On Tuesday, October 1, Judge Porter and the county commissioners held their first meeting of the new month and they began the meeting with extinguished members of 4-H speaking of their own experiences with the Gray County 4-H Club and presented the judge and commissioners with a proclamation to designate October 6 through October 12 as National 4-H Week in Texas.
The proclamation reads:
“WHEREAS, The Gray County Commissioners Court is proud to honor the Texas 4-H Youth Development Program of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for 116 years of providing experience-based education to youth throughout the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, This admirable program, which seeks to provide a learning experience for all youth through their head, heart, hands, and health, help young Texans to acquire knowledge, develop life skills, and form attitudes to enable them to become self-directed, productive, and contributing members of our society; and
WHEREAS, The program’s more than 550,000 urban, suburban, and rural youth participants, ranging in age from eight to eighteen, come from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and truly represent a cross-section of the state; and
WHEREAS, The program undoubtedly could not have achieved the success that it has today were it not for the service of its more than 30,000 volunteers, who have given generously of their time, talents, energies, and resources to the youth of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Throughout its proud history, the 4-H progam has developed positive role models for countless Texans through its innovative and inspiring programs, and continues to build character and instill the values that have made our state strong. Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, The Gray County Commissioners Court, hereby designate October 6-12, 2024, as National 4-H Week in Texas, and commend the 4-H Youth Development Program of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the many men and women who have made the program a success.”
All of the members that were present during the meeting spoke of the many activities they are involved in with the 4-H club, public speaking being the one they all had taken part in. Judge Porter commended the young members for courageously standing up to speak in front of the courtroom and praised Joan Gray-Soria and Marcus Preuninger for the work they’ve done in helping create a better youth for tomorrow.
The next items on the agenda were to consider the minutes of the previous meeting, pay the bills as presented by the County Auditor, consider any line-item transfers, consider any budget amendments and the consideration of transferring any remaining health insurance budgeted funds from the individual departments to the Group Health Insurance Department; all were approved.
Next was the consideration to approve the Wheeler County and Carson County Jail Contract for overflow inmates, to which Jail Administrator, Gracie Skinner, addressed the court.
She informed them that Gray County Jail was over maximum capacity, with only 78 beds available and 86 total inmates within the facility and both Carson and Wheeler counties are willing and ready to help.
She also stated that this was the first time in a few years that the Gray County Jail had an overflow of inmates and when compared to the surrounding counties, Pampa had the highest count.
When asked about the reason for the influx, she simply stated it was due to a rise in crime.
When asked about the inmates whose cases are taking longer to process, she said it was due to many of the inmates prolonging the process by requesting new attorneys every chance they could, further delaying any movement.
She also stated that many of the inmates that have been sentenced to another facility are waiting for available beds within those facilities, as they are overpopulated as well.
After the discussion, the contracts were approved.
The last items on the agenda were the consideration of approving the bond for the County Clerk elect, the consideration of approving the replacement of two employees in the County Clerk’s Office, the consideration of approvin the purchase of a tractor truck for Precinct 4, and accepting the CTE hours for Commissioner Arrington, Commissioner Hudson, and Treasurer Terri Kitchens; all were approved and the meeting was adjourned with no further action.
