Sworn to Serve: Officials take oaths of office Thursday

Shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday three raised right hands and three repeated oaths of office marked a changing of the guard for Jackson County law enforcement and for Precinct 1 on the county Commissioners Court. That’s when Edna Police Chief Rick Boone officially became Jackson County Sheriff and Doug Frenzel became Precinct 1 Commissioner.

At the same time, right across Main Street, Port Lavaca Det. Kenneth Pyle officially swore in as Edna’s new Police Chief.

As soon as his oath of office was completed and his paperwork signed, Frenzel took a seat with the man he was replacing, retiring 20-year veteran Precinct 1 Commissioner Wayne Hunt, along with Prec. 2 Commissioner Wayne Bubela, Prec. 3 Commissioner Glenn Martin, Prec. 4 Dennis Karl, and Prec. 1 Constable Joel Price.

Jackson County Judge Jill Sklar administered the oaths for Frenzel, as well as incumbents Martin, Price, Tax Assessor-Collector Monica Foster, and Prec. 2 Constable Steve Thompson. Retiring Sheriff Kelly Janica came forward to swear in Boone, and afterward, Boone’s wife Kendra did the honors of pinning on his new badge.

At that, Boone’s first order of business was to swear in the county’s law enforcement officers as a group, and then to ask the group to assemble at the front for a photo upon completion of the remainder of the brief meeting.

In addition to the swearing- in ceremonies, county commissioners also unanimously approved official bonds for newly elected officials, payment of county and precinct bills, and all payroll changes.