LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Lubbock County Judge Curtis Parrish is running for his third term.<\/p>\n
He says he\u2019s proud of the work he\u2019s done since taking office in 2019, like boosting Lubbock County\u2019s infrastructure and expansion, and the new medical examiner\u2019s office set to open next week.<\/p>\n
\u201c[The medical examiner\u2019s office] is going to be the crown jewel not just for Lubbock and the region, but really for the entire United States,\u201d Parrish said. \u201cWe\u2019ve already had folks coming from all over the United States looking at our facility saying, \u2018we want to mirror what you\u2019re doing in Lubbock because you\u2019re doing it right\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n
But he still believes there\u2019s more work to be done, as Lubbock County is expected to grow to a population of 500,000 by 2040.<\/p>\n
Judge Parrish says he has a clear vision for how to prepare for and sustain that growth should he be reelected.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are three pillars of county government: law enforcement and public safety, roads and infrastructure, and our courts system,\u201d Parrish said. \u201cSo we have got to make sure that we are ready in all three of those for the influx of people that are moving into Lubbock. And it\u2019s not just that we have to look ahead in the next 20 years, we have to look ahead today. Today is the day we look ahead for 20 years from now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The comments come despite criticism from his opponent that the county has no clear \u201cX on a map.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis criticism of not sharing a focus, not seeing, I think is a little shortsighted,\u201d Parrish said. \u201cWe have fulfilled the mission that you\u2019ve tasked us with. Build us good roads, give us good law enforcement, give us a good medical examiner\u2019s office. We have done that and done that very well, and we will keep continuing to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Judge Parrish is no stranger to criticism, saying he\u2019s seen contention on the Commissioner\u2019s Court in the past several years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m the County Judge. I\u2019m the leader of this county and so I understand that and I know that rocks get thrown,\u201d Parrish said. \u201cI\u2019m tough enough to handle that. But understand that we will continue to do the right thing for the right reason every time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parrish said that doing the right thing includes adequate funding to support public safety across the county.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can cut some discretionary spending out of some other departments, out of clubhouses and parks, but we cannot, I cannot, tolerate us cutting public safety,\u201d Parrish said. \u201cOur sheriff\u2019s department, our fire department, our juvenile justice center. We cannot cut public safety.\u201d<\/p>\n
The County Judge job is more than just managing and supporting the county administratively. Judge Parrish said 70 percent of his work revolves around probate, guardianship, and mental health cases \u2014 all things he said he has years of experience doing as an attorney.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I can uniquely wear the two hats that it takes to do this job, to fully do this job,\u201d Parrish said. \u201cI\u2019m not going to shirk one side of the job to give time to the other side of the job. We\u2019re going to give 100 percent to the job, everything that it needs to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parrish said he is confident that he can continue to serve Lubbock County well.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. It\u2019s been challenging,\u201d Parrish said. \u201cBut it\u2019s also been wildly successful, and I want to keep doing the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Judge Parrish faces Wesley Houck in the Republican Primary. No Democrat filed for county judge this election cycle.<\/p>\n
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