Kevin Pounds said he argued with “every commissioner there ever was” about county roads.
“Some folks got tired of me griping, and they said, ‘Either put up or shut up.’ So here I am,” Pounds said, meaning he’s running for commissioner in Precinct 2, southeast Lubbock County, in the 2026 Texas Republican Primary against Justin Martin and Trey Newton.
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“Maintenance is my biggest deal right now – county roads, the facilities, the jail, those things. The jail needs a new roof,” Pounds said.
Pounds feels there are county issues not properly taken care of – including volunteer firefighter funding.
“First responders are big to me. These volunteer departments, their budgets are as slim as anybody’s. … Some are in better shape than others.” Pounds said.
Pounds has been a Lubbock firefighter for more than 20 years, currently holding the rank of battalion chief.
“Before I got on the fire department, I was doing what I loved – managed a ranch for an old boy here in town,” Pounds said.
“I was, doing everything I loved. But I had three boys growing up and my dad had been a firefighter for 24 years. And he said you can do both. … I got on the fire department in 2001, a week after 9-11. That’s when I started, and I’m still here today,” Pounds said.
His family has been native to the Acuff area east of Lubbock for more than 100 years.
“My great-granddad broke ground there in 1905. Him and my great-grandmother started a family there on the homestead, and I live within a half a mile of where I was born and raised,” Pounds said.
“I graduated from Roosevelt High School in ’85. Then I went on to South Plains and ultimately Angelo State and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in 1989. So yeah, I’ve been in the Roosevelt community my whole life,” Pounds said.
“My wife and I, we’ve been married for 36, going on 37 years, got three sons and four beautiful granddaughters. And that’s pretty much my hobby right now is taking care of granddaughters. … My focus is my family,” Pounds said.
His goal is to leave a good legacy so his granddaughters can be proud of Lubbock County when they grow up.
Pounds was not happy to see tempers get out of hand in 2025/26 county budget talks. LubbockLights.com covered some testy moments in June.
He was there in person for one incident. He thinks his time as a firefighter will help him ensure cooler heads will prevail, if elected.
“My job as a battalion chief right now is making decisions in situations that require calm and require somebody to think through a lot of different scenarios,” Pounds said.
“Numerous times over the years, we’ve been in spots that we didn’t want to be in. I remember falling through the floor one time when I walked in a pier and beam house that was on fire. We went inside on a search and we were told that people were in there,” Pounds said.
He’s been in more than one fire that would frighten people, he said.
“Yelling and all that stuff. There’s no place for it. We have to make decisions. … It’s just not my style. I’m not a yeller,” Pounds said.
There should be more decorum, he said.
“I think I can do that. I think I bring that to the court,” Pounds said.
Millions of dollars in maintenance and renovations are needed at the county’s 916 Main office building according to public records. The parking garage at that same location needs to be replaced at a cost of nearly $8 million. The county also needs a new building for adult probation according to the public documents. And a portion of the jail needs a new roof. Pounds thinks it might be time to have a bond election for capital improvement projects.
“But if we don’t do a bond, we’re going to end up having to raise taxes to fix some of these things or we’re going to be in a hole,” Pounds said.
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