Tyler

By ADAM RUSSELL
Staff Writer

On Monday, during their first regular meeting as county commissioners, two newcomers to the Smith County court will join in action on the first of many items they will face for the next four years.

Jeff Warr will succeed JoAnn Fleming, who did not seek re-election, as Precinct 1 Commissioner and Terry Phillips won election by unseating Bobby Van Ness in a run-off for Precinct 3. Their terms began Thursday, but the work begins with the first meeting.

Both businessmen, self-labeled fiscal conservatives and concerned citizens turned public servants said regaining public trust will be the most important bridge to build during their terms.

One of the first orders of business will address the controversial pay raises that neither man supported as citizens. Warr and Phillips said they would support County Judge Joel Baker's policy proposal to make members of the court ineligible for pay increases under the three-year salary plan until members are re-elected.

The pay increases topped Warr's list of needlessly divisive decisions made by the court he enters. He said the timing was terrible and hindered progress in other areas the county needs to address in the near future, including jail overcrowding.

Warr and Phillips signed affidavits refusing pay increases and will maintain the 2007 base pay of $45,451.

Warr, who sold his insurance agency recently, was a member of the Tyler City Council from 1994 to 1998, serving as mayor pro tem in 1998. In addition to the city council, Warr has served as chairman of the Mayor's Anti-Crime Task Force, on the board of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and several planning committees and on the boards of Historic Tyler, the TISD Foundation, the Alzheimer's Association and Tyler Jaycees.

"I really enjoy public service," Warr said. "I'll try to make good business decisions" for Smith County.

Warr said strong business decisions will be crucial to navigate through the looming economic downturn. He said the area has not suffered as much as other parts of the country, but the court needs to actively seek potential employers.

He said all indications show East Texas will continue to grow and that the court needs to use every available option to provide work, improved services and infrastructure for the citizens of the county.

The price-tag of jail overcrowding is another concern he said must be addressed.

Warr said he is cautiously optimistic that the court can find a solution to jail overcrowding in the near future. He said though he has doubts, the proposition by architect Curt Parde, regarding jail expansion, during the recent commissioners court jail tour, would be a significant consideration.

Parde proposed, after looking at building schematics and consulting with engineers, that the central jail facility was built with upward expansion in mind and that adding another floor would be an option. The expansion and other improvements suggested by Parde would cost around $10 million as opposed to the recently failed "bare bones" $60 million jail bond proposal.

Phillips agrees that the cost is much more acceptable but said the impact on the number of available beds would be his only concern in moving forward with such a plan. He said he has doubts the expansion would be the most cost-effective solution, but he would consider any option and act on behalf of his constituents.

Regardless, a solid solution that voters can accept needs to be produced by the court he said because the county is wasting millions of dollars by shipping prisoners.

"It's not about what I want," he said. "If I felt that is what the voters wanted then I would vote for it, but I will just have to put my ear to the ground and find out what they want before I would support anything regarding the jail."

Phillips' minimal political experience and call for increased transparency and accountability helped him win his seat. He said he is not a politician, just a "conservative Republican, and I believe that government should be limited, fiscally responsible, and open and accountable to the people."

He worked in the oil and gas industry in the late 1980s and now works as a real estate developer and property manager. He said his business background and conservative principles can make a difference on the court.

Phillips agrees with Warr that during this time of economic uncertainty the court must increase its diligence and scrutiny regarding taxpayer dollars.

Building public trust will be their primary focus, they said.

Building roads, a new jail, and better opportunities for the citizens of Smith County will depend on that trust and the full effort of a cooperative and balanced commissioners court, Warr said.