(Seguin) — It’s hard not to think about the west end of Guadalupe County when you hear the name Jim Wolverton mentioned. Wolverton has represented west end cities, like Schertz and Cibolo, for more than two decades on the Guadalupe County Commissioners Court. Those who have watched him work say that Commissioner Wolverton has worked for years to provide the best services to not only the people of Precinct 3, but also for those who reside in other parts of the sprawling county. Wolverton took part in his last scheduled commissioners court meeting on this week at the Guadalupe County Courthouse. Wolverton’s final term in office will end on Thursday, December 31, and it will officially bring his 24 years on the court to a close.
The commissioners court recognized Wolverton for his service during Tuesday’s meeting. County Judge Kyle Kutscher opened with a brief comment expressing his gratitude for Wolverton, and for the work that he has provided over the years.
“Jim has been somebody who has been extremely active in a lot of facets of county government, specifically in construction, finance, investments, (and) serving on the AACOG board,” said Kutscher. “Really a number of things that we could probably list all day long, but there’s going to be a big hole left when Commissioner Wolverton leaves. It’s just going to be different.”
Precinct 4 Commissioner Judy Cope has spent years sitting next to Wolverton. She says people have seen Wolverton in action during commissioners court meetings, but they may not know that he continues to work hard for the people of Guadalupe County, even when he’s off the clock.
“He has done so much for this county. Some of the things, people don’t even know about, is his gardening. He went over, when we didn’t have anyone to take care (county buildings in) Precinct 3, and he mowed the lawn. So he’s been our gardener. He also went over numerous nights — anytime that he was needed — he opened up the county (buildings) so that they homeowners associations and different organizations have had the opportunity to use our county buildings,” said Cope.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Drew Engelke says he’s learned a great deal from Wolverton. He says he’s also admired how hard Wolverton works for the people of this county.
“Some people refer to you as the Energizer Bunny. I don’t know if you’re aware of that,” said Engelke said jokingly to Wolverton. “You do things and you do them quickly and efficiently. You’re like, ‘let’s get this done.’ The way you think about things — I’ve learned a lot from you.”
Precinct 1 Commissioner Greg Seidenberger says regardless of the issues facing the court, he always knew that Wolverton was going to try to do what he thought was best for the county.
“I have not always agreed with you, but the beauty of it is, we were able to always sit down afterwards and have lunch or have a visit and talk about the future of the county. Your heart is always in the right place. You care about the people. You’ve cared about the county. You’ve cared about our future. You had a vision and you acted upon it. I have a lot of high regard, high praise and a lot of respect, and I will miss you.” said Seidenberger.
It wasn’t just the current members of the court that showed up to honor Wolverton during the meeting. Former Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Shanafelt also was on hand to recognize Wolverton’s service.
“If you look at the buildings that you supervised the construction of — look at this Courthouse, look at the Justice Center and the new building structures that we have over in Schertz where you represented your folks. You really have left your mark,” said Shanafelt.
County Auditor Kristin Klein says she’s enjoyed getting to know and work with Commissioner Wolverton. She says whether it was talking about the budget or the tax rate, she respected the work that he did for the county. Klein says that Wolverton leaves behind some big shoes to fill, and not just for the work that he does at the Guadalupe County Courthouse.
“I’m trying to think of all of the things that people haven’t already said, (like) your volunteering as a crossing guard for the schools. Answering (the alarms) — and I hope the person that’s replacing you knows that when the alarm goes off at the Schertz building, it’s going to be his responsibility in the middle of the night to go see what’s going on. You’ve definitely left your mark. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you holding the contractors’ feet to the fire. It has been a privilege and a joy to work with you,” said Klein.
The person that will step into Wolverton’s position on January 1 also spoke during Tuesday’s meeting. Precinct 3 Commissioner-Elect Michael Carpenter says that Wolverton did a great job over the years representing the people of Precinct 3.
