Former sheriff nominated for Constable Pct. 3

The Hays County Commissioners Court nominated former Sheriff Don Montague for the vacant Precinct 3 Constable position in a special meeting Friday. 

Commissioner Lon Shell nominated Montague after the Hays County Republican Party selected him for the Nov. 3 ballot Thursday night. 

“In this case, I believe that the best person to take over and to provide guidance for officers and to instill integrity and trustworthiness in the office is Don Montague,” Shell said.

Commissioner Mark Jones added, “I don't think you could find a better nomination  when you've got somebody that was elected countywide not that long ago, so he's got respect throughout all four of our precincts. I think he'll do a great job and I'm hoping that he'll accept this nomination.”

Montague began his law enforcement career as a Texas highway patrolman in 1967. He began working in the Hays County Sheriff's Office in 1987 as a deputy then a sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and Chief Deputy.

He was elected as Sheriff in November of 1996 and reelected in 2000 and 2004 before he retired in 2005. Montague was also director of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University from August 2005 to 2015.

The vacancy arose after former Constable Ray Helm permanently surrendered his peace officer’s license and submitted his resignation after admitting that he falsely reported training to the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement that he knew did not constitute training for TCOLE purposes. A TCOLE investigation says that Helm “fabricated” documents to “memorialize” the training session they say did not occur.

Montague was nominated with a 4-1 vote of approval with County Judge Ruben Becerra as the lone vote in opposition. 

“All too often we appoint folks that end up on the ballot,” Becerra said. He hoped the court would make a nomination for someone who would not be on the ballot in November so as to avoid “tipping the scales” of the election in any party’s favor.

Shell said not one person called him willing to take a three month appointment. 

Cody Cheatham had expressed a desire to be considered for appointment, but did not meet the qualifications of residency in Precinct 3 according to Shell.

Prior to his vote Becerra said, “My hope is to have someone from within the organization that's not going to be on the ballot. And they won't terminate deputies walking in, for obvious reasons. And so for that reason, even if I am for one vote. I'll be voting in another direction.”

The meeting was the second special called meeting on the item after there was no quorum for the meeting that was called Tuesday, with three days notice. 

Commissioners Debbie Ingalsbe, Mark Jones and Walt Smith did not show up at the Hays County Courthouse due to lack of communication and coordination between Becerra and the rest of the commissioners. They all had prior engagements, as the week of Aug. 3 was scheduled to be a week off for the commissioners, and they were not asked about their schedules prior to setting the meeting.

Ingalsbe made attempts to get the meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. when she could attend and Jones made several attempts to reach Becerra to ask to reschedule.