County constable to resign, recommends replacement

Published 2:05 am Tuesday, December 4, 2018

The Smith County constable for Precinct 2 is planning to resign from his position, effective Dec. 31.

Constable Andy Dunklin, who has held the position for 10 years, is leaving the position to become the Justice of the Peace for Precinct 2.

There are two years left in the position, and Dunklin has recommended that his deputy be appointed to fill the position for those two years.

The Smith County Commissioners Court will discuss how to fill the position at a regular meeting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Smith County Courthouse Annex Building at 200 E. Ferguson St.

Dunklin, 60, was appointed to the position in 2008 after the Precinct 2 constable and justice of the peace both died. He has run and won the position every term since then.

Dunklin, a Republican, ran unopposed for Precinct 2 justice of the peace in March and unopposed in the general election in November. He takes office Jan. 1.

He said in an interview he approached the Commissioners Court last year to notify members that he would be filing paperwork to run for the new position and would trigger a vacancy.

He said he told the members he could either resign then or stay in office during the election, and the court chose to keep him in office instead of accept the immediate resignation.

“For the smooth transition of that office and because Constable Dunklin has done such a fabulous job in his position, there was no need for that to happen at that time,” Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran said in an interview Monday.

Moran said Texas law sets out a process for the Commissioners Court to fill the position based on the timing of the vacancy. Had the court accepted the resignation last year, there would have been an election, he said.

Instead, the Commissioners Court will need to appoint a replacement, Moran said. He said he would like to have a replacement named prior to Jan. 1 so there will be a smooth transition, without a gap.

Dunklin wrote in a formal resignation letter to the Commissioners Court on Nov. 15 that he would like his deputy Josh Black to take over the position.

“In the previous year, he has faithfully attended the weekly court’s meeting to familiarize himself with the overall county affairs,” Dunklin wrote. “He has a good working knowledge of the justice court to properly assist me in its daily operation.”

Dunklin also praised Black as well-qualified, cited his history as a jailer and constable deputy, and family’s history of working in law enforcement.

A full copy of the Smith County Commissioners Court agenda, and Dunklin’s resignation letter, are available at TylerPaper.com.

TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM: @_erinmansfield