A local pastor has dropped out of the race for Odessa City Council District 5. As a result, three out of seven people on the council will have attained their seats without facing an opponent.
Originally, Shaye Lane, an associate pastor at River of Hope, was expected to run against Chris Hanie, a salesman for Emory Industrial Services.
In announcing her decision, Lane said, “Chris Hanie has my full support. I trust him. I believe in him.”
Earlier this month, the council declared Gilbert Vasquez and Greg Connell the winners of November’s city council election since they were the only candidates to run for District 3 and District 4, respectively.
Vasquez and Connell will take their seats Nov. 22. Hanie will, too, if the council opts to declare him the winner at a future council meeting.
District 5 Councilmember Mari Willis, District 3 Councilmember Detra White and District 4 Councilmember Tom Sprawls announced a couple of months ago they wouldn’t be running for re-election in November. Interested parties had until Aug. 22 to turn in their applications to run for the open seats.
Lane, 50, is also an office assistant for Stark Surveying. The married mother of two and grandmother of three was born and raised in Odessa. Shortly after filing her application, Lane said she wanted to bridge the gap she believes exists between Odessans and government officials.
Hanie is a married father of three girls and has three grandchildren who is also a greeter and prayer partner at Odessa Christian Faith Center. He said he wants to bring God back to our government and would like Odessa to be a sanctuary city from abortions. He named roads and waters as his top priorities.
Connell, a 67-year-old retiree and U.S. Marine Corps. veteran, ran a work furlough program for the California Department of Corrections for four years. He also worked for Henderson Enterprises in California and spent years in banking. Most recently Connell, the father of one adult son, volunteered at Downing Elementary.
Connell said he’s discovered Odessans are concerned about crime and infrastructure and hopes to help address those issues.
Vasquez spent more than 30 years as an administrator within the Ector County Independent School District and he decided to step up and run after discovering no one else was.
When he announced his candidacy, Vasquez said he’d like people to know he’s open-minded and a team player.
“I will be a servant. I will be listener for them. Whatever decisions I find myself having to be a part of, they will always be in the best interest of the people of Odessa, Texas,” he said.
