On October 15, 2026, the Gray County Commissioners held their bi-monthly meeting, beginning with: considering the minutes of the previous meeting, paying the bills as presented by the County Auditor, considering any line-item transfers or budget amendments, accepting the County Treasurer’s monthly and quarterly report, and accepting the County Clerk’s monthly report, all were approved.
Next was to discuss and consider a submission to the County from LSC for a new fiber optic installation in the County’s rights of way for an overall total of 73,665 linear feet for segments within County Roads B, F, 16, and 21; all were approved.
Next was to discuss and consider the Kofile proposal to complete indexing of deeds from 1933 to 1951 to be paid through Records Maintenance/Archive Funds, which was approved.
Next was to discuss and consider a request for a stipend for Brenda Green for increased duties at the Gray County Extension Office.
“Since we have had the vacancy of the Ag Agent since November 1 of last year, Brenda has taken on several additional responsibilities to help maintain and keep our 4-H program going, such as working with the livestock show registrations which can be very stressful,” said Joan Gray-Soria, County Extension Agent - Family and Community Health. “She has assumed all of the responsibilities for our classroom currirculum enrichment and working with the teachers. She has also taken on some responsibilites with coordinating our validation and making sure the animals are ready for the stock shows and a number of other things. We’re not exactly sure when we are going to get a new Ag Agent in position because it’s already been close to a year and it could be the summer before we get someone. We respectfully request a temporary stipend to compensate some of the extra duties and responsibilities that Brenda has had to take on during this time that she’s been assisting with that. We appreciate your consideration and we certainly appreciate your support that you give the extension office here in Gray County.”
“What’s your chances on getting an agent?” Commissioner John Mark Baggerman asked.
“Right now, we are in the hiring phase,” said Josh Brooks, Texas A&M AgriLife District Director. “The governor asked all state agencies to give 2-3% back, so we’re in a stretch. In the past, we did good in the legislature and got everybody raises. Well, there always has to be open positions in the extension of some kind. What happened is usually in the past, somebody retired or decided they wanted a different job, and so we always had open positions whether we wanted to or not. Since we got those raises, we’ve gotten people who stay and so we’re over our capacity flow. We’re over budget and they’re asking for that 2-3% back. We won’t know for sure if the legislature will put something forward to fund capacity for extension agents as it comes around until the next budget year. Gray County is very important to me. You all have lots of great kids that I come over and try to help and take care of. With Brenda’s help, she’s done validations, she’s helped take care of those projects. I can’t be here every day to do that, but Brenda is the one who is going to be here on the ground helping.”
“So if we agree to the stipend and we get into the summer time and you’re able to hire somebody, the stipend goes away, but since we’re already into the budget year, what if we don’t have enough left to match the match you guys have?” Commissioner Jeff Haley asked.
“That money will still be there,” County Auditor Carla Carter said. “The full amount was budgeted so it will be there.”
“If the County were to choose to pay more money to an extension agent, is it your opinion that we would not have the turnover that we have in this position?” Judge Porter asked.
“When I hire an agent, I want that salary to be what it is,” Josh said. “If you get somebody here who could stay and you were able to give them a raise, then that’s great. We have a step program called the career ladder. If you have a master’s degree, you can move through the ladder a little quicker, but it’s every five years. They have to turn in curriculum bids, their dossier, they have to have good achievement reports and in-depth programs, good 4-H involvement. They have to be good agents to move up that ladder. That step is $3,600 for the first five years, $4,800 for ten years, and $6,000 after 15 years. If you work your whole career, there’s going to be $15,000 worth of raises there, and if the County can support that agent and keep them going, that to me would keep the agent here.”
“From a supervisor standpoint, how will this work when you hire somebody and Brenda’s stipend goes away?” asked Jeff. “How do you prevent Brenda from being taken advantage of and not just continuing to do what she’s doing now?”
“I would sit down and tell them what their responsibilities are,” Josh said. “If they had a question, Brenda would know because she has been taking care of these things, but she’s no longer in charge of them anymore. She would be relieved of those duties.”
“I would do my best to train my new supervisor as best as I could,” Brenda said. “Our families are already used to the way the wheels run in that office, and in my point of view, when agents come in and change stuff, our families do not respond to that very well. I know that the lines of territory are a little bit blurred, especially in the beginning, but as long as whoever is hired is flexible-I mean, I’m not going to be their boss and I won’t be bossy to them. And I’m not going to dump everything in their lap and not explain anything to them. I just want to keep that office running smoothly and sustainable and to be better available for our kids.”
After more discussion about Brenda’s currently salary and the extra number of hours she is currently working, the commission agreed to approve stipend based on the extra hours worked.
Next was to consider approving the following tax bids for delinquent properties: 1037 Schneider with $8,347.26 taxes due with a bid of $7,000, and 911 S. Barnes with $10,302.74 taxes due with a bid of $8,500; both were approved.
With no further discussion or agenda items, the meeting was adjourned.
