Candidates get into trash

Linda Young-Anglley says its time for Freddie Gardner to move on.

"He needs to retire and go have fun with his retired wife," said Anglley, the Democratic nominee for county commissioner in Precinct 1.

Young-Anglley, said she would bring new ideas, as well as "energy and excitement" to the position if elected Nov. 4.

But Gardner, 70, said that if Young-Anglley were to be voted in, no commissioner would live outside the Odessa city limits as he does.

And the Republican, who's seeking his fourth four-year term, said his experience in county government and lifetime in public service is crucial.

"A new person coming on, it takes a couple years just to figure out what to do," Gardner said.

Gardner said the most important issue in the campaign is water, and securing federal grants to tie in more areas not covered by the Ector County Utility District.

"Illegal dumping is a terrible thing, but it's not something that affects a person being able to stay in their home," he said. "Without water, the property is useless."

Gardner said he's helped secure more than $4 million in grants to extend city water, including the Redondo Water Systems Improvement Project. That program is helping low-to-moderate income families get free water line extensions because of a $500,000 grant with the Office of Rural Community Affairs.

Young-Anglley said she would be active in helping more residents get water to their homes.

"There is not a whole lot that can be done except if they could have more help from government agencies and state representatives," she said.

On the dumping issue, Young-Anglley said she'd like to see more enforcement of laws already on the books from the Ector County Sheriff's Office and the health department. She also calls for trash service in unincorporated areas of the county.

Gardner points to his work on the Pecos Valley RC&D board, which gave $20,000 to clean up illegal dump sites. He said the hiring of a code enforcement officer to patrol for illegal dumping also has been important.

"If they find a bag of trash, they can go through that bag," Gardner said. "If they find a person's name and address, they can contact those people and file charges against those people."

Gardner said work is being done to prevent flooding in the area around 61st Street and Benefield Avenue, which he said is the lowest point in Ector County. A project is in place near Yukon Road and Andrews Highway to enlarge a retention basin and prevent water from running downhill to the flood-prone area.

"By diverting that water over to the holding basin, I feel that will help tremendously at 61st and Benefield," Gardner said.

Young-Anglley said she has to deal with flooding around Andrews Highway regularly. She agreed that retaining areas need to be expanded and rerouted.

"We could build little bridges so the water can go under it, instead of having to drive through it," she said.

Young-Anglley said that, if elected, she'd give up her job in accounting and human resources to become a full-time county commissioner, something Gardner takes pride in being.

"It's an elected position," she said. "I am being hired by the citizens of Precinct 1 to perform a duty."

Gardner said it takes a full-time commissioner to deal with the precinct, which takes up most of the county and includes 500 miles of roads.

"I know a lot of people think we meet twice a month and that's all we do," he said. "But I can tell you that's not what I do. The people are confident in my ability to run the county."

In August, Gardner voted to give himself and all county employees a 3 percent pay raise. It was the fourth consecutive year the commissioners saw a pay increase. Since 2004, their annual pay has risen from $30,224 to $43,835.

But Gardner said he would not accept the raise next year, or for the rest of his term if elected.

"I didn't feel I should accept it because of the feelings of the people I talked to," he said, adding that he'd consider a reduction in salary if "things get really tough."

Young-Anglley said she wouldn't have voted for a raise for commissioners.

"I do believe in employees getting salary adjustments and compensation on a regular basis, and I would not vote for an increase in a commissioner's salary during the term I'm in office," she said.

 When to vote?

Early voting is Oct. 20-31. Oct. 28 is the last day to turn in an application for a mail-in ballot. Nov. 4 is election day.