By Ray King
A policies and procedures ordinance setting out how the Jefferson County Quorum Court is to conduct business for the rest of this year and in 2026 that was approved by eight justices of the peace last week was approved again Monday night.
County Judge Gerald Robinson postponed the Quorum Court’s regular meeting which had been scheduled for April 7 but the eight JP’s, after advice from the prosecuting attorney held the meeting anyway and adopted their version of the policies and procedures ordinance.
Robinson has said that meeting was illegal so the eight voted for it again while the remaining five JP’s, who said they weren’t notified of the April 7 meeting, voted no.
After the meeting, Robinson talked to the press, starting with his take on that April 7 meeting.
While the policies and procedures ordinance did pass, that was the only legislation that did as three appropriation ordinances, including a 2025 County Budget prepared by Robinson failed by identical 8 to 5 margins. It takes nine votes to adopt legislation.
Also being defeated was a $445,185.83 appropriation for the county road department with $120,000 going to vehicles, another $241,377.75 to lease principal and the remainder to lease interest. Those funds would have come from salaries and benefits for nine road department employees and several JP’s s said they would not vote to cut jobs.
