The Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s V.G. Young Institute of County Government has announced the members of the fourth class of the Commissioners Court Leadership Academy. The class includes 20 members from across the State of Texas. The first session of the Academy will be conducted on April 5.
“The program provides advanced leadership training to county judges and commissioners through a series of educational activities around the state and in Washington, D.C.,” said Rick Avery, director of the V.G. Young Institute of County Government.
More than 500 officials attend an annual conference that Extension already conducts for commissioners court members.
“The Academy builds on that experience,” Avery continued.
Members of the new class are:
1. Mark Allen, Jasper County Judge
2. Rick Bailey, Johnson County Commissioner
3. Danny Bodeker, Hill County Commissioner
4. Lynn Cartrite, Moore County Commissioner
5. Irma Cauley, Brazos County Commissioner
6. Paul Cothren, Cass County Commissioner
7. David Dubose, Orange County Commissioner
8. Penny Golightly, Floyd County Judge
9. Patti Jones, Lubbock County Commissioner
10. Chris Kirkendall, Hardin County Commissioner
11. Jimmie Long, Howard County Commissioner
12. Loyd Neal, Nueces County Judge
13. Lee Norman, Garza County Judge
14. Jim Pack, Erath County Commissioner
15. Roy Parker, Jasper County Commissioner
16. Jeff Thompson, Harrison County Commissioner
17. Kelly Traylor, Cherokee County Commissioner
18. Byron Underwood, Cherokee County Commissioner
19. Larry Wiley, Wilson County Commissioner
20. Grover “Tiger” Worsham, Trinity County Commissioner
Participants commit to 16 days of seminars during the Academy’s two-year time frame, Avery said.
Sessions for the class will be:
April 5-7, 2011, in Austin;
October 26-28, 2011, in Corpus Christi;
April 28-May 4, 2012, in Washington, D.C.; and
August 15-17, 2012, in College Station.
The program’s objectives are:
To increase knowledge of county government and the way governments at all levels interact;
To become better communicators with other government officials, members of the media and community residents;
To improve leadership and decision-making skills; and
To improve the ability to serve as an advocate for local issues on all levels of government.
Participants must be willing to learn and work for the betterment of county government in Texas, Avery said.
For more information on the program, contact Rick Avery at 979-845-4572 or r-avery@tamu.edu, or visit the Institute’s website at http://vgyi.tamu.edu. H