Biography of Commissioner Debbie Gonzales-Ingalsbe

Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe has dedicated her life to her family, her faith, and community service. She holds the distinction of being Hays County’s first woman county commissioner and previously served as a Deputy Constable after completing the Travis County Sheriff’s Academy. She carries on a family tradition of public service, following her father who also served as Commissioner for Precinct 1. This precinct includes the southern and eastern portions of the county and borders Caldwell, Guadalupe, and Comal Counties.

Commissioner Ingalsbe is a life-long resident of San Marcos and Hays County. She is married to Garry Ingalsbe and has two children Peggy and Robbie, both of whom are graduates of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Commissioner Ingalsbe strongly believes both her roots and her future are firmly tied to Hays County.

Debbie’s strong dedication to community service is reflected in the projects she has led and participated in. Hays County can boast of having one of the most comprehensive and advanced public health facilities in the state. This is a direct result of Commissioner Ingalsbe’s foresight and commitment. It was her action that allowed the county’s tobacco settlement funds to be used exclusively for public health. No Hays County taxpayer monies were used to construct the facility in San Marcos. Additionally, health clinic facilities were added in Kyle, one of the fastest growing areas of the county.

Even though the county now has a road engineer, Debbie has remained very involved with Pct. 1 road construction and repair. Each year has seen more and more Pct. 1 roads being reconstructed and repaired. She has worked both with private sector businesses and with local entities for cost shared improvements. To assist with day-to-day maintenance and repairs, Debbie established the placement of a permanent local crew. This has proved very effective and responsive to citizens needing simple but immediate service.

Precincts one and two now have a new centralized yard and administrative facility, constructed on Yarrington Road. The property owner, at the request of Commissioner Ingalsbe, gave the 10-acre site to the county. Again, this had a tremendous impact on cost savings to the taxpayers.

Commissioner Ingalsbe is dedicated to improving the efficiency of the county road department and in raising county road standards. At her request, we will soon be seeing more roads finished with asphalt instead of chip-sealed. She is also requesting greater safety measures to include better drainage, striping, and guardrails.

Commissioner Ingalsbe takes great pride in her support of our Bond Package, which has and will fund improvements to both state and county roads, and provide funding for much-needed parks and open spaces. She believes these issues are critical to ensuring the quality of life, which makes this area of the state so special.

Much of the Commissioners Court’s daily business involves policy-making, administration of county offices and coordination with other elected officials. The court approves the annual county budget, sets the county tax rate, and oversees much of the development activity, such as subdivision platting.

As testimony to her commitment to community service, Debbie is currently serving and active on several boards and community organizations including:

• Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG)
• Executive Board
• General Assembly
• Capital Area Economic Development District
• Capital Area Emergency Communications District
• Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO)
• Executive Committee
• Transportation Policy Board
• City of Kyle TIRZ #2 Board
• City of San Marcos TIRZ Downtown #5 Board
• Combined Emergency Communications Center (CECC) Executive Board
• Community Partnership Committee (City of SM, SMCISD and Hays Co.)
• Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission
• Economic Development San Marcos
• Government Partners Committee (SM Regional Animal Shelter)
• Greater San Marcos Partnership
• Hays County Behavioral Advisory Team (BAT) Charter
• Hays County Public Safety Bond Executive Committee
• Hays County Financial Committee Member
• Hays County PSAP Co-Location Executive Board
• Hays County Veterans Court Staffing
• Nosotros La Gente Board
• Past President:
• County Judges and Commissioners Assoc. of Texas 2013
• South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Assoc. 2010 & 2019
• Pet Resource Center Board
• San Marcos Community Church
• Texas Association of Counties (TAC) Board of Directors

Debbie will continue to be a full-time County Commissioner and accountable to the citizens of Hays County. She is available at her office, which is located at the Hays County Courthouse.