The Potter County Commissioners Court revisited the issue of public information officers during its May 26 meeting, renewing debate over how the county should comply with the state’s newly enacted Uvalde Strong Act while balancing budget pressures and emergency response demands.
The discussion followed a failed vote at the commissioners’ previous meeting, where the court rejected forming a committee to study implementation of House Bill 33, legislation passed after the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde. The law requires local government entities, including counties, cities, and school districts, to designate trained public information officers to provide timely communication during emergencies.
The item returned to the agenda after Precinct Two Commissioner Blair Schaffer described communication challenges he witnessed during the recent Stinky fire response. Schaffer, who also serves with the Amarillo Fire Department, said emergency leaders managing the incident had little opportunity to communicate with the public while coordinating firefighting operations.
According to Schaffer, multiple agencies from local and state levels were involved in the response, making it difficult to consolidate and release information quickly. He argued that a trained public information officer could help provide residents with more timely updates during emergencies while allowing command staff to remain focused on operational decisions.
Schaffer said the required training, developed through the Texas Division of Emergency Management, includes instruction on media briefings, crisis communications, social media engagement, interview preparation, and emergency public relations. He suggested the county may already have employees capable of filling the role if they receive the mandated certification.
Support for studying the issue also came from Brian Thomas and Richard Lake, both of whom emphasized the strain emergency responders face during active incidents. Thomas said sheriff’s office personnel are already stretched thin and unable to dedicate time to handling media communication during emergencies. Lake echoed those concerns, explaining that firefighters assigned to incident response cannot easily step away to manage press briefings or public updates.
County Attorney Scott Brumley clarified that the Uvalde Strong Act focuses specifically on ensuring timely public communication during active shooter or emergency situations when information could help residents evacuate, avoid danger, or assist law enforcement operations. Under the law, the public information officer can either be a dedicated employee or an existing county official such as the county judge, sheriff, or constable.
Despite the concerns raised by emergency officials, some commissioners questioned whether the county could afford to create additional positions. Precinct Three Commissioner John Coffee argued the responsibility should remain within existing county offices as officials continue addressing budget constraints, a costly jail expansion project, and potential cost-of-living raises for county employees.
During the discussion, commissioners noted that County Judge Nancy Tanner is frequently present at emergency incident command scenes. Coffee indicated he may move to appoint Tanner as the county’s public information officer in September, though Tanner’s term ends Dec. 31 and she is not seeking reelection.
Precinct Four Commissioner Warren Coble Sr. suggested waiting to gather additional public feedback before making a decision. The court ultimately took no action on the agenda item, leaving unresolved how Potter County will meet the state’s Sept. 1 training deadline for designated public information officers.
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