ABILENE, TX — Three candidates filed to run for Abilene City Council on the first day of filing.
Place 1 City Councilman Shane Price said he decided Tuesday night to run for a fifth term.
“As a lifelong resident of Abilene, I want to do my part to help Abilene grow,” said Price. ” I believe that I can continue to be a voice for the citizens of Abilene, and I hope that the voters will choose to keep me as representative for them on the Abilene City Council for the next three years.”
Two candidates filed to run for City Council Place 2 — Lynn Beard and Garrett Hubbard.
Beard is a retired Abilene police officer.
He said his campaign will focus on six pillars:
- Public safety
- Employment – create conditions that promote employment and business retention and expansion
- Planning & Zoning – codes that encourage development
- Support Dyess
- Take care of infrastructure
- Improve quality of life issues
“Short term goal needs to be the economic recovery from COVID. We have local businesses that were devastated, families that are devastated, people that have lost loved ones. We have to have robust policies and procedures in place to regenerate the economy in Abilene,” said Beard.
Former Mayor Norm Archibald, former Police Chief Melvin Martin, former Chamber of Commerce Chairman Darrin Black and Joy Ellinger, President of the Abilene Police Foundation, showed up to the announcement to support Beard.
Garrett Hubbard is a sales and marketing agent for State Farm.
“I want to be a voice for every zip code, be sure everybody in this town has a voice and be sure everybody has a seat at the table,” said Garrett.
The filing deadline ends Feb. 12.
