Running for Midland City Council District 1 is Brian Stubbs. In an interview with Midland Times, the candidate reveals his motivations, vision, and strategies for addressing key issues within the city.
MT: Tell us about yourself.
My name is Brian Stubbs and I have lived in Midland for a little over 10 years. I have been married for 21 years to my wife, Jennifer, and together we have a 17-year old son and a 13-year-old son. My wife and children are very involved in extracurriculars and community engagement initiatives. I was originally a mechanical engineer. I moved to Midland to work in the oil field for about a year and I was able to work for and purchase Air Compressor Solutions. I purchased that company in 2017. That company has grown a lot, and I am thankful for the business environment and the opportunities within the Permian Basin. I have been a part of a great deal of nonprofit organizations, mostly educational organizations, and I've found that being involved with non profits is a great way to get involved in the community and interact with residents that I normally wouldn't be able to.
MT: What motivated you to run for the Midland City Council At-Large seat?
I’ve always had an interest in politics — I was elected for the school board when I lived in Indiana in 2008, which really spurred my interest. Both my parents were very involved in politics, and we’ve found that is a great way to get involved and help the community.
I bring a unique set of skills to the table, drawing from my experience as a business owner, mechanic engineer , as well as my involvement in local nonprofits, family, and church activities. I am trying to know as much as I can about our community’s problems and issues and work through those to find the solutions needed.
MT: What experiences do you have that makes you suited for this role?
I think I am very diverse in my experiences. I am a business owner who operates within the Permian Basin, and that company has grown six times more since we’ve started. Growing a company in this area and learning how to resolve any issues effectively is important.
My role in nonprofits allowed me to ensure the right things are being done, whether that's resources being allocated effectively or ensuring a foster of community impact.
Again, my family and church life brings a lot to the table since they are important to me and impacts my approach to important city matters.
I think we’re at a crucial point for advancing Midland to the next level. We’re at a unique crossroads where we need to determine how to direct our growth to ensure it benefits everyone.
MT: What issues do you consider the most pressing for Midland, and what is your vision for addressing them?
When it comes to issues within our city, that, to me, is a sign of growth. Growth comes with issues that have to be addressed along the way. An issue within our community is the areas of Midland requiring more attention. Growing the area around 191 is critical. There is a lot of vacant land out there that could be utilized and as we grow they need to be utilized. South Midland is in need of attention, and it has the potential to serve residents and businesses in a positive manner.
Downtown is a big one. I believe with the taxing entities downtown, as well as the upcoming hotel and such, it's a good time to look at what downtown can do for Midland and the residents. The great thing about city governance is looking at both the economic and lifestyle of Midland’s areas. We can make downtown economically attractive and retain residents who utilize it, which keeps resident’s money in Midland.
We need to modernize our parks. Getting things like STEM educational activities within our parks is crucial to ensure we have play spaces that are interactive and serve more than just a space to walk your pets.
MT: What strategies do you propose to promote economic development and ensure sustainable growth?
The recent changes for the city’s permitting office is a great strategy to promote economic development in our city. I was happy to hear these changes being made during the recent city council meeting. It’s important to make it easier to do business within Midland — that's how we proactively grow!
The other ways we can ensure substantial growth is by making Midland attractive. With our industry, we have worked to get out of the boom-and-bust cycles, or atleast make them not as bad. We need to market that simply because that's what people know Midland as. We need people to see that our city is not the little boom town that we were 50 years ago.
We should also be building a relationship with nearby cities. For example, when you raise teacher salaries in Midland, it in turn makes it more difficult to attract teachers in Odessa. We need to build good and healthy relationships with partners for resources, and we can do this while still growing and remaining attractive.
MT: What measures are necessary to enhance public safety in Midland?
Public safety is very interesting to me because it's multifaceted. It starts with the culture of our city government. If we’re going to build a better community, then we need to support our law enforcement and fire department and also provide them with the resources they need in order to succeed.
Traffic will always be an issue in Midland. We are lucky to have groups such as the Permian Strategic Partnership (PSP) who take a huge interest in public safety and through different initiatives, they work to create a safer Permian Basin. We can continue to utilize PSP and work together with them to enhance Midland’s public safety.
MT: How will you approach budgetary decisions and ensure fiscal responsibility to benefit Midland taxpayers?
The heart of the city council is taking in all the factors and information and setting priorities for the city. The city has a great Strategic Plan, and the council is utilizing that plan during decision making and communication efforts. It set the priority of fiscal responsibility in the best way possible.
When it comes to the budget, it's about where we can put our money to get the best return. Aspects like the new Costco are areas where we can get a giant return for the city. It's important to keep our funds in Midland for the benefit of Midland taxpayers.
MT: Are there areas where you see opportunities for budget optimization or reallocation of resources?
Midland has had one of the lowest tax rates in Texas for a long time. This has driven a lot of oversight and processes in place to help ensure we are being financially responsible. This has made our budget process and spending more transparent to our community.
The Midland firemen pension fund is definitely an area of concern for Midland’s financial health. We need to come to the table to find a viable solution that balances the needs of the firefighters that are critical to our community and not negatively impact our financial health. This issue has been passed along to the next group of taxpayers. We need to find a solution all of Midland can live with.
After the fire department, police department, infrastructure, there is not much of the city’s money left for other services. Managing these funds must be a priority of the city government. I am not aware of any specific inefficiency right now, but with my background of running a company, working on nonprofit budgets and managing a variety of projects, I am focused on ensuring we use every dollar given to Midland by our taxpayers in the best, most efficient way possible.
MT: How do you intend to communicate with constituents and gather their input on important city matters?
One of the things I love about Midland is that you can talk to anyone. Remaining approachable and open is crucial when meeting new people and discussing important community matters. Listening is just as important. We can build a better city by ensuring everyone has a seat at the table and engage in conversation by remaining open and listening to what is said. I hope that residents feel they can approach me whenever they see me and I will hear what they have to say.
I will also have social media to engage and communicate with constituents.