By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
County Commissioner Pct. 1 Martin Wardlaw announced Wednesday he would not seek re-election in 2024.
Wardlaw made the announcement during the “commissioners comments” item on the agenda of Wednesday’s regular county commissioners court meeting.
“I’d like to make an announcement, judge. I do not plan to run for county commissioner,” Wardlaw said.
Wardlaw’s current term on the court expires at the end of 2024.
“All I’ve got to say is this court is really going to change,” County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. said, referencing another announcement earlier this year by County Commissioner Pct. 3 Beau Nettleton, who also said he will not seek another term on the county’s governing body.
“I’m sad for that. We’ve had our disagreements, commissioner, we’ve had good and bad, but I think we’ve always had more good than bad, and the knowledge that you brought to this court is really going to be missed, your experience,” Owens said.
“Just like Commissioner Nettleton, you both have been a big part of this. You (Wardlaw) were here when my grandfather (the late County Judge Sergio Gonzalez) was here, and he had a lot of respect for you,” the county judge added.
County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez read a prepared statement lauding Wardlaw and his service on the court.
“On behalf of Val Verde County and myself, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for your decades of service to our community. You have been a dedicated and visionary leader who has made a lasting impact on the county’s development and prosperity.
“You have served as a commissioner for the county for five terms and have represented Precinct 1 with integrity and professionalism. You have been instrumental in advancing the county’s interests and addressing the needs of the residents. You have also been a strong advocate for the county’s values and principles such as transparency, accountability and collaboration.
“You have been a role model, not only for me, and a mentor for many of us who have learned from your wisdom and experience. You have been a true, loyal friend and a colleague who has always been supportive and respectful. You have been a source of inspiration and motivation who has always been positive and optimistic.
“You have earned the respect and admiration of your peers, your staff and your constituents. You have also earned the right to enjoy a well-deserved retirement, where you can spend more time with your growing family and pursue your personal passions, including the rancho.
“We will miss you greatly, but we will always remember your legacy and your contributions. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Thank you for everything, Commissioner Wardlaw. You have made a difference in our lives, in mine, and we will be forever grateful,” Vazquez read.
“Thank you, thank you,” Wardlaw said after Vazquez finished. “I have thoroughly enjoyed serving with you folks, and I love each one of you. You all are very important to me.”
County Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores also thanked Wardlaw.
“All I have to say is thank you, Commissioner Wardlaw, for being part of Val Verde County, its history, with you being commissioner for so many years. We thank you for your service. We appreciate it,” Flores said.
Owens jokingly reminded the court Wardlaw “isn’t leaving tomorrow,” adding, “He’ll be with us a whole ’nother year. We still have a year and change where the makeup of this court will remain the same.”
On a more serious note, Owens added, “It’s another chapter coming to a close. I don’t know if I’m ready for it.”
Wardlaw began serving his most recent tenure on the court in 2017. He served four years, then was re-elected to the Precinct 1 county commissioner seat in 2020.
Wardlaw’s ancestors settled in Val Verde County in 1883 and have ranched for more than a century in the northern part of the county.
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