TMCA Committees
September 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025
All the work by and for the Association is performed by members who volunteer to do the work. Generally, the members work as part of a committee appointed by the President. For the most part, committee membership is drawn from the officers and directors who have agreed to perform the necessary tasks assigned to that committee.
There are four standing committees which are required by the TMCA Bylaws. The President is authorized by the TMCA Bylaws (Article VII, Section 6) to appoint such committees as necessary to carry on the business of the Association. Since the TMCA Board of Directors also serves as the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center (TMCEC) Board of Directors, there are two committees specifically constituted for TMCEC business -- the Education and Personnel committees.
Annual Meeting Committee The Annual Meeting Committee coordinates the planning and preparation of the annual meeting as directed by the board of directors. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Hilda Cuthbertson (Snook) Ms. Landra Solansky (Seguin) Hon. Bonnie Townsend (Luling) |
Audit Committee This committee consists of the President Elect and two other members (other than the Treasurer) appointed by the President. The committee shall review the Association's financial records within 60 days of the close of fiscal year and shall present a report to the board of directors at the next board meeting. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Jackie Chapa (Corpus Christi) Hon. Wayne Frost (Midland) |
Budget and Finance Committee
The Budget and Finance Committee is required by Article XIII, Section 5 of the TMCA Bylaws. The committee is charged with establishing an operating budget consistent with a reasonable forecast of income and also to seek and identify additional sources of funding. The committee is further tasked with developing a long-range plan to provide more extensive services and benefits to members of the Association.
The Treasurer maintains the financial accounts reflecting the expenditures and income using budget accounts segregated to provide the board with an overview of expenses and income by category. Supporting detail for each main budget category will be available as requested by the President or the board.
In addition to the TMCA financial duties, the committee will also coordinate with the TMCEC Executive Director to establish financial controls for TMCEC deposit and disbursement of the TMCEC grant funds.
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Hilda Cuthbertson (Snook) Ms. Landra Solansky (Seguin) |
Building Committee The Building Committee shall be charged with recommending policies and procedures related to the management and maintenance of any structures or real property owned by the Association to the Board of Directors and implementing such policies and procedures as directed by the Board. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Robert Barfield (El Lago) Hon. Hyattye Simmons (Combine) |
Bylaws Committee This committee is tasked with: (1) reviewing the Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, Mission Statement, and grant conditions to assure compatibility; (2) receiving proposed Bylaws changes from association members; (3) evaluating proposed changes for conformity with the aforesaid existing documents; and (4) to submit the committee's recommendation to the board of directors. The committee shall assure that each member is provided with a ballot reflecting the proposed changes to the Bylaws, shall provide a place for the ballot to be mailed, count the ballots received, and report the results to the board of directors. The committee shall assure that the approved revisions are incorporated into the Bylaws. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Teresa Evans (Arlington) Ms. Tammy Odom (Texas City) |
Executive Committee This committee is composed of the President, President-Elect, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate Past President. The Executive Committee may act in the place of the board of directors between board meetings on all matters, except those specifically reserved for the board or other committees created or otherwise permitted by the Bylaws. The Executive Committee shall oversee the financial affairs of the Association and personnel matters. The Executive Committee shall report on all actions at the next board meeting. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Michael Acuña Hon. Hilda Cuthbertson (Snook) Hon. Teresa Evans (Arlington) Hon. Brian Holman (Lewisville) Hon. Kathleen Person (Temple) Ms. Landra Solansky (Seguin) |
