addressed the court during the public-comment period before the appointment vote. Hutt, who said he had served as chair of the appraisal district and described a record of actions he took in that role, criticized the commissioners’ decision to replace him. He told the court he had received numerous letters of support and that he believed his oversight had led to budget reductions and the removal of a problematic chief appraiser. "I am the OG Doge in Aransas County," Hutt said during public comment. He accused the commissioner's court of favoring "sweetheart deals" and said the decision to replace him would hurt taxpayers.

Commissioners discussed legal guidance from the Texas Association of Counties (TAC) and the statutory framework. One commissioner noted that TAC legal counsel advised the court about appointment practices; another said that if the court had formally adopted alternating terms in the past, the relevant resolution would have required action by all participating entities and could affect term dates. The court agreed to accept the appointment as presented and to search past minutes and interlocal resolutions to confirm whether an alternating-appointment resolution exists.

Outcome: Motion to appoint Janet Leigh passed 5–0. The court did not immediately change the term length; commissioners asked staff to search for past resolutions and said they would amend the appointment later if necessary.

Why it matters: Appraisal district board composition affects local property-tax administration and public confidence in appraisal governance. Public comment from a former chair underscored local interest and some public contention about the change.

What’s next: Staff will look for any existing interlocal resolution or minutes establishing an alternating appointment practice; if found, the court said it would consider amending the appointment to align with that practice.