Voter guide: Port Arthur City Council, District 6

Q3: How would you describe your governing philosophy and how do you think it will best serve Port Arthur?

Q4: What in your previous experience best lends itself to council-management government?

Donald Ray Frank, Sr.

Age: 66

Occupation: Pastor at New Hope Baptist Church in Port Arthur

Highest level of education pursued or completed: Doctorate degree in Urban Religion at Aspen College in Denver, Colorado

Volunteer work, endorsements or previously held elected office (up to three):

• Elected to volunteer position on Port Arthur school board (no stipend; for 12 years total spanning two stints between 1999 and 2020)
• Endorsed by UNITE Port Arthur
• Position 8 at-large city council member (2020 to present)

A1: The major thing is the infrastructure. That’s what we’re facing, as well as other cities. But particularly in Port Arthur, we’re working on a complete new water plant in Port Arthur. We’re doing pipe bursting in the city of Port Arthur, which is drainage, and we know how important drainage is in Southeast Texas in light of what we've been through with hurricanes.

We’ve already begun to address them… These are not things that we are talking about doing. Those are the things that we’re actively engaged in doing.

A2: I think all of that happens and transpires by listening to the stakeholders of the city, finding out what things they need, what areas they need addressed. As we have listened to them, we as a council have worked in that area. 

We’ve heard some of our citizens come before us and talk about becoming a no-kill city as far as animal shelters are concerned. Before they even came, we were addressing a new animal shelter…

Those are the types of thing that we are addressing after listening to our stakeholders.

A3: Port Arthur is a city manager-led governance. The city manager is the CEO. Our job is policy. Our job is looking at the city manager, evaluation of the city manager. So, everything is within those parameters of the job that the city manager is doing.

Our governance is really about, as a council, building consensus, working together as a team of eight to come up with policies and plans going forward that will cause the city to fulfill fiduciary responsibilities.

A4: I am the person currently operating and serving the people of Port Arthur in Position 8 and seeking re-election. 

So, I’ve had 2 1/2 years on the job, I’ve had 2 1/2 years to grow as a leader, 2 1/2 years to learn municipal government. I’d spent 12 years on the school board, but municipal government is completely different.

Now, I’ve gotten my feet under me… Those experiences have put me in a place now where I better understand municipal government and can be a better leader in that regard.

Chuck Vincent

Age: Declined to say

Occupation: Owner and service technician, Vincent’s Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

Highest level of education pursued or completed: Declined to say

Volunteer work, endorsements or previously held elected office (up to three): 

• Founding member of Port Acres Public Action group
• Member of Concerned Citizens of Port Arthur
• President of Jefferson County Amateur Radio Club

A1: What’s wrong with the City Council in Port Arthur is we have way too many backdoor deals. The City of Port Arthur is so full of nepotism, it’s not even funny. The corruption is rampant in the entire city of Port Arthur, and I’m fed up with it.

(We must) replace the council.. Get them out, get some new people in there.

A2: I already work with the council. I work behind the scenes with the police chief or the city manager on a daily, weekly and sometimes monthly basis already. I’m very active in the community. 

A3: I’m for getting rid of the corruption and the nepotism. That’s my main goal. The city of Port Arthur is full of corruption and nepotism. 

Until we can correct that, we’re not going to go anywhere. The city of Port Arthur’s going to keep falling apart. 

We have to change the present-day council. We need more diversity on City Council. Right now, we’re being represented by an all-Black council. We need diversity. We need Hispanics. We need Caucasians. We need Asians on council.

Until we get some diversity on City Council, we’re not going anywhere. We’re just stalemating.

A4: I’m a community activist. I work with the Port Acres Public Action group, was a founding member of that.

I work with the Concerned Citizens of Port Arthur group, which is another activist group. We (meet) with the city manager on a daily basis. I was on the police chief’s advisor committee for three years. So, I’m very familiar with what’s going on in the city of Port Arthur.

I was born and raised here… Until we get some diversity on council, we’re not going anywhere, we’re not going anywhere. They’re going to keep giving away the city key to everybody.