The dean of the Carroll County Quorum Court is ready to relax.

District 1 Justice of the Peace Jack Deaton has announced that the quorum court’s next meeting, on Tuesday, March 18, will be his last in the seat he’s held for 14 years. Deaton is the longest-serving of the county’s 11 JPs.

Deaton is moving outside his district, by approximately a quarter of a mile.

“My kids got on me to downsize,” Deaton said Monday, March 10. “… I’m just moving down on the river, right next door to them.”

Deaton’s wife, Connie, died in October 2022 after battling cancer. Deaton said he’s had his own health issues recently but has remained a vocal member of the quorum court. “I’m 80 years old,” Deaton said. “My kids told me to slow down. I had that little health issue here a while back and that scared ’em. … My oldest son, he said: ‘Old man, all I want you to do from now on is fish and play golf.’ ” Deaton is the fourth longtime JP to leave the quorum court since 2023. Larry Swofford, who held the District 10 seat for 30 years, did not seek re-election in 2022. John Howerton, the District 11 JP for 18 years, was defeated in the 2024 general election by newcomer Caroline Rogers. And Roger Hall did not seek re-election in 2024 to the District 9 seat that he held for 10 years.

“I kind of learned from John and Larry,” Deaton said. “They were my mentors.”

Deaton, in turn, helped guide newer JPs through the years. Carroll County Judge David Writer said Deaton’s presence will be missed.

“He’s irreplaceable,” Writer said. “He’s meant so much. He’s been just, a voice of reason. He’s always been great. I can’t brag about him enough. I realize that sometimes you have to move on but, man, you hate to see him go, too.”

One of Deaton’s biggest priorities over the past several years has been upgrading the county’s emergency communication system. While that project isn’t quite complete yet, he said it should be finished soon.

“That 9-1-1 system is going to be ready to go online just any time now,” he said. “That was my biggest goal, to get that thing done. … We talked to the company the other day. I said: ‘Man, I’m retiring. I’d sure like to see that switch flipped.’ He said: ‘Well, it’s not going to be by the time you’re gone, but it’s going to be close.’ ” An Oklahoma native, Deaton has had a long career of public service. He worked as a police officer in Oklahoma and later retired as chief of the Holiday Island Fire Department. He also served as a reserve deputy with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and was a member of the county’s search and rescue team.

“I just did what I could do to help everybody out, and I really enjoyed it,” he said. “The rescue team, the sheriff’s office, the fire department and now the quorum court are all behind me, but like I said, I’ve enjoyed helping all of them. I guess that’s the way my parents raised me, just to help people out.”

“He’s meant so much. He’s been just, a voice of reason. He’s always been great. I can’t brag about him enough. I realize that sometimes you have to move on but, man, you hate to see him go, too.”

— Carroll County Judge David Writer, on District 1 Justice of the Peace Jack Deaton