By Jackie Hardy

NDG Contributing Writer

The upcoming runoff elections should be a serious matter to  minority voters of Place 3.  Irving Place 3 city council candidates David Gutierrez and Dennis Webb will face each other again in a runoff   June 18.  Gutierrez and Webb  hope to replace Allan Meagher who did not seek re-election at the end of his term. In May, Webb received 48 percent of the vote, with Gutierrez coming in second receiving 26 percent of the vote.

Webb, a lieutenant firefighter for Grand Prairie, has lived in Irving for 28 years; and Gutierrez, owner of Can Do Wood Projects and Repair Company, has lived in Irving for 24 years. Webb is the founding pastor of Bear Creek Community Church and has served six years on the Planning and Zoning Commission for the city of Irving and served on the mayor’s Human Relations Advisory Committee. Webb also acts as president of the  of the Bear Creek Development Corporation board of directors. BCDC is a non-profit community housing development corporation whose mission is to build affordable houses in the Bear Creek community. There is no record of Gutierrez political experience or community service involvement; therefore, it brings concerns to community leaders within Irving on how well he will serve the constituents of Place 3.

What Gutierrez does have on record is two driving while intoxicated  offenses that he received in 2005 and 2009.  In both cases Gutierrez was found driving over the legal alcohol limit, according to a May 25, 2011, Dallas Morning News article. After accepting a plea deal in 2009, Gutierrez was charged with obstructing a highway and was ordered to serve 10 days in a Denton County jail, and, in 2005, he received probation for his arrest in Dallas for driving while intoxicated. In the DMN report, the Place 3 city council candidate expressed these arrests have only made him aware of what he has to do to do the right thing and stay on the right path.

Gutierrez police record poses the question with voters on his ability to practice sound judgment, especially during this critical time of economic and budget constraints to the perpetual challenges centered around the much talked about Irving Entertainment Center and Heritage Crossing developments to providing effective solutions facing the minority community of Place 3.

“Education, jobs and fairness as far as the economic structure, and upgrading their overall quality of life are the issues minorities are concerned with,” said William O’Neal, pastor of New Life in Christ Ministries in Irving. “I think what Pastor Webb wants to bring with the economic development and wanting to bring forth positive things by not only challenging local government, but the people of Irving is what makes him the right candidate.”.

Webb pastors an Irving congregation whose membership is as diverse as the city that houses it.  Community leaders feel Webb has demonstrated first-hand knowledge and experience of how to lead and unite individuals who come from diverse cultures, ethnicities, races and educational and socio-economic backgrounds.

“Webb runs a church that is very diverse. There are black, white and Hispanic members and the church is pretty much the same demographics as the city of Irving,” said Sanko Prioleau II, a member of Webb’s church  Webb believes in diversity. I have never seen him turn anyone away in the number of years I have been around him as a member of his church.

Education is an issue to those within the minority community, and Webb supporters point to the pastor’s proven track record with regards to his attempts in building strong community partnerships with local schools such as Thomas Haley Elementary School.  Those efforts were recently praised by IrvingISD when the district honored Webb this past February with its highest honor, “Golden Apple Award,” for his congregation’s commitment to volunteer service to the IISD students.

“I look at how Pastor Webb leads his own household and even his church and how they respond to his leadership and that speaks volumes,” O’Neal said.  Pastor Webb is willing to use the formula that works for his family, for his church and for his community to make it work for the city, and it is those type of people who are right there serving in their community that we need on the council.”.

According    2010 U.S. Census Bureau data, 35,187 residents reside in Place 3 (see the table for breakdown of race and ethnicity breakdowns). O’Neal said it is crucial for minority voters in Place 3 to go to the polls and let their voices be heard in the single-member district election

“People died for us to have this right and privilege to vote and to make change. Black folks won’t cooperate by going out to vote, but will stand longer in the lottery line to get a ticket than to stay in line to vote,” said O’Neal, regarding the low voter turnouts among minorities in the recent election

O’Neal said he hopes his words will serve as a good swift quick in the pants to boost and initiate a response from African Americans, as well as all minorities to get out and vote in this upcoming election and play an active part in positive change for the city.

On Saturday, June 11 starting at 9 a.m. New Life in Christ Ministries, 3706 Cheyenne St. in Irving will play host to  a car wash and offering assistance to help residents register to vote. For more information, call  972-570-7674.