For your consideration: Race for Gonzales County Constable, Precinct 3

GONZALES — The race for Precinct 3 Constable is nearing the final stretch before early voting for the March 1 primary starts on Tuesday, Feb.  16.     Incumbent  Constable Derek Johnson of Waelder believes that his hard work and dedication to the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office for the past two-and-a-half years makes him the best candidate for the office. 

The Johnson family has ranched this area for more than 100 years.

“I have spent most of my life in this area,” Johnson said. “I graduated from Moulton High School along with my beautiful high school sweetheart, Cindy Kozelsky, and we have been happily married for more than 30 years. We have raised a wonderful son and added a great daughter-in-law and an amazing granddaughter to our family.”

After managing several businesses for other people, Johnson founded his own technology company in the area. He owned and operated the company full time for more than 25 years, before going to work for the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office. 

“I have always been interested in law enforcement,”             Johnson noted, “and after spending many years making sure that my family and business were well taken care of, I decided to make the leap into law enforcement.”

Johnson attended the police academy while operating his business full time.

“And I graduated while achieving the highest TCOLE State Licensing test score of my class,” he said.

Johnson then worked part time as a patrolman for the Flatonia Police Department while      continuing to  operate his business full time. He later applied for a deputy constable position with longtime Pct. 3 Constable Raleigh Measom, and after a long interview and extensive background check, Johnson went to work for the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office.

“I believed in the mission of the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office so strongly, that I shut down the full time operation of my business to dedicate myself to the office,” Johnson said. “At that time, although our home in Lavaca County was only a few miles from the Gonzales County Pct. 3 boundary, I moved to the Waelder ranch on County Road 447 that has been in our family for many years. This move allowed me to provide a faster response to calls, and added more available time to better serve the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office.”

After many long discussions, Johnson said he and his wife decided that for now, she will continue to reside at our home in Lavaca County to help family members that are currently experiencing major medical problems.

“She and our four legged kid make the trip to visit me in at the ranch frequently, and we both look forward to the time when she can permanently join me at the Waelder ranch.”

After working at the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office, Johnson was quickly promoted to chief deputy, and he was provided the opportunity to manage the day-to-day operations of the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office for about a year before Constable Raleigh Measom decided to retire.

“The Commissioner’s Court chose to elect (appoint) me to serve out the remaining 2+ years of Constable Raleigh Measom’s term, and I have now been running the office as Constable for more than a year,” Johnson said.

“As Constable, I have had the honor and privilege to serve the great people of Precinct 3. I have worked hard to improve our area with strong enforcement of illegal dumping, frequent patrols of county roads, patrol presence, and personal interaction with the community. I maintain good working relationships with the Commissioner’s Court, county officials, local law enforcement agencies, and the community.

“The mission of the Constable’s Office is to support the Justice of the Peace by providing Bailiff and Civil Process services, backup local law enforcement agencies, investigate criminal activity, patrol the roadways, interact with the local community, and focus on Community Oriented Policing.”

Johnson believes that constables require certain qualities and skills that extend far beyond the law enforcement training at the Police Academy and experiences obtained while working as a police officer. “First, the constable needs to be someone that has proven to be stable, dependable, and fiscally responsible over a long period of time,” he explained. “Second, the constable needs to be someone with many years of proven business experience, because the constable’s office needs to be operated as a business to function correctly. The office has accounts receivable, accounts payable, employee scheduling, payroll, grants, budgets to prepare and follow, reports to prepare for local, state and federal agencies, and the office is subject to audit at any time. Third, the constable needs to be someone who has developed and honed strong customer service skills over the course of many years, because our office is in the customer service business. The constable needs to have the ability to discuss, analyze, solve, and find quick amicable solutions to many types of problems. Fourth, the constable needs to have a strong technology background, and the ability to keep up with current technology trends, as many types of complicated electronic devices are used in the daily operation of the office, with new technologies added regularly.”

“I have a very long and proven track record of all of those qualities and skills,” he continued, “and they have helped me excel at managing the day to day operations of the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office for more than 2 years without receiving any complaints.”

Johnson has been working diligently to try to personally meet with everyone to discuss the operation of the office and answer any questions that people may have before the March 1 Primary.

“I have already met with many of you, some of whom I have known for more than 30 years,” Johnson said, “but there are many more that I have not been able to meet with. I apologize for the wait, but as the current Constable, I still have to handle the day-to-day operations of the office, and that leaves me less time to meet with you than I would like. I am working very hard to get to all of the areas in Precinct 3 as my time allows. However, please feel free to contact the Campaign Hotline at 830-542-8446 to request a personal meeting or to have a campaign sign placed in your yard.”

Of the Candidates running for this office, Johnson said he was the only candidate with experience working for and managing a constable’s office.

“I have proven myself to be stable, dependable, hardworking and fiscally responsible, and I have already managed the day-to-day operations of the Pct. 3 Constable’s Office for more than 2 years,” he noted. “I am respectfully asking everyone to vote for me on March 1, or during early voting from February 16-26. Your vote for me will continue to keep things running smoothly in Precinct 3, and will allow me to continue to improve the services that the Constable’s Office provides for you. Thank you for your consideration.”