School board, Mayor and City Commission candidates take center stage

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This is part one of a three-part series covering the Top O’ Texas Republican Women’s Candidate Forum on Tuesday, April 13 including the city commissioner, Board of Trustees for Pampa Independent School District and City of Pampa Mayor candidates.

Candidates for Pampa Mayor, City Commission and Pampa Independent School District Board of Trustees were able to inform the public about their campaigns on Tuesday evening as the Top O’ Texas Republican Women held their forum ahead of the April 19 Early Voting period.

Each of the candidates had three minutes to introduce themselves and speak on their cause.

Mayor

Lance DeFever- DeFever was born and raised in Pampa and has lived in Pampa for 50 years, is a third-generation Pampa resident and has children (fourth generation) and a grandchild on the way (fifth generation).

DeFever said his roots run deep in Pampa and that he has always enjoyed public service, as indicative of his 20 years on the Pampa ISD Board. He felt like the time was right to step away from the school board and into the Mayor’s position with Brad Pingel’s retirement.

“As you all are aware we have some challenges in Pampa and some things to be addressed,” DeFever said. “These things didn’t happen overnight and they won’t be cured overnight. But I feel like with my experience in public service that I have what it would take to work with the commissioners, city staff, city administration, tax-payers and citizens to formulate a plan to tackle these challenges.”

DeFever added he would like to see more citizen involvement to help address the changes needed. As a small-business owner DeFever said he is pro-business and appreciates what the Pampa Economic Development Corporation has done lately, would like to attract new businesses and grow the existing businesses. 

DeFever said 100 percent of his campaign contributions have been spent in Pampa at local businesses. DeFever also welcomes anyone to come and bring their concerns to him.

Matt Rains- Rains was born and raised in Pampa, graduating in 2000. He attended Texas Tech and graduated with a degree in accounting and in 2006 married his high-school sweetheart, Colin.

“We consider ourselves blessed beyond measure to raise our kids in Pampa,” Rains said.

Rains is in his 13th year at Phillips 66 and is a logistics manager and noted he has had several opportunities to relocate to Houston for promotions or higher pay.

“Each time the answer was easy: No,” Rains said. “Pampa is right where we want to be. I’m very proud to be in Pampa and even prouder to be a Harvester.”

Rains noted Pampa has seen several peaks and valleys from oil/gas, which has led to a shrinking tax base and more burden on the citizens. Rains said it’s critical for the city leaders to work with the EDC and try to diversify the economy with new industry to employ citizens.

“If elected as mayor, I promise to work with the commission and EDC to keep the momentum going,” Rains said. 

Rains also feels like the City has become “complacent to the surroundings,” leading to high grass/weeds, trash and abandoned homes.

Rains closed saying there is nothing Pampa can’t accomplish and that it is a city on the move.

City Commissioner- Ward 1

Pam Martin- Martin was raised in Pampa and graduated Pampa High School in 1990 and went to work in the family business, taking over the business and sold part of it in 2009. Today she sells satellite telephones. 

She has three children and two “grandprincesses” and has lived in Ward 1 for 23 years.

“I worked on several civic organization boards including the football booster club where I served as president for two years,” Martin said. “I volunteer for PAWS and other rescues around the Texas Panhandle. Animals are a big piece of my heart. I’ve always wanted to be more involved in the community and doing something like this.”

Martin wants to work with the City, County and other entities to clean up the city, work on the budgets and help the citizens.

Paul Searl- Searl said he grew up in Pampa and graduated PHS in 1978 and married his wife (Class of 1979) graduate, Linda, and the pair have two daughters and four granddaughters. Searl went through a lot of lay-offs during the oil boom/bust before working at Texas Department of Criminal Justice, retiring in 2013.

“Since then, I was told I couldn’t retire at home so I’m over security at the hospital,” Searl said. “During my work at the hospital over the last year, I had an eye-opener on our community. We had several different people here with FEMA, all of them could not believe how friendly Pampa people are. They left better people, I think.”

Searl said the community and the people of Pampa need to stay positive and recognize how much good happened in the last year. He closed with that he will always listen to the constituents.

City Commissioner, Ward 2

Brian Doughty- Brian is running unopposed and shared his background stating he and his wife Stacy and his daughter, Kenzee, came to Pampa in December 2012 from Oklahoma City. Brian didn’t expect to stay in Pampa long, but it became home.

“We both grew up in a small town and both fell in love with Pampa,” Doughty said. 

