County Judge Bill Gravell resigns
Joins federal Small Business Administration
After six years of service, Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell resigned from office Tuesday, March 11, to accept a position under the Trump Administration.
Before the March 11 Commissioners Court meeting, Mr. Gravell took the oath of office to serve as the Region Six advocate for Small Businesses in America in the Office of Advocacy.
“It’s truly an honor, but I’ll never forget where I’ve come from,” Mr. Gravell said in his resignation speech. “In my new role with the Small Business Administration, I’ll still have the privilege of living right here in Williamson County, Texas.”
This office covers a five-state area that includes Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, representing 4.5 million small businesses.
Following the announcement, Judge Betsy Lambeth swore him into his new position.
“[Gravell] has ushered in unprecedented economic development, making millionaires out of many farmers on the east side,” Judge Lambeth said. “But the most important thing that he’s done is have a heart and care for our community going through the pandemic.”
Mr. Gravell has served as the county judge since 2019. During his tenure, he guided the county through the Covid-19 pandemic, multiple fires, tornadoes and winter storms, according to a press release.
During this time, the appraised value of Williamson County grew from $84 billion to $180 billion. More than 12,500 small businesses were added and major corporations like Kalahari, Samsung and Apple expanded into the county.
“You served with distinction, doing some tasks that were not favorable, not fun,” Commissioner Valarie Covey said to Mr. Gravell after he was sworn in. “But you did it with humility, and you did it with a lot of love for the people that you helped.”
According to the local government code, if the office of county judge is vacant, the commissioners select a person to serve as county judge until the next general election, which is November 3, 2026.
The Commissioners Court will have a special session on Friday, March 14, at 11 a.m. in order to accept Mr. Gravell’s resignation and to discuss the appointment of a county judge.
This is a developing story, and news became official when this edition of the Sun was sent to the press Tuesday morning. Updates will be available online and in the coming weeks.