Two years ago, Amarillo voters elected Tom Scherlen to Amarillo City Council.

Before getting elected, Scherlen had already built a strong track record. He had worked his way from working in a warehouse to being CEO of Austin Hose. He’s also served on the boards of directors of the Amarillo Senior Citizens Association and the 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle.

This experience has been put to work over the last two years. Scherlen has helped to give raises to first responders, cut crime rates, and invest in infrastructure. For the first time in years, Amarillo is finally back on the right track.

Scherlen has also made it a point to be accessible to the public, a big departure from some previous city councils. He regularly holds meetings with the public ahead of city council meetings.

Scherlen’s hard work has earned him the backing of local first responder groups and conservative community leaders.

We do respect David Prescott for throwing his hat into the ring. Still, one can’t help but notice that Prescott’s focus on business experience and prioritizing infrastructure seems to be an attempt to copy Scherlen. If we do take Prescott’s message at face-value, it’s hard to see what he offers that Scherlen isn’t already getting accomplished.

We would like to see Prescott getting involved in serving his community. Good ways for him to start might be to attend city council meetings and become a regular voter in local elections.

The choice in this runoff couldn’t be more clear.

We recommend Tom Scherlen for Amarillo City Council, Place 3.

Early voting ends on Tuesday, June 3rd. Election Day is Saturday, June 7th.

Please note: An editorial board recommendation does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Amarillo Pioneer’s advertisers or staff. A recommendation of one candidate does not represent a criticism of other candidates running unless otherwise stated. Recommendations may be offered in additional races.