At today’s meeting of the Brown County Commissioners, approval was given to a resolution in support of adding an Investigator to the office of the District Attorney.

District Attorney Michael Murray addressed the Commissioners, and explained that his office has not had an Investigator since Vance Hill was elected Sheriff, but now has the opportunity to have an Investigator again, funded by the State of Texas.

This year the Texas Legislature, at the urging of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, authorized funds for prosecutors and law enforcement in rural counties, according to Murray.  Both counties in the 35th District, Brown and Mills, qualify for the funding.  Murray said his 35th District Attorney’s office could receive $175,000 for a two-year period, renewable.  He asked the Commissioners to pass a resolution committing the County to comply with Texas Government Code 130.913, which, among other things, agrees to spend the state funding on new equipment or personnel, and not to decrease the current budget by the amount of funds received from the State.  The Commissioners did approve the resolution on a 3 – 0 vote.

Murray said he plans to hire David Stewart for the job of Investigator.  Stewart, a native of Coleman County, has spent a number of years as a Texas Highway Patrolman and as a Texas DPS State Trooper.  He is retiring from his State Trooper job at the end of this year, and will start his new job of Investigator in mid-January.