AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — While none of them have been on the Amarillo City Council before, the candidates running for Place Three on the Amarillo City Council cite having some experience with city politics. Among them, one candidate has previously worked at the city of Amarillo, another candidate worked with the city’s homeless and another candidate is running again after spending time on a city board.

One of three candidates for Place Three will be taking over the seat from current Councilmember Eddy Sauer, who has been on the Amarillo City Council since 2017. Sauer previously announced that he would not run for reelection.

MyHighPlains.com spoke with each of the candidates who are actively running for the Place Three seat on the Amarillo City Council. Each of the candidates spoke about their priorities, why they decided to run for the position and their aspirations for Amarillo if they are elected for the seat.

The list of the candidates in this article is based on how the candidates will be listed on the May 2023 election ballot.

Katt Massey

As a former employee of the city of Amarillo, Place Three City Council candidate Katt Massey said she got to see the ins and outs of how the city of Amarillo works, including seeing firsthand things that she feels need to change.

Massey said she would also bring to the table connections with staff members, knowing what they do and the processes that go on in the city from the inside. Massey is also focusing on fiscal responsibility in her campaign, saying that it is important for essential services like trash pickup that are being covered within the city’s budget.

Ultimately, Massey believes it is important to vote in this particular election because residents are voting on “basically an entire new slate” on the Amarillo City Council.

John Adair

John Adair, a Place Three candidate for the Amarillo City Council, said he chose to enter the race because he saw that a number of changes needed to be made, ultimately wanting to help shift the council’s perspective to focusing on the priorities of the Amarillo citizens.

Adair said that the council’s decisions surrounding the Amarillo Civic Center Complex and the MPEV – now Hodgetown – stood out to him, saying that taxpayers deserve better. Adair believes that votes like that made individuals, including himself, want to be involved more in local politics.

Through his campaign, Adair said the sanitation department needs help, and has pushed for the growth of the Amarillo Police Department. Adair believes he stands out from the other candidates because of his love for Amarillo, and his want to see the city thrive and grow.

Tom Scherlen

Tom Scherlen is no stranger to running for Place Three. Scherlen, a current Place Three candidate, ran for the position two years ago. Scherlen said while he was not planning to run again, he believes that things have gotten worse at City Hall over the past two years, citing the “government overreach” and the Amarillo Civic Center Complex-related vote.

As a retired businessman, Scherlen said he would bring a business sense, as well as common sense, to the council if elected. Scherlen wants to focus on what the citizens need, basing the budget on foundational needs and the council as a whole on fiscal responsibility.

For more information about what is on the ballot for the May 2023 election, check out the sample ballots for a number of counties right here. For a look at early voting locations in Potter and Randall counties, click here.