Doughty said over the last eight years he has developed a passion for serving and is a sales manager for Related Environmental. He serves on the Pampa Harvester baseball booster club, associate pastor of student ministries at Trinity Fellowship, board member for Pampa Civic Ballet.

Doughty looks forward to working with the Commissioners and hopes to lead by example on the Commission.

“I want to lead by example with honesty, compassion and empathy,” Doughty said. “I believe in doing so, all of us here tonight can make a difference in the community and build up on Pampa’s legacy.”

Doughty said he may not have all of the solutions, but can be a part of the team to help make Pampa better.

City Commissioner, Ward 3

Jimmy Keough- Keough is also running unopposed heading to his second term. Keough said he has enjoyed the last three years finishing the unexpired term and looks forward to the next four years. Keough thanked the outgoing commissioners Matt Rains, Gary Winton and Karen McLain for their service on what he has considered a “successful first term.”

“We accomplished a lot,” Keough said. “I also thank Mayor (Brad) Pingel for his service and leadership. It’s going to be tough to fill that role.”

Keough also thanked the city staff and administration. Keough has been married for 18 years to his wife, Robin, and the pair have five children and four grandchildren. He was born and raised in Pampa and Ward 3. 

He went off to Albany, N.Y. where he worked at a body shop and contracted with phone companies before coming home 10 years later. He opened Finish Line Motorcycle Shop and has operated it for 25 years.

City Commissioner, Ward 4

Brian Fisher- The 49-year-old is married to his wife, Lisa, and the two have four children and four “grandperfects” with one more on the way.

Fisher is a plant operator for Cabot and his wife owns Prestige Drug Screening and the pair own Fish of Fire DJ Service. Fisher was a mechanic operator for Chesapeake Energy Service and before that worked for OMI on the City’s waste-water plant. 

“I was a part of department head meetings and helped discuss the City budget,” Fisher said. “I had great relationships with City employees, supervisors, city manager, Hidden Hills golf course, sanitation and public works department.”

Fisher said the important duty of City Commissioners is to identify issues within the city that needs to be addressed. Commissioners need to have knowledge of their wards and the needs of their citizens.

Fisher said he wants to take a hard look at the budget and consider “cutting some of the fat” from the budget.

“I know that sounds rude,” Fisher said. “But we need to put the money where it belongs.”

Fisher added he would like to see businesses have a chance to succeed when they open.

Laura McGrath- McGrath has been involved in the Top O’ Texas Republican Women’s and the Gray County Republican Party since 2013 and said she has learned a lot through these organizations. The 29-year-old has lived in Pampa her entire life and is a 2010 graduate of Pampa High School. Immediately out of high school she went to work.

“I worked all over town in different avenues and places,” McGrath said. “I know I met a lot of people working at the Coffee Shop. It was a joy and I met so many wonderful people and learned I loved to serve people. I loved to serve coffee, chicken salads, etc. I loved being around people.”

McGrath has worked as an election judge and was involved in ministry as a children’s pastor at Trinity Fellowship Church.

“I really learned to be a servant-leader,” McGrath said. “I learned to lead others while serving right beside them. I’ve had the joy of my life learning to serve.”

McGrath said she loves politics and believes government should be limited and individuals have the responsibility to grow businesses and community.

Pampa Independent School District Board of Trustees

PISD Board of Trustees, Place 4

Colin Sutherland- Colin is a Pampa-native and is 27 years old. He has lived in Pampa his entire life and is married to his wife, Nia, and the pair have two children. Sutherland said he is running for his children, those who came before them currently in the school system and those going after them.

“I love this town and all it entails,” Sutherland said. “We have some wonderful teachers here in Pampa ISD.”

Sutherland said the curriculum needs to change so students learn and retain knowledge better, and to alleviate stress from the teachers.

“I would like to see physical education be a true strenuous, vigorous education,” Sutherland said. “It needs to be a mandatory curriculum for the future of our kids, K-12. Studies have shown that fitness-based PE models can reduce disciplinary actions by 85 percent, as well as increase testing scores by 11 to 22 percent. It stimulates white-matter in the brain where knowledge is stored and boosts cortisol, serotonin and is a natural anti-depressant.”

Sutherland added fitness-based PE reduces bullying, racial tension and class tension. Sutherland would also like to see a “more classical style of education.”

