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Adapting For Today and Tomorrow

ADAPTING TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY

Rockwall County is geographically the smallest county in the state, but it is also the tenth densest county in the state and the population is still growing. Continuing to operate as we did as a county of 25,000 people when we are currently estimated at over 145,000 has already cost us dearly and will continue to do so if we fail to adapt. Judge Frank New has spent his first term in office working this problem from all angles and making good on his campaign promise to move Rockwall County forward in some very meaningful ways including a functional County Medical Director, a Public Information Officer, and an honest look at how roads are bought and built in this county.

  1. A ROCKWALL COUNTY MEDICAL DIRECTOR. Judge New has worked to strengthen relationships between state agencies, local hospitals, and Rockwall County’s Local Health Authority which has led to improved communication and increased functionality for the benefit of Rockwall County Citizens.

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  2. A ROCKWALL COUNTY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER. : At Judge New’s direction, the county created a Public Information Officer (PIO) position to focus on opening lines of communication between county government, county agencies and departments, and the citizens they serve. This adaptation has already paid dividends both in emergency response scenarios, and in the ever-growing network of connections developed by Rockwall County’s first ever PIO with other agencies’ PIOs across the county and state.

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  3. Roads Judge New remains committed to re-inventing a process that historically has not served Rockwall County well. A major improvement already implemented is direct communication between county government and TXDOT, including TXDOT executives in Austin and local TXDOT representatives assigned in Rockwall County. This may seem too small to be revolutionary but actually represents a major shift for the county from relying on intermediaries to give and receive information to first-hand participation in the process of funding and building roads. Already, this adaptation has had a significant impact on the future of Rockwall County. For the first time, county leadership has challenged TXDOT’s proposed placement of a road (the outer loop) that would profoundly negatively impact our community’s quality of life, and negotiations are ongoing for a placement that benefits Rockwall County and protects it from the unwanted high-density development that accompanies such roads.

    Adapting county government to the shifting needs of a growing community has been, and must continue to be, a priority for county leadership. Judge New is focused on developing new ways to make government work harder, better, and stronger for the people of Rockwall County.