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Titus County appoints Bob Haran as assistant veteran service officer; Doug to remain primary VSO
Summary
The Commissioners Court unanimously approved appointing Bob Haran as an assistant veteran service officer with a $500 monthly stipend; county leaders said Doug will remain the primary veteran service officer and that funding and training will be handled through the VSO budget and upcoming FY2027 process.
The Titus County Commissioners Court on June 8 unanimously appointed Bob Haran as an assistant veteran service officer, adding a $500 monthly stipend and requiring completion of state-required training.
The appointment followed public support from local veterans and discussion among county leaders about how to staff a consolidated veterans services facility. Kenny Thompson of American Legion Post 210 urged the court to approve Haran, saying Haran "is really good on wanting to visit all the old veterans in the nursing homes and help them out any way they need." County leaders said the assistant would support services provided at a local consolidated veterans facility (referred to in the meeting as the "mom's ministry") while Doug, the county's current veteran service officer (VSO), would remain the primary VSO based at the courthouse.
Doug told the court he had handled a substantial caseload this year: "last quarter I had appointments with 51 separate veterans," and he said those figures do not include phone calls and walk-ins. County officials and the presiding judge described Doug's paralegal background and said keeping him as the primary VSO preserves continuity while adding capacity through a trained assistant.
Officials clarified budget implications. The court noted $1,500 currently exists in the VSO budget that could be used for assistant training; the proposed $500-per-month stipend for the assistant would be reflected in the next budget process if necessary. One commissioner raised concerns about transparency in how the appointment was handled, saying the matter "should have been explained in executive session" to ensure all court members were informed; other members responded that the appointee's job had not been at risk and reiterated support for Doug's retention as VSO.
Commissioner Mitchell moved to appoint Bob Haran as assistant veteran service officer with required training and $500 monthly compensation; Commissioner Parker seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.
The court did not specify an effective start date in the motion beyond referencing payroll/budget timing; officials said training scheduling and final budget placement would be handled by the county administration and addressed during the FY2027 budget cycle.
