Every so often, County Progress asks our distinguished Judges and Commissioners to allow us a glimpse into their public lives, giving us a fresh appreciation for the myriad of roles and responsibilities they shoulder every day. Our thanks to Henderson County Commissioner Wendy Kinabrew Spivey for taking the time to visit with us.
HISTORY: My name is Wendy Kinabrew Spivey, and I am the sixth generation of Kinabrews to reside in Henderson County. My family settled in Cross Roads in the latter part of the 1800s. I still reside in the same small town of Cross Roads on a 1,250-acre ranch that has been owned by the Kinabrews for generations. We have raised cattle, Quarter Horses, Labrador retrievers, chickens, and market rabbits, and we also have a small garden on our land. I am an animal lover, and I love to fish, hunt, and ride horses. My favorite sports are dove and deer hunting with my husband. One day, I would love to go to Argentina to go dove hunting. I love spending time with my family, and Christmas is my favorite holiday.
My great-great grandfather, Marshal Kinabrew, was mayor of Athens, the county seat of Henderson County, in the late 1800s. In the early- to mid-1900s, my great-grandfather, Lester Kinabrew Sr., owned and operated several farms in the Cross Roads area as well as a cotton gin and general store. My grandfather, Leo Vernon Kinabrew, was a Commissioner in the same precinct where I serve. My grandfather was in office from 1969 through 1976, for two terms. I lived by my grandparents in some capacity my entire life until they passed away in 2008 and 2011. They left part of the ranch to my family, where we reside today. My grandfather was a big influence on me; he would be so proud to know that I am following in his footsteps, not just on the ranch, but also in county government. I chose to use my maiden name on the ballot for those who may recognize the connection to my grandfather. In my office, I have the sign my grandfather used to campaign with in the 1960s when he ran for Commissioner.
I was a stay-at-home mother for a number of years after I graduated college and married. My husband and I owned several businesses together. We purchased some land in Malakoff, Texas, and built a car wash and a Quick Lube. We also owned and operated a business called JDS Equipment. My husband ran all three of our businesses, and I helped with the books. We eventually sold our two stores in town and solely concentrated on his equipment business for some time.
In July of 2014, we both decided I needed to find a career since the girls were all in school. I reached out to a lifelong friend who was the County Commissioner in my area to see if he had an opening. I was hired immediately as administrative assistant, and I started on what is now my dream job. I worked for two different Commissioners who were both very wonderful influencers. The second Commissioner I worked for fell ill during his term and passed away from cancer. I also had a bout with cancer during the same time in 2016, and I am blessed to be in my fifth year of remission.
After the Commissioner I was working for passed away, the previous Commissioner commented that I should run for Commissioner since I knew the job so well. I had never thought about running for Commissioner until that moment. I prayed for eight months before I decided to announce that I would be running for Commissioner of Precinct 1 in 2020. This was no easy task, but when I decide to do something, I put 100 percent of my effort into it. The election was longer for us than most because of the pandemic; I also had two opponents, and there was a run-off election.
There have been very few women Commissioners in Texas with some being sworn in after their husbands passed while in office. As far as county records show, I am the first woman to be elected as Commissioner in Henderson County. This is a huge accomplishment, no doubt, but I will have to say my most prized accomplishment in my life is my family.
I married my best friend in December of 1995. Our daughter, Sara, 23, graduated salutatorian from Cross Roads in 2017. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 2020 with two degrees in three years. She now works for a law firm in Bryan.
Our middle daughter, Claire, 20, is currently attending Cosmetology School at Navarro College; she has one semester remaining before she graduates. She is looking forward to pursuing what she loves doing. Last but not least, our youngest daughter, Tori Jo, 13, is an eighth-grader at Malakoff Jr. High. Tori loves barrel racing, competing in basketball and volleyball, and pitching in softball.
IS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED? Having worked for the Commissioner’s office for seven years, I had so much more experience than someone who is elected without previous experience. So, I would say it was pretty much what I expected. I could not imagine coming into office with no prior experience. I was very blessed by already having working relationships with the Judge and other Commissioners. It was an easy transition coming into office. The only part of the Commissioner’s job I wasn’t as familiar with was actually participating in Commissioners Court and conducting the rest of county business. I had previous experience with putting things on the agenda and going over the bills, but not sitting in the courtroom, making the motions, and voting. We have a wonderful Commissioners Court. We have a mutual respect for one another, which makes the job so much more pleasant. I really appreciate the Judge’s and the other Commissioners’ help and advice; they have all been there for me anytime I call with a question or concern.
TYPICAL DAY: There really isn’t a typical day for me as County Commissioner. I am blessed to have a wonderful crew of 10 males and three females here at Precinct 1. Everyone here is family and works as a team. We work 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Most of my teammates have a second job they go to after they get off work here. I have an administrative assistant who is always here to answer the phone for our constituents. Most of the time she can answer the questions someone may have, and she doesn’t have to put the call through to me. I have Commissioners Court every Tuesday and usually have meetings throughout the rest of the week. I am on several committees with other county employees.
I have seven cities in my precinct, and I try to attend the council meetings of each town as often as possible. Precinct 1 is the biggest precinct in Henderson County, and we have almost 300 miles of roads to maintain. We also have a waste management department at every precinct. Here at Precinct 1, we are open four days a week and take household trash as a service to the people. We have two 40-yard roll offs and one 30-yard recycle bin. We also recycle metal and tires. There is a small fee for trash, just to help pay for the service. All four precincts have this service for the county with only two precincts offering free recycling as well. We all have different hours of service, but we all charge the same fee.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE: I would have to say my biggest challenge is maintaining the 300-plus miles of road in Precinct 1. What most people don’t realize is very few of their property tax dollars go to the road and bridge budget, which is evenly divided between all four precincts. Since Precinct 1 has the most roads, I have to best determine which roads need the most attention based on traffic, population, and importance. My goal is to fix each road the best way possible and stay within budget. Another big challenge to me was the redistricting we did this last year based on population. It is only done every 10 years after the census numbers come back. Being the biggest precinct already, I learned that I had to take in some of Precinct 2, which is by far the smallest but was the most populated in the county. I am very proud of how the whole redistricting ended for us. The Commissioners Court works together so well and listens to one another, and I think all four of us were happy with the ending results. I didn’t have to take in any more county roads, just voters. This was a huge relief for me since we all get the same budget every year, and Precinct 1 already has the most county-maintained roads.
FAVORITE PART OF BEING A COUNTY COMMISSIONER: I would have to say my favorite part of being County Commissioner, by far, is helping people. I have a huge heart, and I love helping my community. I like to volunteer when needed and just be there for anyone needing a hand. My office has an open-door policy, and anyone is welcome to visit without an appointment, anytime. My motto is “ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING.” I’m honest in every part of my life, and I probably trust people too easily. I love going to conferences for County Commissioners to learn and to meet new people. In 2021, my first year as Commissioner, I earned over 60 hours of continuing education.
I helped the Athens Fire Department sort through donated toys this past year that go to the local “Toys for Tots” program, which distributes the toys to local families in need. Another project we did this last year was help the East Texas Arboretum build a small bridge to connect two of their walking garden trails together; it turned out perfect. I have heard they are going to name the bridge after me, which is an honor for sure.
Thank you for taking time from your life to read some of my story. I am honored to have been chosen to be in County Progress!