Sharyn Delgado

Our Focus During the Pandemic  

Homelessness

Affordable Housing

Mental Health / Addiction

Hearing the NEEDS of ALL of Amarillo

Support for Veterans and Increase Law Enforcement Funding

Parks across Amarillo 

Examples Gene Howe/ Martin Road and El Alamo Park 

Creating Community - Moving Past Division

Cost Effective Animal Management with                          Community Partnerships to Improve it

Public Transportation 

Political Ad by Sharyn Delgado FOR         City Commissioner Place 4

Greetings fellow neighbors,

I have not been involved in politics in Amarillo before, I am not a politician. I have always tried to pursue my calling and uplift those around me. Running for City Commissioner is what I feel called to do now to help our city. I am not certain that an average citizen can run and win without all the connections, big backers (PACs, large associations and/or investment groups), and large financial donations. However, with my retirement from the school district in June I plan to give my best effort to help make Amarillo a better place. 

I am a proud lifelong resident of Amarillo. I LOVE AMARILLO, LOVE IT!

I will be married 35 years to my husband John Delgado in March. We have four grown daughters and two sons-in-law and a perfect grandson (Kirby, Krissy & Nick McKinney, Sidnie & Isaiah Lomeli, Emilee and our grandson Arlo).

I graduated from Palo Duro High School in 1985. Being the first and only person in my family to attend college. I worked 13 years at Kmart to put myself through college while working full time and going to school full time. I graduated from WTAMU with an Education Degree.
 

In 1995 I began to pursue my calling in life, I was employed by Amarillo Independent School district where I taught at Bowie Middle School. I truly gave my all to invest in the students and their families. I sponsored one of the largest local student groups U-N-I Against Drugs and Violence. This program worked with families to create a safe space for kids to feel that they belonged to their school community. We achieved this by having family members and students participate in different events such as: parades, lock-ins, and weekend gatherings that allowed students a safe place to have fun.
 

I spent the next twenty-five years working for Amarillo ISD in two other positions, a Middle School Coordinator for Drug and Violence Prevention and a Behavior Intervention Counselor. I have truly loved the students I have worked with in the last twenty-five years. Most of my education career has been serving students with special needs in the Caprock Cluster and Palo Duro Cluster. Individuals with disabilities, their families, and support groups hold a special place in my heart. 

I went back to WTAMU in 2004 to get a Masters in School Counseling and Licensed Professional Counseling. I started a private practice in counseling 14 years ago. Mental health effects all areas of our community and has a huge emotional and financial cost to families and the City of Amarillo. I served on the Texas Suicide Prevention Coalition for many years. Suicide, addiction, and homelessness are key issues for me. Each of these areas leaves a path of destruction that not only destroys families and children but has long lasting impacts on the overall City and emotional and physical health of our family members and neighbors. 

I have volunteered over the years at the following places: The Hope and Healing, ACTS spiritual retreats for adults and children, and Heal the City. I serve on the Board for Leadership Amarillo & Canyon, One Ministry, and my church board. 

Areas of concerns:

In the middle of a pandemic, I think our main focus must move from the Civic Center and revitalizing downtown to realizing the toll the pandemic is taking on our community. We must look at our neighbors that are in NEED and those that provide services (homeless shelters/ services, food banks, housing needs and assistance). I do understand the need to look toward the future for more improvements to downtown or a new Civic Center, but I believe that in 2021 that is not our top priority. Our local resources (homeless shelters/support, affordable housing, food banks) have been maxed out during this time; being good keepers of our brothers and sisters must be a top priority. 

Homelessness and Affordable Housing

We need to find ways to create affordable housing. Jason Riddlespurger, Director of Amarillo Community Development coordinates a program called Coming Home (created under Ginger Nelson) which does an amazing job trying to find housing for the homeless. This group is made up of some of our most vulnerable population, those with major mental illness or that are disabled. Jason and the Executive Directors of Guyon Saunders Resource Center (Tracy Sommers and Junie Wagner) do an amazing job with our homeless population. As I spoke with each of them, they pointed out there are gaps in services and barriers from one agency to another when working with the homeless population. We, as a city, have a need for more housing and creating partnerships with builders that will build affordable housing in low-income areas. Amarillo is the center hub for the surrounding 26 counties. We must realize that our resources such as: food banks, medical facilities, and social services have a responsibility to those counties that surround Amarillo, but we cannot bare the financial responsibility alone. 

Mental Health and Addiction

The impact of major mental health issues and addiction in Amarillo needs to be addressed. Yes, there are many agencies here in Amarillo but there are gaps in services where people fall through the cracks. Issues regarding mental health and addiction impacts a variety of agencies in Amarillo: our education system, housing, law enforcement, homelessness, child protective services, our medical and mental health facilities and the overall healthiness of our community. It cost us money, resources, and time. The most cost-effective approach is to try prevention and early intervention with both addiction and mental health issues. Not all our neighbors have the resources to seek out mental health services or rehabilitation facilities, but they want the best for their child or family members too. If we don’t address it early, the cost to Amarillo will continue to grow and the impact on families is devastating and long lasting.  

