Texan News

Commissioner Jim Pack

By Stephanee Rhodes, Texan News Service

Erath County Commissioner Jim Pack of precinct 1 dedicates his full time to his county. Not only does Pack take on the complete workload of being a county commissioner but he is also a volunteer firefighter, a father, a husband of 33 years, a Navy veteran, and a longhorn breeder.

Pack went to school at Tarleton and A&M and was drafted to the Vietnam War before he went back to finish his college career. Pack returned to Stephenville in 2000 to work at Tarleton as the physical plant director until 2008 before running for commissioner.

Pack admits that being a commissioner is a time consuming job. When Pack is not helping others or working in his office he is driving around and checking all 173 miles of his designated county roads. That does not stop Pack from loving his job.

“I wake up every morning excited and happy to come to work,” Pack said.

Although this is Pack’s first term serving as a commissioner, he admits to always wanting to be a county commissioner as a child.

“My dad’s really good friend was a commissioner and it made me want to be one,” Pack said.

Pack’s main goals are to fix and maintain current paved roads.

“The previous commissioner worried about paving roads, but we need to also worry about roads that were already paved 12 or 13 years ago. Roads need to be maintained and re-paved,” Pack said.

Pack worries that ignored roads are dangerous and could be a liability; he believes that a road is an investment.

Although Pack is technically retired he can’t see himself not working and loves being a commissioner. But he does have his dislikes and pet peeves, like the frequent “street sign thieves.”

Street signs are about $25 a piece and the cost ads up with all of reoccurring disappearance of signs. Pack took matters into his own hands by placing a personal camera in a tree to catch culprits. He was extremely disappointed when the sign turned up missing two days after removing the camera.

“Street signs are important, especially for ambulances or fire trucks trying to find a street during emergencies -- it’s why we have them,” Pack said.

Commissioners serve a four-year term and have to run for re-election if they want to serve longer. Pack plans on running again this next election in hopes of serving another term. Pack confesses to being a little nervous but doesn’t stress about the election and has already met both of his competitors.

“It is what it is -- it’s a race,” said Commissioner Joe Brown.

Pack is committed to helping not only the county, but the people in it.

“My favorite part of this job is solving problems for people. I just really love helping people,” Pack said. Pack is proud to be one of the commissioners of Erath County and has nothing but high hopes for its future.