Gray County Commissioner for Precinct 2, Lake Arrington, is seeking his second term in that position.
As with any first-time commissioner, Arrington has learned a lot, and accomplished a lot with his fellow commissioners, over the past year.
“Serving as County Commissioner for the past three years has been an honor and a pleasure,” Arrington said. “We have accomplished a lot in a short time, and I have learned a ton in the process. Operating Precinct 2 has lined up well with my experience in the oil and gas industry.
“The County’s business requires consistent leadership and communication with all team members. Reliability and long-term commitment to accomplishing projects without micro-managing helps achieve the results that we all expect from local government. Among other things, we are proud of the economic growth we, as a County, were able to assist with regarding Keystone Tower Systems. Our tax abatement work along with their commitment to this area brings many great paying jobs to our community.”
Arrington said while there isn’t any glaring issues he sees facing the County, growing the tax base and helping to improve the County should be the top priority.
“Our work as a County is never done, and it shouldn’t be. We are here to serve our great people. The pandemic has obviously been a big concern in our area, state, and country. The County continues to work closely with the city and hospital to best protect our communities and our local economy,” Arrington said.
“While our Tax Base has improved over the last three years, we are always working to find ways to incentivize new companies to move in and current companies to grow with us. They say ‘If you aren’t growing, you’re dying.’ And I believe that.
“Taxes are always a concern—but we were able to actually lower tax rates this year. It wasn’t easy but all of the county offices worked together, cut budgets, and made it happen. I hope this is something we continue to do! We are a small county, but a resilient people. We must continue to fight for the betterment of our home.”
On top of bringing in Keystone and the Lonestar Gin, Arrington is excited about the potential development of the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and Downtown Pampa.
“The last three years have seen strong economic growth. I think the County and City/EDC working together has had a lot to do with this success. Lonestar Gin and Keystone have been great additions to our County,” Arrington said. “We have also seen hiring growth at several companies ranging from compression to broadband.
“Resound Networks, a homegrown internet company, have hired many employees, given downtown a facelift with their new offices, and remains committed to future employment growth in our community as they expand around the country. Companies and people like this help keep our local economy strong. The County recently partnered with the City of Pampa to establish a Texas Increment Reinvestment Zone in downtown Pampa to keep our progress rolling. We are always looking for new ways to support and partner with the private sector to help grow our County.”
The county roads have always been a hot topic in the County and the drought has not been kind to the efforts of maintaining the roads.
“As everyone who spends time on our County Roads know, they are a constant effort,” Arrington said.
“The extended dry spell we are in has made regular maintenance, like blading, next to impossible. This makes some of our roads difficult to drive, but we are committed to doing all we can as we are able.
“Fortunately, some of the work we have done over the past few years has eased many of the problems we could be having. We continue to fix potholes and provide the upkeep we can despite these conditions. But, we keep a close eye on all of our County Roads. That said, if they see a problem or issue, don’t hesitate to let me know. We are here to serve.”
Lake Arrington is a graduate of Texas Tech University where he studied interdisciplinary Agriculture and rode saddle bronc. After college, he spend a decade in oil and gas.
“I worked for companies like Chesapeake and Mewbourne as a drilling superintendent,” Arrington said. “When my grandfather passed away, I returned home to the Panhandle to help run and manage our family business. As a rancher and oil man, I understand our local economy, and I live it every day.”
Lake is married to his wife, Dr. Emily Arrington, who is a local dentist and business owner. They are proud to call Pampa home and to be raising their four children here—Evelyn (7), Tripp (5), J.R. (3) and Ann (6 months).
