‘Our charge is to make it work:’ New Tarrant County commissioners vow teamwork in transition
During the first Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting of 2023, the message was clear — this new group, they say, will work together.
The midterms brought three new faces to the court, which lost nearly 70 years of experience in the transition.
Tim O’Hare, a Republican from Southlake, takes over as county judge. Alisa Simmons, a Democrat from Arlington, took over as Precinct 2’s commissioner to represent cities like Arlington and Mansfield. Manny Ramirez, a Republican from Fort Worth, is now Precinct 4’s commissioner and will represent Northwest Tarrant County.
The new crew’s first meeting was all about assuring residents they would work together for Tarrant County’s continued success.
New commissioners Simmons and Ramirez kept it brief. Simmons told the court she was excited to be there, and Ramirez said that while there were areas to improve, Tarrant County runs a good operation.
“Let’s have a good four years,” Ramirez said.
O’Hare said being the new county judge was the “honor of a lifetime” and “humbling.” He stuck to the same sentiment he’s shared since he was elected, and and told the court he would always do what he felt was right, would work hard for constituents and that his door was always open.
Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks, a Democrat who has represented Precinct 1 (Benbrook, Burleson, Everman) for 19 years, called Tarrant County the finest county in America, and told the court and crowd the county didn’t become what it is today by accident. County government works, he said, because of the relationships forged by elected officials and county staff.
Brooks said he’s met with each of the new member of the court and that he’s satisfied with the assurances he’s received that they would work together.
“We in county government cannot afford to be Washington, D.C.,” Brooks said, referencing how top Republican and Democrat officials can often not talk to each other. “We cannot function that way here in county government. Our charge is to make it work.”
Brooks said political ideology needed to be checked at the door and that compromise was not a dirty word.
“Compromise is the door through which we get to good public policy,” he said.
Commissioner Gary Fickes, a Republican who represents Precinct 3 (Colleyville, Grapevine, Keller, Southlake) echoed Brook’s sentiment about having the opportunity to work together.
“We’re all on the same page,” Fickes said, before adding that he hoped they could continue that trend.
And before they moved through the rest of the agenda, O’Hare gave a nod to former county judge Glen Whitley, who served 26 years on Tarrant County’s commissioners court.
O’Hare said Whitley was helpful in his transition into the position, and urged the crowd to give Whitley one last round of applause. The crowd obliged.
