Ethiopia RPCV Phil Cox to fill Plainview school board vacancy



Cox, 56, was raised on a farm between Olton and Halfway, graduating from high school at Olton. After serving two years as a volunteer in the peace corps in Ethiopia, he received a degree in agronomy from Texas Tech University. Cox, whose only child Hayley was salutatorian of the PHS class of 2005, said he decided to seek the school board seat after encouragement from his wife, Nancy, and friends. Nancy works as a school nurse at Hillcrest Elementary and Houston School.

Ethiopia RPCV Phil Cox to fill Plainview school board vacancy

Cox to fill school board vacancy

KEVIN LEWIS
Herald Editor, From the Plainview Daily Herald

07/21/2006

District 6 has yet another school board representative after local handyman Phil Cox was named to the position following three votes at a lengthy meeting Thursday night.

Cox was chosen by the board ahead of Maude Allen following an approximate 45-minute interview process in executive session.

The board split on the first two votes: 3-3 first for Ms. Allen then 3-3 for Cox. A second vote was taken for Cox and he was accepted 3-1. Board member Brandon Brownlee voted against while Drew Travis and Wes Naron abstained.

Cox is District 6’s fifth representative in less than two years.

Jim Tirey was elected to the post in May 2003 but resigned in December 2004 after being elected county attorney.

David Landeros was appointed to take Tirey’s place in February 2005 but later moved from Plainview. Polly Earhart was named to take Landeros’ spot, then she decided not to seek election for a full term. Kathleen Ditmore was then unopposed in elections last May, but she resigned after just a couple of weeks, citing her desire to spend more time with her family.

Cox will fill the rest of Mrs. Ditmore’s two-year term.

Cox, 56, was raised on a farm between Olton and Halfway, graduating from high school at Olton. After serving two years as a volunteer in the peace corps in Ethiopia, he received a degree in agronomy from Texas Tech University.

He worked at odd jobs, landscaping and farming and taught biology for one year at Dimmitt High School. He’s lived here the past 20 years and currently maintains and remodels rent houses for Bublis Enterprises.

Cox, whose only child Hayley was salutatorian of the PHS class of 2005, said he decided to seek the school board seat after encouragement from his wife, Nancy, and friends. Nancy works as a school nurse at Hillcrest Elementary and Houston School.

“I thought, well, maybe it’s my civic duty, and I like the idea of the board having a choice of people to put in,” Cox said.

“I have a lot to learn. I expect it to be an eye-opening, learning experience for me,” he added. “I’m sure there are a lot of things that can be done to improve schools. I want to make good, sound decisions and hope I can contribute to the process of doing the right thing, spending money wisely and getting the biggest bang for our buck.

“My main goal is helping to create well-rounded, balanced graduates that are going to become good citizens. I think that’s the goal everyone has.”

When this story was posted in August 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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