$825M bond, ‘liberal indoctrination’ are Tarrant County College issues, candidates say
Four Tarrant County College board seats are in the running in Saturday’s election.
The board will have to manage a $825 million bond approved in 2019 and adjust to the revenue lost during the coronavirus pandemic.
Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5 will be on the ballot. Early voting ends Tuesday.
District 1
Incumbent Teresa Ayala, 55, has served on the board since 2015 and is a TCC alumna. She is a contract specialist and lives in Fort Worth. Her district covers Saginaw, downtown Fort Worth and the city’s north and south sides.
Ayala told the Star-Telegram that the biggest challenges facing the district are student retention and student access, recovering revenue lost during the pandemic and keeping low-cost programs and certifications intact as the student population grows.
Her three priorities are to broaden access for dual credit programs for high school students, bolster job training and career technical education, and establishing a dedicated community college vocational training program.
Ayala’s opponent is Jeremy Sixtos, 23, also a TCC alumnus. He works in IT support, according to his campaign filing. Sixtos did not respond to a request for comment.
District 2
Incumbent Conrad Heede, 79, has served on the board since 2011. He works in real estate and lives in Colleyville. His district covers Richland Hills, Bedford, Grapevine, Colleyville, Keller, Southlake, Westlake, and parts of Hurst and Euless.
Heede said the biggest challenges facing his district is the management of the $825 million bond, propelling students into well-paying jobs with the college’s Pathways Program and to continue partnering with surrounding business and school districts to provide students more opportunities.
His three priorities include using the bond to build/renovate buildings to be energy-efficient, sustainable, technologically advanced and adaptable to last more than 50 years, eliminate disparities in access to education and fully implement the college’s philosophy of serving its community and students.
Heede’s opponent, Shannon Wood, 50, did not respond to a request for comment. On her campaign page, she said her priorities are ensuring fiscal responsibility, bringing attention back to student needs and partnering with the administration and students to meet the needs of the college’s community.
District 3
Incumbent Diane Patrick will not seek re-election. She was appointed to the board in 2016 and elected in 2017. The district covers north and central Arlington and part of Euless.
Stephen Chacko and Jeannie Deakyne are running for the seat. Neither Chacko nor Deakyne responded to requests for comment.
Chacko, 47, is an investor, according to his campaign filing. Chacko, who is running as a conservative, wants to lower property taxes, push for term limits, open campuses 100% and wants to “STOP” the liberal indoctrination in college, according to this Facebook page.
Deakyne, 45, said on her Facebook page that her years working with Arlington schools give her the know-how to “ensure that your tax dollars will help equip facilities, create workforce solutions, and deliver innovative programs accessible by all learners throughout the six-campus Tarrant County College District.”
District 5
Incumbent Leonard Hornsby has been in office since his appointment this year. He is a minister and executive pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield. The district covers south Arlington and Mansfield.
Hornsby, 68, said the biggest challenges facing the district are upgrading the campuses, ensuring students receive the best education possible at an affordable rate and giving students the skills needed to become gainfully employed.
His priorities are building energy efficient buildings, establishing close partnership with businesses to develop programs to upgrade and develop a skilled workforce and supporting faculty to develop innovative means of delivering instruction.
His opponents are Christi Clanton, 28, and Sherry McCullouch, 51.
Clanton, a consultant, said on her Facebook page that her priorities are allocating tax dollars wisely and eliminating wasteful spending, preparing students for technical careers and jobs, and to “stand up to the progressive liberal agenda that has been ravaging our education systems for far too long.”
McCullouch is a property manager, according to her campaign filing. She did not respond to a request for an interview does not have a campaign website or Facebook page.
Voter guide online
Visit star-telegram.com for a guide to the races in Fort Worth and Arlington.
This story was originally published April 26, 2021 at 2:52 PM.
