On Saturday, June 7, after a lengthy election that had resulted in a runoff between remaining two mayoral candidates Jimmy Chaney and Mike Borger, the citizens of Gray County cast their votes and elected Mike Borger as the new mayor, receiving 52.59% of the vote (895).
“We’ve been hoping for this opportunity and now here it is,” Mike said. “Back in January of this year, I had no idea that I would ever do anything like this, but I believe God has called me to do it and it’s for a reason. I want to help Pampa be a place that people love to call home and their kids love to call home and always want to come back to.”
Mike fully understands what his duties will be as mayor, first and foremost being that bind which brings a community together.
“I don’t get to directly on my own make any decisions, but I can have an impact on the atmosphere, the attitude, the unity and the direction. I’m so excited to do that because my whole life I’ve been a team builder and I do it through relationships. I just feel so good about the team that we have. I’ve gotten to know each of them and I’m just really looking forward to working with these high-integrity people who are serving on the commission right now with their energy, passion and positivity. I just want to lead with that positive attitude. The way I campaigned-it wasn’t just a slogan. I really believe that Pampa has a lot of potential and has for a long time, we just haven’t had the ingredients to actually harvest that potential and I think that’s what’s happening now.”
“We have so many great people in Pampa-just salt of the earth folks that are kind of rare in this country. I want to tap into all of that and help Pampa blossom, bear its fruit and let it be all it can be.”
With a lengthy background in business, Mike plans to work closely with the PEDC to help bring in more businesses and more interest to Pampa, as well as looking into having a Parade of Homes to promote the building and construction of new homes.
It’s clear what Mike’s vision is-to not only help Pampa survive, but to thrive and for its citizens to prosper and take pride in calling Pampa their home.
“Pampa has in many ways been through a long season, about 40 years I would say-economy has been difficult and there have been many challenges we’ve made it through, but we haven’t prospered and we keep looking back to those days 40 years ago. I would say we’re about to come out of that time and there’s going to be new opportunities. Pampa is going to grow into the shining star of the Texas panhandle and still retain all those things that people love about Pampa. I can see us coming out of the economic wilderness and into the promised land, and it’s all by God’s hand and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Mike also asks the community for one small, but understandable and humorous request.
“So years ago, we started helping with refugee families that were getting moved to the panhandle and were working at some of the meat packing plants, and all of them started calling me Mr. Mike, and so I was Mr. Mike for a long time. Then when I was a pastor, people called me Pastor Mike for many years. Now I’d like to be Mayor Mike,” he laughed. “My last name hasn’t helped me at all and made this very challenging, but I would really be happy if people called me Mayor Mike or even Mr. Mike!”
A city commissioners meeting is scheduled for today at 4 PM at City Hall where the votes will be canvassed and Mike will be sworn in as the newly elected mayor. The commssion will also recognize and honor former mayor Lance DeFever and former commissioner Paul Searl for their service to the Pampa community.
We congratulate Mike on this new venture and we commend all those who ran in the general election with the love of Pampa in their hearts.
