Beierle to lead commissioners until new judge appointed
Burnet County Commissioners appointed Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle (second from left) as interim leader after the resignation of Burnet County Judge James Oakley. Attending the meeting special meeting on Jan. 3 were commissioners Jim Luther (left) Beierle, Chad Collier, and Joe Don Dockery. The special meeting was the first for Collier, who was sworn into the position on Wednesday, Jan. 1. Staff photo by Elizabeth De Los Santos
Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle will lead the Burnet County Commissioners Court until an interim county judge is appointed. The court also laid out a plan during a special meeting on Friday, Jan. 3 for selecting the interim judge by the end of February. The appointment follows the official resignation of former judge James Oakley on Jan. 2.
Oakley announced he was stepping down as county judge on Dec. 18, 2024, after receiving a public reprimand from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for security violations and sexual harassment.
Until a new County Judge is appointed to complete the remaining two-year term, Beierle will fulfill key responsibilities of the role. These include leading public meetings, managing day-to-day court operations, and signing official documents related to actions voted on by the Commissioners Court.
“I’m ready to help lead the court with the help of each commissioner,” Beierle said. “The citizens will not see any decline in services that (the court is) statutorily required to provide. The ultimate goal is to make sure that the county is operating the way it should for our constituents.”
The process to appoint a new Burnet County Judge includes public forums, public comment periods, and court deliberations.
Based on the outlined timeline below, the new County Judge should be appointed by the regular meeting on Feb. 25.
Burnet County Judge appointment process
Posting the position
Deadline to apply for the position is noon, Jan. 31. It will be posted on the county bulletin board and the county’s employment portal. Interested candidates can submit their applications online or by paper. Paper applications are available at the Burnet County Courthouse.
A list of eligible applicants and their contact information will be made public on the Burnet County website at 5 p.m. on Jan. 31.
Applicant review and eligibility check
All applicants will undergo background checks to verify eligibility. They must be at least 25 years old, have been a resident of Burnet County for at least six months, and must not have been convicted of a felony or a crime involving official misconduct.
Public forum and comment period
A public forum and question and answer session will be held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the AgriLife Extension building, 607 N. Vanderveer in Burnet.
The public can email comments or questions to commissioners or the applicants from Jan. 31 through noon on Feb. 6.
Public meeting to narrow down candidates
During the Commissioners Court session on Feb. 11, the court will interview all applicants and narrow the pool to two finalists.
Forum for top two
The top two finalists will attend a public forum at 6 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the AgriLife Extension building, 607 N, Vanderveer in Burnet. The public can email additional comments or questions regarding the finalists from Feb. 11-25.
Appointment of County Judge
The court will hold a final public hearing to deliberate and appoint the new county judge at its regular meeting on Feb. 25.
The appointee will serve the remainder of the current term, which expires on Dec. 31, 2026.
Any updates to timeline, locations, or procedural details, will be published as the county releases new information.