By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Val Verde County Commissioners Court on Wednesday appointed John Randel Dissler
as the new Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace to succeed the late Antonio “Tony” Faz III.
The court voted 4-1 to appoint Dissler, with County Judge Lewis
G. Owens Jr. giving the
sole vote opposing the appointment.
Dissler was nominated to fill Faz’s unexpired term by Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos
Vazquez, who told The 830 Times the county had received five applicants for the
position.
After Owens read the heading of the agenda item, “discussion and possible action on
appointing an applicant for the remaining term for the open position of Justice of the
Peace Pct. 2,” he recognized Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez.
Vazquez said, “I will make a motion this morning, after doing some interviews, me and
some other commissioners, I’ll make a motion, judge, to appoint one applicant, Mr.
Randel Dissler, to the remaining term for the Justice of the Peace Precinct 2.”
After Vazquez made his motion, Owens told the commissioner, “If you don’t mind, and
me and you talked about this already, if we’re going to do this, we have an individual
that’s already licensed there (in the position), already has his permit, if part of your
motion would be to keep him, who we have today, if he’s willing to serve, until Mr.
Dissler gets all his permits, that way we don’t have an issue with the other JPs (justices of
the peace).”
Vazquez agreed, then Commissioner Pct. 1 Kerr Wardlaw gave the second.
Owens said, “I have a motion, Commissioner Vazquez; a second, Commissioner
Wardlaw. All those in favor?”
Vazquez, Wardlaw and the two other commissioners voted in favor of the motion, and
Owens voted against it.
After the meeting, Dissler, a Val Verde County native who owns and operates Hinds
Well Service, spoke to The 830 Times about his appointment and why he applied for the
position.
Dissler said, “I spent over 20 years in the Border Patrol, retired back about 15 years ago,
and I’ve been in the private sector and thought it was time that I try something new. I
think it’s something that I’ve got some experience at. I think I can do a good job of it. I’m
looking forward to it. I’m excited about it, and a little hesitant about some of it because I
know that I’ve got a lot to learn, but everything I’ve heard about it (the position) is that
everybody pitches in and helps.”
After the meeting, Owens said he likes and respects Dissler, and said his only real
objection to the appointment is that the county has already paid to train someone to take
over Faz’s duties.
Owens said, “I have nothing against Randel. I’ve known him a long time, and I think he’s
a good person. But we have somebody who’s already trained and there, and it took six
months to get all his paperwork done, all his numbers, permits, everything, and that’s the
only reason.
“We’re fixing to go through that process all over again, and we’re fixing to spend more
money, and I have an individual (in the position) who does not have another job, who is
actually serving as a full-time JP. Mr. Dissler has a water well service, a very successful
and profitable water well service, because he’s always busy.
“I’m not taking anything away from the man (Dissler), because I thoroughly enjoy
talking to him, but at the end of the day, the JP position is a full-time job,” the county
judge added.
In 2024, when Faz’s illness prevented him from fulfilling the duties of justice of the
peace, commissioners court appointed George Salinas, who had previously served as the
Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace, to fulfill the duties of the office. Faz died in April, and the
court in May discussed the procedure to use to appoint his successor.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
