County officials in the Amarillo area have selected a former county commissioner to fulfill the remaining two years of Randall County Judge Ernie Houdashell’s term.

This week, the county commissioners in Randall County voted to appoint former Commissioner Christy Dyer to fill the vacancy left by Houdashell’s passing last year.

The county judge is the chief executive officer of the county and presides over the commissioners court, the county’s elected governing body.

Dyer resigned from the county commission just this month to accept an appointment to the board of aldermen for the Village of Lake Tanglewood, which is just south of Amarillo. However, with her appointment to Houdashell’s seat, Judge Dyer will now be returning to the Randall County Courthouse.

Dyer was first elected to the commissioners court in 2012 and had been re-elected to a third four-year term in November before her resignation.

There was not unanimous agreement from the commissioners about Dyer’s selection. Commissioners Mark C. Benton and Bob Robinson cast votes in favor of Dyer, while Commissioner Buddy DeFord cast a vote against her selection.

Commissioners must still select a new person to fill the Precinct 1 vacancy left by Dyer’s resignation this month. Interested applicants can file an application here to be considered for appointment to the Precinct 1 seat. Whoever is appointed to the position will serve until the conclusion of a special election next year.

Thomas Warren

Thomas Warren, III is the editor-in-chief of the Amarillo Pioneer newspaper in Amarillo, Texas.

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