GEORGETOWN — The Williamson County Commissioners Court is on the hunt for an interim county judge now that Bill Gravell has stepped down to take a job with the Trump administration.
Commissioners met in a special session Friday, March 14, to formalize the selection process.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey, the most tenured member of the court, will serve as presiding officer over meetings until a new county judge is appointed.
To ensure Covey’s temporary role, commissioners voted to tweak the county guidelines on leadership transition to include the event of a vacancy — not merely an absence as previously referenced — by a county judge.
Meanwhile, the commissioners Friday agreed to solicit resumes and cover letters from potential candidates.
From there, a list of those seeking the post would be culled to secure the best qualified, county commissioners agreed.
Then, during the March 25 meeting, members of the court will decide which candidates to interview, according to a county advisory.
A follow-up special session 2:30 p.m. March 27 has been scheduled, during which selected candidates will be interviewed and commissioners may “possibly take action,” according to a release.
The chosen individual will serve as an appointee until the next general election on Nov.
3, 2026, which would determine a choice by the electorate.
Gravell, 61, accepted a job as the Region 6 advocate at the U.S. Small Business Administration with oversight over a fivestate region encompassing Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
He started March 10 in the job that includes representing 4.5 million small businesses, but will not have to relocate to Washington, D.C., according to officials.
The Round Rock native, a Republican, was appointed as Precinct 3 justice of the peace in 2013, followed by an election to that post in 2015.
After a successful campaign in 2018, he was sworn in as county judge Jan. 1, 2019, and then won reelection to the seat in 2022 for a second four-year term.
According to a news release, Gravell has overseen exponential growth during his time as county judge, including the addition of some 12,500 new small businesses and the expansion of Apple, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s semiconductor foundry in Taylor and Kalahari Resort in Round Rock.
Gravell has also participated in trade delegations to South Korea, Samsung’s home country, to seek partnerships with other high-tech businesses.
In addition to helping direct the county’s response to the COVID19 pandemic, Gravell in his role as the county director of emergency management has navigated other crises including fires, tornadoes and winter storms, supporters said.
According to Gravell’s online biography, he spent 22 years as a youth minister with the last eight years as pastor of Sonterra Fellowship in Jarrell.
For more on the selection process, visit wilco.tx.gov.
