By Dustin Fawcett
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, this time of year brings an air of gratitude and thanksgiving. In Ector County, I strongly believe this feeling should be shared among all citizens and I want to thank our community for the direction we are heading.
First, I want to thank all our Ector County Veterans for their service, sacrifice, and patriotism. Without you, the world we live in would be a much darker place. In honor of your service, Ector County is participating in a program called “Operation Green Light.” This program, created by the National Association of Counties (NACO) and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO), was created to show support of veterans throughout Veterans Week from November 6-12. This is done through our lighting of the Ector County Courthouse green to let veterans know they are seen, appreciated, and supported. We invite you to come downtown in the evening or early morning when it is dark out and see our lit courthouse. Thank you, veterans.
Next, I want to thank the voters of Ector County for showing up at the polls and bearing with us through the new electoral process. Texas law changes every two years and sometimes those changes are seen in how we conduct our civic duties, like voting. Due to election legislation, many of you experienced new machines and perhaps longer lines. Please know that we thank you for participating in your civic duty and that we will become better and more efficient in the process. Thank you to all our election workers, volunteers, and county staff for once again pulling off a smooth election.
Again, I want to thank the voters of Ector County in addition to the Ector County ISD School Board, Superintendent, and Bond Committees for successfully passing a bond for the future of our students in Ector County. As the father of two young girls, a son of a public-school educator, and as your County Judge, thank you. The work that everyone put in, from the citizens who provided input to those who were charged with crafting the proposal, will influence our community in a positive direction for decades to come.
As County Judge, I deal with new businesses wanting to invest in our county, bringing jobs, gross domestic product, and economic benefit in general. These businesses ask about the quality of our healthcare, our education, and our community in general. I am proud to say to these prospective businesses that our community has the best healthcare system west of I-35 due to Medical Center Hospital, Odessa Regional Medical Center, and Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. I am also proud to say to these prospective businesses that our community values education and we have now voted to invest in our public school system to a significant degree. Couple that with the high-quality institutions of Odessa College and University of Texas Permian Basin and we are the shining beacon of education from Pre-K to Doctorates in the Permian Basin.
I am proud of the direction our county and our community are heading. We are thoughtful and thorough when it comes to spending tax dollars at all levels and with all taxing entities, it’s in our DNA. This bond success reflects a community that appreciates when government listens to its constituents and takes their suggestions and applies them to good governance, including bond proposals.
It may not be Thanksgiving quite yet, but here in Ector County, there is a lot to be thankful for!
