Jim Wells County judge named president of South Texas association

Jim Wells County Judge Pete Trevino Jr. has been named president of the South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association, a post that gives the county a louder voice in a 62-county network that helps set the agenda for local government across South Texas. The leadership role arrives as county officials from Atascosa, Cameron, Hidalgo and Jim Wells counties gather around training, policy talks and legislative priorities that can ripple into roads, water, economic development and emergency response.

The association, founded in 1934, held its 92nd annual conference June 15-18 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Villas in San Antonio. County commissioners attending the meeting could receive up to 17 hours of continuing education, while county judges could earn up to four hours of judicial education, underscoring how the conference serves as both a policy forum and a professional training ground for county government.

Trevino was listed as president for the 2026 conference officer slate. Mark Gillespie of Atascosa County served as first vice president, David Garza of Cameron County as second vice president and David Fuentes of Hidalgo County as immediate past president. The association’s leadership places Jim Wells County in the center of regional discussions at a time when counties continue to juggle infrastructure demands, public safety and state-level advocacy.

That matters in Jim Wells County because the county judge is not a ceremonial office. Trevino presides over the five-member commissioners court, serves as budget officer and directs emergency management during disasters. He entered office in January 2023, and his current term runs through Dec. 31, 2026.

Inside county government, Trevino has already overseen a budget cycle in which commissioners approved a 5 percent raise for all county employees as part of the 2026 budget. Trevino said the county had worked to stay in surplus while meeting departmental needs, a balance that will likely remain central as he represents Jim Wells County in a larger South Texas forum.

The association also runs a scholarship program funded by previous conference proceeds rather than taxpayer dollars. Applications were due by 5 p.m. on May 16, 2026, another example of how the group uses its annual gathering for more than speeches and handshakes. For Jim Wells County residents, the real test of Trevino’s new role will be whether it brings back practical results, stronger contacts and sharper advocacy on the issues that shape daily life at home.