“You were serving Guadalupe County before I moved to Guadalupe County. When I arrived in Guadalupe County, you were already serving the people of Precinct 3 and the people of this county. You have always been the county commissioner that has represented me as a resident and I wanted to say thank you for that. I never had a challenge as a resident with anything that was going on in my precinct or with my county. You made sure that happened,” said Carpenter.
There was a clear theme developed as county officials one-by-one offered thanks to Wolverton for working so tirelessly for the county. Judge Kutscher says most people may not be aware of the huge impact that Wolverton had on the county. He says he served in a number of capacities that really made a difference to the people here in this community. Kutscher says they’ve seen and done a lot together on the court, and he was just grateful that he had the opportunity serve with Wolverton.
“We’ve all worked together for a long time. We’ve seen the county through some of the most difficult times, and through some of the most prosperous times. A lot of those good times had to do with Jim Wolverton being involved, being proactive and wanting to see the county progress for the benefit of the citizens of the county. He’s always been that way. He’s cared — always. And I respect you for that,” said a clearly choked up Judge Kutscher.
Wolverton thanked all those who spoke for their kind words. He says it was a honor to serve for 24 years, and he’s very grateful that he was given that opportunity.
“A special shoutout to the people of Precinct 3 who afforded me the opportunity to serve. It’s been a wonderful trip. It’s been fantastic. I never thought of it as a job. It’s been more like an adventure,” said Wolverton.
Guadalupe County has grown exponentially since Wolverton was elected in the mid-1990s. Much of that growth has occurred within the boundaries of Precinct 3. Wolverton says they’ve accomplished a great deal over the years, and he knows that the commissioners court will continue to work hard to serve the people of the county.
“Earlier today, I was looking around (and realized) that I got to sit on ten great commissioners courts, (with) nine different commissioners (and) six different judges. They were 15 different people from different walks of life, but we all had one thing that we had in common — and that was to make sure that Guadalupe County was a great place to live, work and raise a family. With that (said), I know that the future courts will do the same. They have Guadalupe County at heart. Once again, thank you,” said Wolverton.
Wolverton wasn’t the only elected official honored during Tuesday’s meeting. Precinct 2 Constable Jimmy Harless was also recognized for his many years of service to the county, including eight years as constable. Commissioner Engelke says that Harless was a positive force in Precinct 2. He says Harless should also be recognized for his time at the sheriff’s office, at the road and bridge department and with the county’s environmental service office.
“Serving in all those different facets (and), making your contributions to the county is greatly appreciated. We are going to miss seeing you around. We wish you all the luck and the best for your future endeavors,” said Engelke.
Harless, who made an unsuccessful run for sheriff earlier this year, says he was thankful for all of the opportunities that he has had to serve the people of Guadalupe County.
“It’s a heartfelt thanks to everybody. The constables’ offices have come a long way. I’m very proud of the men and women that serve, and I am honored. My heart is here with Guadalupe County. I’m not going anywhere. I will be working for Gonzales County and I’m looking forward to that,” said Harless. “Thank you for everything that you’ve done and it’s greatly appreciated.”
The recognition for Harless and Wolverton was offered as part of Tuesday’s regular commissioners court meeting. It was the kind of meeting that you would expect in 2020. Harless did not attend in-person, but was on the Zoom call. That’s because he’s COVID-19 positive. He says he’s doing okay, but he knew that meant he couldn’t be there in person. Commissioners Engelke and Seidenberger also attended the meeting virtually. Seidenberger tested negative, but had COVID-like symptoms. Engelke says he recently came into contact with a family member, who tested positive, so he thought it was best to stay home with his sons to make sure they were not potentially spreading the virus.
Newly elected county officials would normally gather at the Guadalupe County Courthouse on New Year’s Day for a giant swearing-in ceremony. Judge Kutscher says that won’t happen this week, because of COVID-19. In an attempt to limit crowd sizes, the elected officials will be sworn-in later on an individual basis.