Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Port Arthur will see a runoff in Position 8 between Raymond Scott Jr. and Donald Ray Frank Sr.

Frank finished with 30.54 percent of the vote, while Scott took home 28.99 percent. A candidate needs 50 percent-plus-1 to be named victor.

The two beat out Tieranny DeCuir (20.21 percent), Rosendo Ochoa Jr. (14.48 percent) and John Roy LeBlanc (5.78 percent).

“I thank God,” Frank told Port Arthur Newsmedia. “I am so thankful to all that voted for me and supported me. I want to say congrats to all of the candidates that won tonight. I also want to say congrats to all of those who competed in this position.”

Frank is the pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, serves on the PAISD school board and is in line to be its vice-president.

During his first term on the PAISD board in 1999, Frank said, the board worked with industry on a $110 million bond issue.

As for Motiva’s development downtown, Frank said he is grateful but asked: “Is that the plan we have for Port Arthur?”

He stressed that is Motiva’s plan in action and that the city should partner with Motiva and put the city’s and Motiva’s plans together “for the blessing and benefit of our city.”

Frank said he has a lot of respect for Scott, but is ready to move forward with his campaign.

Scott was not immediately available for comment Tuesday night.

He served three three-year terms as city councilman for Position 1. He termed out of the seat before deciding to run for Position 8, which is an at-large bid.

“This position is a position no different from District 1,” Scott said in a previous interview with Port Arthur Newsmedia. “I always voted and supported other councilmembers when the citizens came first and the city came first. I have the experience in all the phases of city government. I understand our city government. I understand policy and procedures and believe in following policies and procedures.”

Scott’s priorities are streets and drainage, but he also boasts the city’s bond projects.

Lewis, Holmes to face runoff for District 1

Voters in Port Arthur’s District 1 will see a run-off race between the top two vote getters, Willie “Bae” Lewis Jr. and Ingrid West Holmes.

Lewis came in with 1,115 votes or 45.07% of the total ballots cast.

Holmes came in with 864 votes for 34.92% of the ballots cast.

The third candidate, Mike Mason, garnered 495 votes for 20.01% of the ballots cast.

Lewis and West are ready for the next step.

Lewis plans to continue his work on his platform, some of which consists of proposing for businesses that move downtown to put in procurement offices, allowing the city to acquire sales tax revenue to go into the general fund.

He would also like to see more with street repair, possibly through a bond issue.

Holmes said she feels they all ran a good, clean races and she respects Lewis and Mason.

She said she believes in the city of Port Arthur.

“I look forward to the runoff and what that will bring to the city of Port Arthur,” she said.

Holmes is employed with Strategic Healthcare and manager of Gift of Life is a former Beaumont health director.

Lewis, who has more than 30 years of experience in city government, was most recently District 5 councilman. He spent 18 years representing District 1.

Lewis has served in three different districts — 1, 5 and 7 — as a way to keep continuity on the board amid term limits. He is retired from Valero where he worked as a process analyzer technician.

The winner of the runoff will replace Raymond Scott Jr. who previously served as the District 1 councilmember but completed his third and final term.