The Ector County ISD Board of Trustees election is coming up Saturday with two contested races. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Two incumbents, Donna Smith, Position 3, and Dennis Jones, Position 7, are facing challengers.
Smith will face Wayne Woodall and Jones will square off against Rev. Robert Thayer and John Dietz Rabenaldt.
Voting centers can be found at tinyurl.com/2y9r23yp.
Smith, 67, graduated from Odessa High School in 1974. She earned a bachelor’s from Texas Tech, her master’s from the University of Texas, and her PhD from Texas Tech. At Odessa College, she taught English, and retired last year after 41 years there. She has been on the school board since 2006.
Woodall, 45, is the lead Life Skills Teacher at Midland High School. His father is former board member Doyle Woodall and he has not run for school board before.
His father, Doyle Woodall, was forced to resign from the board following a controversy over social media posts he made.
Woodall is an Odessa High School graduate and went to college at West Texas A&M in Canyon and Sul Ross State University in Alpine where he earned a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology with a minor in history.
Woodall also has a master’s of education degree in sports management from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene.
He is married to Jennifer Woodall and they have three children, one grandson and another grandson on the way this summer.
Jones, 63, was appointed to the board of trustees in May 2022 to replace Nelson Minyard, the previous trustee who had retired and moved from the district. The school board held a special meeting June 20 and trustees interviewed eight applicants for the spot.
Jones has lived and worked in Odessa for 17 years as a prosecutor, Judge and now a private practice lawyer. While working as a Municipal Judge for the City of Odessa he was actively involved in the truancy program for 13 years. He also has previous teaching experience at Angelina College and Odessa College.
Together, he and his wife have three children and five grandchildren.
Thayer is the lead pastor at Odessa Bible Church. He is from Anaheim, Calif., and moved to Texas in 1994. While he wasn’t born in Texas, he has lived in Texas longer than he lived in California.
He attended Whittier Christian High School in LaHabra, Calif. He earned a bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministries from Christian Heritage College (now called San Diego Bible College) in El Cajon, Calif., just outside of San Diego.
Thayer attended Dallas Theological Seminary where he earned a master’s of theology degree, graduating in 2000.
Rabenaldt said during a candidate forum April 20 that he wants to make sure every student is challenged and encouraged to achieve academic excellence, technical skills and responsible citizenship. He served ECISD for 34 years in IT.
“Education is one key to success. I’m a firm believer that lifelong education is an investment in oneself,” Rabenaldt said.
“As a trustee, I would work to ensure that parents, students and teachers are fairly represented. I would speak with parents, teachers and administrators to get a sense of their concerns and priorities. Every child deserves a future,” Rabenaldt said.
Dawn Miller, who will be the new Position 1 trustee, has been declared elected because she didn’t face any opposition. Miller is replacing longtime outgoing member Carol Gregg.
Also, Odessa College Board members Bruce Shearer, Place 1; Hortencia Del Bosque, Place 2; and Dr. Tara Deaver, Place 8, faced no opposition.
On the Ector County Hospital District Board, incumbent Mary Lou Anderson will face Will Kappauf for the District 2 spot. David Dunn, District 4, and Wallace Dunn, District 6, did not have opposition.
