TYLER, Texas — Smith County commissioners will consider renaming the county's emergency operations center in honor of a longtime district judge and former district attorney.
On Tuesday, the commissioners court will vote to approve a resolution renaming the Smith County Emergency Operations Center to the Jack M. Skeen Jr. Emergency Operations Center of Smith County, according to the meeting agenda.
The commissioners will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Smith County Courthouse Annex.
Skeen has served Smith County since 1983 when he became the district attorney and was reelected five times.
In 2003, he was appointed to fill Judge Diane DeVasto’s unexpired term as judge in the 241st District Court, where he continues to serve after several elections.
In March last year, he reached the constitutional age limit of 75.
The Texas Constitution states the office of a justice or judge becomes vacant at the end of the term when the incumbent turns 75 years old. Skeen's current and fifth term ends on Dec. 31, 2022.
He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School (now Tyler Legacy High) in 1964. He attended Tyler Junior College that fall, and he later went to UT Austin and then Baylor Law School.
Skeen came back to Tyler in 1971 to work as an assistant district attorney for one year and then became the first full-time city attorney. He was appointed as municipal court judge, where he served for five years before being elected as Smith County district attorney in 1982.