As reported in the 2018 Community Health Assessment that the top three populations' healthcare needs not being addressed adequately are: mental/behavioral health patients, un-/under-insured, and low-income. The report also named the top three health issues facing our community as: mental/behavioral health concerns, substance abuse, obesity (tie), and access to care (tie).

We Must Focus on ALL Areas of Amarillo

We have to look at North and East Amarillo to see how to continue to promote and support these areas as well. We are better as a community when each neighborhood has growth and revitalization. I think community partnerships are key! 

Veterans and Law Enforcement
We must support those who serve/have served our country or choose to serve our community. Amarillo/Panhandle Veterans MUST know we appreciate their sacrifices. We must make sure our local law enforcement is appropriately funded. Everyone wants to be safe and able to get a quick response in crisis. I think Amarillo Police Department does a great job overall. Yes, with every profession there are some bad examples which must be reviewed and held accountable for faults. I do believe good community partnerships help the police department to continue to grow and change. Open communications with each neighborhood are a must to know what their needs are from our local law enforcement. Everyone’s voice needs to be heard.
 

Parks and Recreations

This is one of the reasons I decided to run for City Commissioner. Gene Howe and Martin Road Park have previously been beautiful parks that attracted hundreds of people either playing softball at the complex or kids playing flag football at Gene Howe. These two parks have been left an eye sore and unsafe for neighborhood children. El Alamo is another example of a neighborhood park that has hundreds of people that use it on a regular basis for family events and softball. This park and others need to have updates with lighting and additional activities to continue for the park to be a resource for our community.
 

It states on the City website that we have over 50 parks. Do we invest equally in these parks? I promise you, the people that live near any of these parks want a park that looks nice, is safe, has good lighting, and activities for kids to play on. Not every park has to be the same or have every activity but in each area of the city we should have some common things that are available to the neighboring community such as: sand volleyball courts, basketball courts, skate parks, walking paths etc. By no means do I believe it is the full responsibility of the City of Amarillo to fund these ideas. I think we have to seek corporate community partnerships and grants to create areas where kids have positive environments in their own neighborhood. 

Creating Community by Overcoming the Division in OUR Community

One of the biggest concerns I have heard from MANY people is about the division within our community. We are divided by political parties, churches/religion, believer or not, race, cultures, who you love, what neighborhood you live in, investment groups/economic growth vs humanity issues, the list goes on and on. It hurts us as a whole when we are divided into smaller groups of a city. Instead of attacking each other let’s try to be builders of people. 

How do we come together? By truly listening to each other, valuing each other’s opinions, and understanding these differences to see the needs of others. I will focus on what we have in common and not on what we disagree on. I think we have to hear those minority groups that might be unheard in our community. For example, our neighbors in the Hispanic, Asian, and Somalian communities. God calls us to love his people. Our LGBTQ folks are just as important to our community, we need to hear their voices too. What are their needs. 

Regardless of your skin color, your religious beliefs or lack of, who you love, the amount of money you have or don’t have, your job title or lack of having a job will NOT change the way I treat you. I believe a good example of a person is how they treat each other. I want everyone in our community to feel safe, supported, and a sense of belonging. Of course, I hope this will lead others to love Amarillo as much as I do. 

Animal Management
The need for change regarding animal management in Amarillo has been discussed for years. We have to look at a cost-effective way which could include community partnerships and grants to create a better system for the pets of Amarillo. Hopefully with Texas Tech Veterinary School there can be partnerships to spay and neuter animals to help decrease unwanted pets. Amarillo is a very giving community for animals. We must find a more cost-effective way to create a better pet loving community without increasing taxes. 

Public Transportation

If we encourage our neighbors to work, we must make sure that our public transportation is working for them. Public transportation provides a way to get people to work, appointments, and shopping. It is important that our public transportation meets the needs of all members of our communities by covering night shifts, cross-town routes, and being safe and reliable. 

Affordable Childcare

As we encourage Amarillo residents to work, we must find grants or work with community agencies to help families in need to be able to find affordable childcare. Since 2009, Amarillo has lost more than 40% of its childcare that serves low-income families which included daycares at Palo Duro and Caprock High Schools and YMCA. 

I may be a dreamer and believe anything is possible even an average person can get elected in Amarillo. You will have my commitment that I will do my absolute best to hear you, to try to create a better more connected community, the perseverance to KEEP TRYING TO MAKE AMARILLO BETTER for everyone and NOT give up.