Mike Brown, former Tom Green County Judge, endorses Todd Kolls for office

SAN ANGELO — Mike Brown, who served nearly two decades as county judge, added his name Thursday to a list of people endorsing Todd Kolls for the same office.

Kolls is running for Tom Green County Judge in the March 1 Republican primary. He faces three other challengers: Lane Carter, Joe Hyde and Tommy Usery.

Brown was elected county judge in 1995 during a time when the county was embroiled in multiple problems, from financial woes to internal dissension. Several officials and county employees credited Brown with resolving those issues by the time he retired in 2013.

On Thursday, Feb. 17, Brown forwarded a letter to the San Angelo Standard-Times explaining why he felt Kolls should be considered for office. The letter reads:

Dear Tom Green County voter,

I am writing because many people have asked who I support to be our next Tom Green County Judge, and why.

I highly recommend voting for Todd Kolls. I encouraged him to run, and I remain convinced he is the person you need to elect.

Our next Judge will face many of the same things I did, but in a world changed by COVID and a State weighed down by more liberal influence emanating out of Austin.

To be effective, he has to have the discernment to recognize when and where he can actually improve things for the people of Tom Green County. He will need the discipline to spend his time and energy working on the county needs at hand rather than prioritizing his own agenda. And it’s so important that he possesses the disposition it takes to stay calm and keep listening to all sides in the frequent circumstances where there are many different points of view.

In all aspects of this job, cooler heads prevail.

I firmly believe that Todd has all these qualities. Todd has an even temperament, he thinks more than he talks and he understands that the office of Tom Green County Judge is not about him. It’s about you.

Sincerely,

Michael D (Mike) Brown,

Tom Green County Judge, Retired

Brown: County judge plays several roles in the community

"County judge is a unique and expansive role," Brown said during an interview with the Standard-Times shortly before his retirement in 2014. "Unlike the city, the county's role is not to provide city services, but to administer state law.

"I don't believe there's a governmental position out there like county judge. A county judge represents all three governmental branches tied into one seat: legislative, executive and judicial."

County judges handle a range of matters that include hearing beer and wine license applications, calling elections, conducting mental health patient hearings and overseeing risk management and temporary guardianships.

Brown was succeeded by then-Precinct 3 County Commissioner Steve Floyd, who has since served as Tom Green County Judge and announced he would retire this year.

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This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Todd Kolls gets endorsement from ex-Tom Green County judge Mike Brown