Former Hays County Sheriff Don Montague will complete the unfinished term of former Precinct 3 Constable Ray Helm and be on the ballot in November as the Republican candidate for the position.
Helm resigned his position under fire and surrendered his peace officer certification for life on July 31, but because of Texas law concerning "holdovers," he can technically continue to perform duties until a successor is elected. Helm, whose name was also removed from the November ballot, could have technically continued to at least influence the functioning of the office he had held since 2016
Montague, who ran as a Democrat when elected in 1996, retired as sheriff to take over as head of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) center at Texas State University.
Montague had posted on his Facebook page that he felt his "law enforcement experiences, education and extensive knowledge of Hays County would be a benefit to the public during these unprecedented times."
County Judge Ruben Becerra was the sole vote against Montague's appointment. He had said repeatedly that having an interim fill the position and then appear on the ballot would "tip the scales" in that person's direction.
Friday's meeting was the second special one called by Becerra concerning the issue, but the first was called of for lack of a quorum.
Montague's nomination came from Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell, who touted Montague's long law enforcement career. Commissioners also formally accepted Helm's resignation
