500 E. San Antonio
Suite 301
El Paso, Texas 79901
Phone (915) 546-2098
Fax (915) 546-3888
CountyJudge
@epcounty.com

El Paso County Judge - Anthony Cobos

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  •  
  • 1. When does Commissioners Court convene?
  • Commissioners Court meets every Monday (excluding holidays) beginning at 9:00 a.m. Meetings are open to the public and the agenda is published on this web site prior to the meeting. The meetings are held on the third floor of the El Paso County Courthouse located at 500 E. San Antonio Street in El Paso, Texas.
  •  
  • 2. Who controls Commissioners Court?
  • This answer is simple: "You." The voters of El Paso County elect the County Judge every four years. He or she is elected to be the presiding officer of Commissioners Court. The voters also choose four individual commissioners to represent portions of El Paso County. It is the County Judge and the individuals commissioners who make up Commissioners Court. Commissioners Court is a deliberative body where each commissioner and the County Judge get one vote. All decisions made by Commissioners Court are decided by a majority vote of its members.
  •  
  • 3. What authority does Commissioners Court have over other elected officials?
  • Commissioners Court approves the budget of other county elected officials. Other individual elected officials, such as the District Clerk or the County Attorney, retain control over the operation of their offices and departments.
  •  
  • 4. What are the responsibilities of the Commissioners Court?
  • The five-member El Paso County Commissioners Court governs El Paso County. Commissioners Court consists of the elected County Judge and four elected precinct Commissioners. The County Judge serves as the presiding officer of Commissioners Court and the spokesperson and ceremonial head of El Paso County government.
  • Despite its name, Commissioners Court is not a judicial court. Rather, its responsibilities are executive and administrative. The Courtīs major duties include
  •  
  • - Setting the tax rate and adopting the County budget;
  • - Establishing voting precincts, appointing precinct judges, and calling County bond elections;
  • - Building and maintaining County roads and bridges;
  • - Approving speed and stop zones in unincorporated areas;
  • - Building, maintaining, and improving County facilities, including jails;
  • - Approving plats for residential development in unincorporated areas;
  • - Letting contracts and authorizing payment of all County bills;
  • - Appointing certain county officials and hiring personnel; and
  • - Filling elective and appointive vacancies.1
  •  
  • 1Answer adapted from An Introduction to Texas County Government, 1 980, by the Texas Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations.