Every so often, County Progress asks one of our distinguished Commissioners to allow us a glimpse into his or her public life, giving us a fresh appreciation for the myriad of roles and responsibilities of our Texas County Commissioners. Our thanks to Trinity County Commissioner Grover “Tiger” Worsham for taking the time to visit with us.
History: I was raised in the asphalt paving business that my father, C.J. Worsham, started when I was very young. Shortly after I finished high school, my father became ill and had to sell his business. After a short stint with Brown & Root across East Texas and Louisiana, I knew construction was not where I wanted to be; I missed road work! This is when I started my career with Trinity County, on Jan. 1, 1983. My predecessor, Lynn Reynolds, hired me, and I worked for him for 14 years until his retirement. He was instrumental in helping me run for County Commissioner, a position he had held for the previous 36 years; we remain very close to this day. My mother, Frances Worsham, held office as Trinity County treasurer for 12 years and had given me a great amount of knowledge about county finances. I was fortunate to be able to serve with her for two years prior to her retirement in 1998.
Is it What You Expected? The road and bridge part of county business is what I expected; after all, that was what I was raised to do. I had learned at an early age how to run large equipment and drive dump trucks. Now, the budget process and administrative work was a bit overwhelming that first year. We have a very small amount of money to work with in a small rural county and no industry to draw from, except the logging business. To explain to your constituents that the only way to provide more services is to raise taxes is not easy.
Typical Day? My typical day starts around 5:30 a.m. in the hot summer months with my employees leaving the barn by 6:30 a.m. After they get started on their day, I usually go and pick up our 6-year-old granddaughter, Reaghan, and we head to the County Seat Café for breakfast. She has to have her pancake and visit with the old legends of Groveton before school. That’s when I get to start my rounds on the roads to plan the schedule for the days ahead, followed by a stop at the courthouse to sign bills and take care of any county business needed. We have Commissioners Court twice a month, on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, along with any special called meetings that may come up.
Biggest Challenge? Our biggest challenge is trying to operate and stay on budget for all county personnel. As I stated before, we have a small tax base, but the same demands for services as larger counties.
Favorite Part of Your Job? My favorite part of the job is being able to make a difference in people’s lives – to point somebody in the right direction, provide an answer to their question, or resolve a problem in a timely manner.
