Llano County bids farewell to judge, welcomes a new one
Outgoing Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham shakes hands with incoming judge Rob Hardy. Cunningham officially resigned from his role on Monday, March 9, to take another job and Hardy, as the Republican nominee for the judge’s seat, was appointed to fill the empty seat that same day. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Llano County bid farewell to two-term County Judge Ron Cunningham on Monday, March 9, as he officially resigned from the position to take on a new role with the Texas Association of Counties. His replacement, Rob Hardy, was sworn in immediately following the ceremonious resignation.
Hardy was unanimously appointed to take the Llano County judge’s seat by the other four members of the Llano County Commissioners Court. He had recently won the Republican nomination for the office in the March 3 primary election.
The plan to appoint the Republican nominee to the county judge’s seat was established in late January, when Cunningham first publicly announced his intention to resign after the primary to take on his new job with TAC. Without any Democratic challengers on the November general election ticket, the court opted to appoint the Republican nominee for the position rather than wait until 2027 for them to take office.
There is no specific process mandated by the state for appointing a commissioner or judge at the county level; it is created and carried out at the discretion of the commissioners court. According to Cunningham, the selection of the Republican nominee for the appointment was done to ensure a fair transfer of power that was in alignment with the will of the people.
Hardy will now serve as the appointed Llano County judge until 2027, at which point he will be officially sworn in as the elected judge. His elected term will run 2027-2030.
County employees, elected officials, and members of the public said goodbye to Cunningham with a party and tokens of appreciation for his service at the close of Monday’s Commissioners Court meeting.
Cunningham had served since 2018. During his tenure he helped guide Llano County through the October 2018 flooding of the Llano River, the COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-2021, the “snowmageddon” of 2021, and the Llano County Library System Lawsuit 2021-2025.
“I’m just grateful that everybody in Llano County – the elected officials and the employees of Llano County – work together so well,” Cunningham told DailyTrib. “It’s been a blessing having everybody working together. What we have now is a great recipe for success and I’m glad we can pass it on to Rob (Hardy).”
Hardy told DailyTrib that he was ready for the role.
“I’m just ready to do the job,” he said. “It’s something I’ve been preparing for. I’m very excited, I’m very humbled by the voters in this county that elected me. I promise to do the best job that I can.”
Hardy was in the midst of serving as the mayor of Sunrise Beach Village and is now stepping down to take the Llano County judge’s seat. He will be replaced by Mayor Pro Tem Rick Bruns. Hardy’s two-year term as mayor was set to end in May of this year. Bruns, who is running unopposed for mayor, will head the city’s meetings until the May 2 election. He will then be officially sworn in to begin his own two-year term.
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Well done, you are a true public servant. Thank you for your service to Llano county.