Crystal Wise
Roy Charles Brooks’ bow ties are as distinctive as his style of articulation.
He makes every syllable count.
The longtime Tarrant County Commissioner, representing Precinct 1, announced this summer that he will not seek another term, closing a 20-year career on the dais. Brooks, 74, won the seat in 2004 held by the retiring Dionne Bagsby, whom he served as precinct administrator for 14 years.
“One should never sit in these seats for so long that the next generation never gets a chance to show what they can do,” says Brooks, a Democrat. “I don't believe in term limits for political offices. I believe that an office holder should have sense enough to know when to limit their terms of office.”
Brooks is among the list of Fort Worth Inc.’s The 400, the most influential people in Fort Worth. It is published each summer. Brooks’ term ends on Dec. 31, 2024.
“I also believe that if that office holder doesn't have enough sense to do that, the public certainly does. And I don't want to sit here long enough that I make the people take this office away from me just to get rid of me.”
Brooks, a graduate of Columbia University and Fort Worth’s I.M. Terrell, has endorsed Roderick Miles Jr., one of the commissioner’s executive administrators, to be his successor. Former Fort Worth City Council member Kathleen Hicks is also running as a Democrat.
Brooks’ announcement marked additional change on the Commissioners Court. Gary Fickes, Precinct 3 commissioner, had already announced that he would not seek another term. Also, G.K. Maenius, the longest-serving county administrator in Texas, has retired. The Commissioners Court appointed Chandler Merritt, 41, as the new county administrator.
Brooks, the son of Fort Worth civil rights icon Dr. Marion Brooks, says he is most proud of the work he helped foster that tackled the issues of health-care disparities and equitable access, accessibility for the homeless, and infant mortality.
“I'm proud of all those things, but I'm most proud of the people who come up to me on the street or at public events or in the grocery store and tell me that I helped them, that they're proud of me for my service, that I actually did things to impact their lives in positive ways. That is more precious than silver and gold,” Brooks says.
Brooks says that he is sure that he’ll stay active in retirement. “I believe the right thing will find me, and I will commit to it.”
He pauses and then says there is one right thing that he has already committed to. A baby grandchild.
“I believe that it is my responsibility as a grandparent to pass on the values of my family to this grandchild and make sure that he knows not only who he is but what he owes. And that's the major thing that I'm gonna spend the rest of my life doing.”