Incumbent Darren McCutcheon, Place 7 candidate for the Port Neches-Groves Independent School District, says his ties to the schools made him want to run.

“I was educated in Port Neches-Groves ISD and my children, who are attending PN-GISD, are the fourth generation on my side of the family to attend PN-G schools,” he said.

McCutcheon’s opponent for Place 7 is Dr. J.D. Taliaferro, a higher education administrator for Lamar State College-Port Arthur.

McCutcheon said he links a successful district with a thriving region encompassing Port Neches and Groves.

“As long as the school district says affluent, so will both communities stay affluent. The school district is the heart of both communities,” he said.

McCutcheon, 39, works with BASF plant operations. He and his wife, Robin, have two children: Laura, 10; and Jacob, 6.

“I feel like I received a quality education from this district and it has made me a successful person in life,” he said. “I’m married to an educator, Robin, and I want to do what’s best for children in education and support teachers.”

“We’re in the middle of a bond, so I want to see this bond through to completion. Our district is in desperate need of new buildings and new facilities,” McCutcheon said.

As a two-term incumbent, he said he believes he is qualified to run.

“I’m familiar working with a tight budget due to the Chapter 41 status of PN-G, which is the Robin Hood, Chapter 41. We’ve paid back a little over $50 million in the last six years,” he said. “I’ve also had extensive training from the Texas Association of School Boards in board governance and board policy as it relates to the public school system. This is what makes me feel like I’m qualified to serve as a trustee.”

McCutcheon attends First United Methodist Church in Groves and attended Lamar University for three years.

Saturday, May 10, is election day. Early voting will run Monday, April 28, through Tuesday, May 6.

Contact this reporter at ddoiron@panews.com.