Legislative Committee The Legislative Committee is established by the Bylaws (Article XIII, Section 4) and consists of members appointed by the President. The committee is charged with determining, what legislative programs are desired and/or approved by the membership and, in cooperation with the President, plan and execute a program for obtaining favorable consideration of any legislation favored by the membership. This committee is the focal point when legislators and legislator's staff need input for municipal court legislation and will work to develop a legislative package that TMCA believes would be beneficial to Texas municipal courts. This committee has, in addition to the responsibility reflected in the Bylaws, also acted as the Intergovernmental Relations Committee. In this role, the committee, as requested by the President, will coordinate and serve as a liaison with organizations that share the same goals and interests as TMCA such as TML, other judicial training groups, state governmental agencies which impact the municipal courts, etc. The committee will recommend policy and methodology to the board for working with these various organizations and agencies and will keep the board informed of any undertaking of these other organizations and agencies which could have an impact on the Association or municipal courts. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Jackie Chapa (Corpus Christi) Hon. Bobby Garcia (Waco) Hon. Melanie Houston (Ft. Worth) Hon. Hyattye Simmons (Combine) Hon. Ed Spillane (College Station) |
Membership Committee The Membership Committee is tasked with the following: (1) recruiting new members; (2) retaining current members; and (3) encouraging membership involvement. The committee will recruit from the membership and especially from the TMCA board members, a volunteer(s) to attend each TMCEC seminar to: (1) make the TMCA membership presentation to the seminar participants; (2) staff the membership desk; and (3) staff hospitality functions at TMCEC seminars. This committee incorporates the Scholarship and Public Outreach Committees. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Melanie Houston (Ft. Worth) Hon. Carmen Long (Santa Clara)* Hon. Donna Mathis (Log Cabin) |
Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee is required by Article XIII, Sections 2 and 3 of the TMCA Bylaws. The committee shall consist of five members with no more than three members presently serving on the board of directors. The committee shall prepare and submit to each association member a ballot placing in nomination at least one candidate for each office. The committee shall invite all members to submit recommendations for nomination in accordance with Section 2(c) of Article XIII. The committee will prepare a schedule to reflect the necessary actions to comply with section 2(c) and Section 3 of Article XIII. The schedule will be submitted to the board of directors on or before the second board meeting. The Chair of the committee shall schedule to have the ballots counted so the results of the vote can be announced at the annual meeting or not later than June 30. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Brian Holman (Lewisville) Hon. Bonnie Townsend (Luling) |
Publications Committee (Ad Hoc) |
Committee Chair | Committee Members to be announced |
Website Committee The Website Committee provides the TMCA website liaison with the site web master, the internet host provider and the domain name registrar. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Robert Barfield (El Lago) Hon. Bobby Garcia (Waco) |
TMCEC Committees September 1, 2023 - August 31, 2024 |
Education Committee
The Education Committee is established by the Court of Criminal Appeals' "Rules of Judicial Education". Each member shall be familiar with the "Rules of Judicial Education". The committee is responsible to assure that the "Rules of Judicial Education" are followed. The Rules grant this committee autonomous authority to: (1) approve judicial continuing education programs to satisfy mandatory judicial education requirements, (2) rule on request for waivers for non-compliance with mandatory judicial education requirements, and (3) report to the Court of Criminal Appeals, by November 1, the names of judges who either did not comply with mandatory judicial education requirements or were not granted a waiver.
The committee will submit to the TMCEC Board of Directors for approval the committee's recommendation of other matters such as dates and locations of TMCEC seminars, registration fees, compensation to speakers, and all other matters except those not exclusively assigned to the committee by the "Rules of Judicial Education".
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Jan Blacklock Matthews (Idalou) Hon. Hilda Cuthbertson (Snook) Hon. Melanie Houston (Ft. Worth) Ms. Tammy Odom (Texas City) Hon. Kathleen Person (Temple) Hon. Hyattye Simmons (Combine) |
Personnel, Policy and Compensation Review Committee The Personnel, Policy and Compensation Review Committee is appointed to work with TMCEC issues and reports to the TMCEC Board of Directors. The committee is available, upon request, to discuss with and provide advice to the TMCEC Executive Director regarding any personnel disciplinary actions being considered by the TMCEC Executive Director. The committee will review the existing policies and recommend changes that would be appropriate. The committee will also evaluate and recommend any adjustment to the compensation of the TMCEC staff. This committee will only meet when requested by the TMCEC Executive Director, the Board President, or by an approved motion of the board. |
Committee Chair | Committee Members Hon. Michael Acuña (Dallas) Hon. Hilda Cuthbertson (Snook) Hon. Teresa Evans (Arlington) Hon. Brian Holman (Lewisville) Hon. Kathleen Person (Temple) Ms. Landra Solansky (Sequin) |
*denotes committee member is not a board member |