“Teaching our kids not what to think, but how to think,” Sutherland said. “Thus, how to argue to a point, not for the sake of arguing but for the sake of educating others. Our kids are our future and classical education teaches them how to love the romantics, history and the sciences. It also removes them from the sedentary, Industrial Revolution-style that is taught today.”

Sutherland added that classical education teaches honor, virtue, free-thinking and respect for personal opinion.

Luis Nava- Nava is a Spearman-native that has lived in Pampa since 1989. He is married to his wife of 27 years, Mary-Margaret Nava, and the pair have two children Elaine and Marianna. 

An industrial machinist by trade, Nava works at Phillips 66. Nava got involved in education and is in his sixth year on the Board.

“It’s been a learning experience for myself and Pampa ISD Superintendent Dr. Tanya Larkin as we came on together,” Nava said. “We’ve learned a lot and gained the support and respect of our administration. I’ve been lucky to serve on this Board with these Board members and mentored by many of them.”

PISD Board of Trustees, Place 5

David Godino- Godino is a 2003 graduate of Canadian High School and was born and raised in Canadian. He finished graduate school at Texas Tech and has been practicing out-patient physical therapy since 2010. He came to Pampa from Midland in March 2017.

Godino said he decided to run for School Board in 2019 because Pampa became a place he loves in a short time.

“When I moved here my grandparents lived here, but by in large we were trusting God to guide our path,” Godino said. “I can assure you, within six months God showed us where to be.”

Godino said he tries not to have too much to stand on when it comes to “what he wants done,” but will take every opinion from the constituents into consideration. But he will make decisions on the facts and data presented.

PISD Board of Trustees, Place 6

Cade Taylor- Cade Taylor was born and raised in Childress and after graduating in 2006 went to Texas A&M to join the Corp Cadets, Aggie Band and Army ROTC.

“I learned real quick discipline and relying on others around you,” Taylor said. “That was different from how I was raised. My dad was an electrician, we were just common folks. They taught me the ways of life.”

Taylor blew his knee in his senior year and was medically discharged from his Army commitment, but had a back-up plan for education.

“I moved around several different school districts in the Bryan-area,” Taylor said. “Then went up to the Waco-area when my wife and I got married. Worked one year there then went into the insurance business.”

Taylor saw several different school districts and when he came to Pampa, he and his family knew within a week they wanted to stay in Pampa.

PISD Board of Trustees, Place 7

Janet Hancock- Janet and her late husband, Lynn, came to Pampa 28 years ago and raised three children in the PISD system with four of the grandchildren in PISD today. 

Hancock earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics Education and a Master’s Degree in Education Leadership.

“I’ve worked in the District for 20 years and in many roles across many campuses,” Hancock said. “I’ve been a substitute teacher, an aide, math teacher, assistant principal and principal.”

Hancock said more than half of the students in Pampa ISD are economically disadvantaged, qualifying for free-or-reduced lunch.

“I give you these numbers to give you a glimpse of what our district is facing,” Hancock said. “I believe a school board should be made up of members from varying backgrounds. Business leaders, parents, community members, etc. It’s important to have previous educators on the Board.”

Hancock said she understands the “boots on the ground” part of running the District and believes PISD churns out the brightest and best.

Misty LeBlanc- Dr. Misty Scribner LeBlanc said she is running for school board as a parent who cares about the teachers, school system, Pampa community and feels like smaller, rural school districts don’t have the resources they need due to a shrinking tax base. But, LeBlanc feels like Pampa is fixing to “take off” and grow.

As a parent, she feels like it is important to have parents on the school board.

“The part of representing the school system and having representation on the school board involves parents,” LeBlanc said. “I do feel like we as a community are all responsible for our school system.”

LeBlanc said there needs to be a plan/action to help the District improve.

“The public school system gets a bad rap sometimes,” LeBlanc said. “It really hurts to hear people bash the school system. I believe our society is built on education. If you want to encourage your community to provide jobs, money and allow people to provide for their families and take care of themselves, they need to come from a good school system.”

After a recess, there was a question and answer session with the candidates. There will be two additional articles from The Pampa News in coming days, one for each of the candidate groups and the questions presented to them.

Election Day

Saturday, May 1, 2021 – at M.K. Brown Auditorium

Hours will be : 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Early Voting: 

Begins on April 19 and ends on April 27

It will be held at the Pampa ISD Administration Building, 1233 N. Hobart Street

Hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

There will be two twelve hours day on Monday, April 26 and Tuesday, April 27

Hours for voting on those days will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.