Johnson County commissioners eliminate reserve deputy constable positions, approve debt prepayment and maintain motor-vehicle fees

At a special meeting of the Johnson County Commissioners Court on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, the court unanimously voted to eliminate reserve deputy constable positions effective Oct. 1, 2025, approved a corrected interlocal agreement for dispatching services, authorized a defeasance and redemption of roughly $120,000 of general obligation refunding bonds (taxable series 2021) and voted to maintain the county's optional motor-vehicle fees for calendar year 2026.

The action to remove reserve deputy constable slots stemmed from concerns about liability and insurance coverage for unpaid reserve officers. County staff and commissioners said the Texas Association of Counties (TAC) indicated limited coverage for unpaid or non‑county activities by reserve deputies. The court said it plans to attempt to add four new paid sworn deputy constables countywide to cover duties previously performed by reserves.

Why it matters: commissioners framed the moves as part of finalizing budget details and aligning the county's debt and tax calculations with prior public messaging about the debt rate and transportation bond. The court also said it will take a record vote on the proposed tax rate at its next regular court on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, which will limit the maximum tax rate that can be set when the budget is adopted.

Dispatch agreement correction

The court approved an interlocal cooperation agreement for dispatching services for fiscal year 2025–2026 with a corrected termination date of Sept. 30, 2026. The judge explained the court had approved the same form at a previous…