No … I don’t have anyone particular in mind.
Indeed, the Amarillo City Council has some time to ponder who should succeed Brian Eades, who’s leaving the council in July as he moves to western Colorado.
Eades is a grownup member of the council. He serves as one of two stalwart votes in favor of the momentum that the city is building toward its downtown revival process. The other sure-fire voice on the council is Mayor Paul Harpole.
Yes, the council has done well so far with its new three guys joining the team to move the city forward on its downtown rejuvenation. Crews have broken ground on the planned parking garage and on the Embassy Suites hotel across Buchanan Street from the Civic Center.
Work still needs to commence on the multipurpose event venue.
I don’t have serious concern about whether the MPEV will be built. I hope it is built and I hope the city welcomes an affiliated baseball team to play its home games at the shiny new ballpark.
My hope for the new council member runs along two tracks.
One is that he or she has a keen interest in moving the downtown effort forward. The projects have been discussed, debated and examined every which way from here to Kingdom Come. Amarillo voters made their decision known in a November referendumĀ that they support a ballpark venue.
Second, I hope the next council member commits to running for election in the spring of 2017 when the city conducts its election for the council.
The most recent appointee, Ron Boyd, served as a place holder when he took the seat vacated by the death of Councilman Jim Simms. The next one, I hope, will take the seat with the understanding that he or she will seek a full two-year term.
The next council member will have plenty of time between taking office and the next election to earn either the voters’ approval or rejection next spring.
So, council members, proceed with all deliberate care.
The city is moving forward. It needs a governing council committed to maintaining that momentum.