PURCHASING BOARD

The Fort Bend County Purchasing Board is composed of three District Judges and two members of the Commissioners Court. Each member of the board is selected by majority vote of their respective body. Duties are as follows:

  • Appoints a suitable person to act as the County Purchasing Agent;
  • Removes the County Purchasing Agent from office, if necessary;
  • Sets the salary of the County Purchasing Agent;
  • Approves personnel, equipment, supplies, and traveling expenses through the County’s annual budget process; and
  • Receives an annual inventory of all the property on hand and belonging to the County and each subdivision, officer, and employee of the County.

Local Government Code §262.011

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ELECTIONS COMMISSION

Members of the Fort Bend County Election Commission include:

  • the County Judge, as chair;
  • the County Clerk, as vice chair;
  • the County Tax Assessor-Collector, as secretary; and
  • the County Chair of each political party.

The Election Commission is the proper authority to:

  • Appoint the Elections Administrator;
  • Accept the resignation of the Elections Administrator; and
  • Terminate the Elections Administrator with a four-fifths vote of the Commission and approval of the action by a majority vote of the Commissioners Court

Election Code §31.032, 31.036, 31.037 and 31.038

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BAIL BOND BOARD

Definition: “Bail” is the security given by the accused that he will appear and answer before the proper court the accusation brought against him, and includes a bail bond or a personal bond. Code of Criminal Procedure §17.01

Members of the Fort Bend County Bail Bond Board within the guidelines of the statute include:

  • Sheriff;
  • One District Judge;
  • District Attorney;
  • District Clerk;
  • County Judge or designee approved by Commissioners Court;
  • One County Court at Law Judge approved by Commissioners Court;
  • County Clerk;
  • One Justice of the Peace;
  • County Treasurer;
  • Presiding Judge of a municipal court in the county appointed by the Bail Bond Board;
  • Presiding Judge in the municipal court system of the County's principal municipality;
  • Representative elected by the licensed surety holders or corporate agents; and
  • Representative elected by the local criminal defense attorneys practicing in the county.

Meetings of the Bail Bond Board are held monthly and the chairman is elected by the Board.
Occupation Code §1704.051, 1704.054 and 1704.055

Administrative Authority of the Bail Bond Boards shall:

  • Exercise powers incidental or necessary to the administration of this statute;
  • Deposit fees collected under this chapter in the general fund of the County;
  • Supervise and regulate each phase of the bonding business in the County;
  • Adopt and post rules necessary to implement this chapter;
  • Conduct hearings and investigations and make determinations relating to the issuance, denial, or renewal of licenses;
  • Issue licenses to qualified applicants;
  • Deny licenses to unqualified applicants;
  • Employ persons necessary to assist in board functions; and

Conduct board business, including maintaining records and minutes.
Occupation Code § 1704.101.

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BOARD OF DISTRICT JUDGES

Board of District Judge is composed of all district judges having jurisdiction in the County, currently there are six. A majority vote of the district judges (Board of District Judges) is required to perform an act required or permitted of the district judges unless the law specifically provides otherwise.

County Auditor
In a county with a population of 10,200 or more the District Judges shall appoint a County Auditor at a special meeting held for that purpose.

Board of District Judges responsibilities in relation to the County Auditor include:

  • Approve the Auditor’s bond which is payable to the District Judges;
  • Remove the Auditor from office and appoint a successor if, after investigation by the district judges, it is proven that the auditor: (1) has committed official misconduct; or (2) is incompetent to faithfully discharge the duties of the office; and
  • Set the salary of the County Auditor; and
  • Set the number and types of positions (called Assistant Auditors) within the Auditors office;
  • Appoint qualified Assistant Auditors and set their salaries; and
  • Certify this list of Assistant Auditors and send annually to the Commissioners Court.

Local Government Code, Chapter 84

Child Support

The judges of the district courts (Board of District Judges) in Fort Bend County have established a Child Support Office to collect and disburse child support payments that are required by court order to be made to the Child Support Office. This office shall disburse the payments in the manner the court believes to be in the best interest of the parties in the case.

The Board of District Judges shall:

  • Appoint an administrator and other assistants to serve two-year terms;
  • Determine the duties of the administrator and assistants and set their salaries;
  • Receive the quarterly audit of the records from the County Auditor; and

Human Resources Code §152.0853

  • Administer the funds generated from the Child Support Service Fee and with the approval of Commissioners Court use the funds to assist in paying the salaries and expenses of the Child Support Office.

Human Resource Code §152.0852

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COUNCIL OF JUDGES

The Council of Judges is composed of the District Judges and the County Court-at-Law Judges.

Community Supervision

The Council of Judges in a county shall establish a community supervision and corrections department. The functions of the Council of Judges follow:

  • Establish a Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD);
  • Approve the budget for CSCD;
  • Approve the Community Justice Plan;
  • Appoint a department director; and
  • Appoint a fiscal officer.

Government Code §76.002

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SHERIFF'S OFFICE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

In 2011, Fort Bend County’s Sheriff’s Office Civil Service Commission was created under the authority of the Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 158, Subchapter B, §158.032 which states: “A sheriff’s department in a county with a population of more than 500,000 may, in accordance with this subchapter, create a civil service system.”

Texas Local Government Code, §158.035(a) states, “The commission shall adopt, publish, and enforce rules regarding:

  1. selection and classification of employees;
  2. competitive examinations;
  3. promotions, seniority, and tenure;
  4. layoffs and dismissals;
  5. disciplinary actions;
  6. grievance procedures;
  7. the rights of employees during an internal investigation; and
  8. other matters relating to the selection of employees and the procedural and substantive rights, advancement, benefits, and working conditions of employees.”

Texas Local Government Code, §158.035(b) states “The commission may adopt or use as a guide any civil service law or rule of the United States, this state, or a political subdivision in this state to the extent that the law or rule promotes the purposes of this subchapter and is consistent with the needs and circumstances of the department.”

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JUVENILE BOARD

Juvenile board is a body established by law to provide juvenile probation services to a county.
Human Resource Code §141.002.

The Juvenile Board of Fort Bend County is composed of the county judge, the district judges in Fort Bend County, and the judge of each county court at law.

The Fort Bend County Juvenile Board by majority vote shall annually elect one of its members as chairman.
Human Resource Code §152.0851

Juvenile Board responsibilities:

  • Establish a Juvenile Probation and Detention Department and employ a Chief Probation Officer who meets the standards set by the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission;
  • Adopt a budget for Juvenile Probation and Detention Department including both county sources and state aid. (The Commissioners court shall review and consider only the amount of county funds derived from county taxes, fees, and other county sources in the budget and may not review any part of the budget derived from state funds);
  • Establish policies, including financial policies, for juvenile services within the jurisdiction of the Board; and
  • Adopt all or part of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission's minimum standards for assessment of a child under the Human Resources Code, Section 141.042.

Human Resource Code §152.0007

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