County Judge Todd Little to accept North Central Texas Council of Governments role
Ellis County Judge Todd Little formally announced during Tuesday’s commissioners’ court meeting that he will be stepping down from his position, sharing that he will be accepting the executive director position for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
His departure had been flagged as part of Tuesday’s agenda under item 3.4: “Discussion, consideration, and possible action to request applications and/or recommendations for the appointment of the County Judge.”
“This is on the agenda because I have accepted a new position,” Little said. “On May 15, I am going to start that new position as the executive director at the North Central Texas Council of Governments.”
As COG’s executive director, Little will work with 16 counties, including Ellis, and have oversight of about 450 employees.
“This is a huge opportunity for me to serve at the regional level,” he said. “And, obviously, Ellis County is going to be working with the COG on a regular basis. Commissioners, I can’t tell you what a ride that it’s been. It’s been an amazing ride the last six-and-a-half years, and I’m looking forward to the transition to the new spot.”
Little’s announcement is the first step in the process of determining who will fill his vacancy. The timing of his decision places the matter in the hands of the commissioners court, whose members will now make an appointment. (The office will then be up for election in 2026).
Little’s chief of staff, Ryan Garrett, outlined that process during Tuesday’s meeting:
• development of a job description that will be reviewed by legal (the process itself is also being set)
• opening of the job for applications for a seven- to 10-day period
• applications will be reviewed for qualifications and those selected will be interviewed by the commissioners during an executive session
• Little will set his date of vacancy and step down, after which the commissioners will vote on his replacement
It was noted during Tuesday’s meeting that Little will not be voting on his replacement as he will have already vacated the seat. He has offered to help facilitate the application/interviewing process for commissioners.
It also was noted that any of the commissioners may apply; however, they would not be able to vote for themselves. In the event of a commissioner applying, they could thus be appointed with a 3-0 vote or a 2-1 vote, if there were a dissent. An outside applicant could be selected with a 4-0 vote or a 3-1 vote.
Little took office as county judge in January 2019 and has served as Ellis County’s chief executive and budget officer since. His responsibilities have included the county budget, overseeing the county departments, and working with his fellow elected officials. He has also represented Ellis County as a director on NCTCOG’s executive board since July 2022.
During the meeting, Little expressed his appreciation for how the county’s staff and officials have worked together on capital improvements and the implementation of several programs, including behavioral health.
“We’ve got a lot of things going forward on the county that are real positive,” he said. “Our vision 2050, which all of you weighed in on, is well underway. We’re working on the second facility, getting ready to start on the third facility with the courts and admin building. … We’ve got all kinds of good things happening in the county.”
According to an NCTCOG executive board agenda, candidates for the executive director position were interviewed during an executive session on March 27, with Little telling commissioners Tuesday he was named as the final candidate for the position. He will take over for Mike Eastland, who announced his decision to retire in November 2024 after 32 years of service. The process to replace Eastland included the utilization of a national search firm and multiple stages.
Written by Jo Ann Livingston/ITKE.
