ALEX HOBEN

Board vice president Kenneth Barr is not running in the May trustee seat election.

TCC board of trustee positions for Districts 6 and 7 are up for election this May.  

Board vice president and District 7 trustee Kenneth Barr said after 30 years in public office and six years serving on the TCC board, he’s ready to move on.  

“I think it’s time for some new voices and new vision to come into play,” he said.  

Barr said his term focused on promoting the college and believed TCC was an underappreciated asset among local businesses.  

“I’ve been pushing for more efforts to make people aware of the capabilities that the college has in training the workforce of the future,” he said. “It’s about training people to meet the needs of the businesses in the community.” 

Now, Barr hopes the next District 7 representative maintains the same goal.  

“An effective board will be one that has a variety of skills and experience,” he said. “I hope anyone coming to the board will bring community relationships, commitment to education and a commitment to building the workforce.” 

However, Barr said District 7, which covers areas near TCU, southwest Fort Worth, west Fort Worth and Benbrook, has its unique challenges. 

“Many of the [other] districts are built around communities of interest,” he said. “We have areas that are focused on representing the Hispanic population, African American population. People in northeast Tarrant County tend to be more conservative. This district is different in that it cuts across everything.”  

District 7 candidate and former TCC student Cary Cheshire said others who wished to see more “everyday citizens” in local government encouraged him to run.  

“Often times, you see the same people who are handpicked by the establishment or have been in office for a very long time,” Cheshire said. “This is an opportunity for some fresh blood.”   

Cheshire said one focus for his campaign would be building systems that would ensure optimal use of the school’s budget.  

“I think there have been tremendous gains on the federal level through the DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] audits,” he said. “I think a similar thing at Tarrant County College would help us uncover ways that we could be more effective with the tax and tuition dollars that we have.”  

Cheshire said he also aims to create an educational environment less conducive to social activism than what he’s seen previously from TCC.   

“When people decide to go to TCC, they’re not really looking to be part of a social cause,” he said. “The operational focus of the college should be focused on classroom activities. If people want to go and participate in something, they certainly can, but they shouldn’t be encouraged by the college.” 

District 7 candidate Hunter Crow is a TCC alum and currently serves in various student government roles at UTA while completing his Bachelor of Arts in history.  

Crow said should he be elected, he would encourage the board to initiate a practice of institutional neutrality and refrain from taking a public stance on political and social issues.  

“There are a lot of people who ran previously for the TCC board who tried to advance their own political agenda that might not align with the mission of the college,” he said. “Political party officials run for the board to advance the issues that party might want to be addressed, specifically with higher education.” 

Crow also aims to address TCC’s use of funding through property taxes, a concern he says he’s seen frequently expressed across social media.  

“TCC has undergone renovations and improvements on certain campuses,” he said. “A lot of people that have to pay for these things through property taxes aren’t happy with how the board has managed the budget.” 

District 7 candidate Veronica Law was unavailable for comment.  

Gwendolyn Morrison has been District 6’s trustee since 1976 and is currently running unopposed.  

She said while she’s proud of the work the board has done to adjust to the needs of the growing college, she’s choosing to refile because there’s still room for improvement.  

“I want [TCC] to better serve some of the people that have been lesser served,” Morrison said. “There’s a need for us to help our county sustain its growth and develop better, and to create a stronger economic base by having more people who are economically competent to create wealth for themselves.”  

However, Morrison said, due to established checks and balances, the board has limited power in policy creation and enforcement.  

“As a board member, the only time you have authority is when you’re in a legally called board meeting with a legally posted agenda,” she said. “We first have allegiance to our higher power, then the Constitution, then to the state of Texas and it’s laws. It leaves very little room for our personal preferences.”