Bill Curnow said he made one campaign promise in the race for City Council District 4.
“Before I open my mouth – before I do anything, I am going to listen. So, my number one priority is I’m going to listen,” Curnow said.
Curnow is one of five candidates in the June 27 special election to replace outgoing Councilman Brayden Rose. Early voting runs from June 15-23.
His most important issues are public safety, infrastructure (including water) and “good fiscal responsibility,” he said.
Bill Curnow at a glance:
- Age: 56
- Occupation: Information security manager, Plains Cotton Cooperative Association
- Education: Attended Texas Tech University.
- Hometown: It’s complicated – born in Florida, moved a lot before coming to Lubbock including stints in Tokyo and Hong Kong.
- Residence: Lubbock resident since 1992.
- Family: Married to Lauren Curnow.
- Hobbies: Scuba diving, photography and 3D printing.
Council priorities
“Public safety is job one, obviously,” Curnow said.
Starting with the police department, that means more officers.
“They’re well-trained, they do top-notch jobs, and I don’t want to lose any of them to being burned out,” Curnow said.
More firefighters too.
“When you take a look at the average workload of a firefighter in Lubbock, Texas, they don’t go back to the station anymore and kick up the heels and play video games. Those days are gone. These guys are running more and more health-related calls, EMS-type calls than ever before,” Curnow said.
Lubbock needs to get ready for its next set of water plans.
“We’ve got a 100-year plan, which is now almost 15 years old,” Curnow said.
That means keeping plans for Lake 7, just outside East Loop 289 near 50th Street, on track.
“We need to … start talking about reusing some of our treated water,” Curnow added.
The candidates of District 4
Voting locations
- Click here to see early voting locations (June 15-23)
- Click here to see Election Day polling places (June 27)
Data centers
Proposed data centers have become a hot topic. One such project in Northeast Lubbock was put on hold when it became controversial. Former Lubbock mayoral candidate Stephen Sanders started a signature drive to force the Lubbock City Council to either put an 18-month moratorium on data centers or take it to local residents for a vote.
“I’m not for or against the data center. I want to take a look at the project and analyze the project based on its merits. There are good data centers. There are bad data center programs,” Curnow said.
“One of the nice things about any large-scale industrial project is it does increase the tax base,” he said.
But he was also clear taking a look at a proposed project is not the same as giving away “whatever we can” to get one.
Hometown? – Well, it’s complicated
“I was born in Coral Gables, Florida. I lived there for less than two years. By the time I moved overseas at the age of eight, I’d already lived in New Jersey twice in California once,” Curnow said.
He lived more than four years in Tokyo – then another five-and-a-half years in Hong Kong. He graduated high school in Danbury, Connecticut. Out of a sense of family legacy, he attended Bucknell University.
“I followed a dear friend out to Lubbock, Texas to attend Texas Tech University. That was 1990,” Curnow said – adding he moved to Lubbock full-time in 1992.
“Met a girl that same year, November of ‘92, we started dating. We got married in 2000 and Lauren is the best thing about Lubbock, Texas I’ve ever found.” Curnow said.
He fell in love twice, he said. Lauren was first. The people of Lubbock were second.
Volunteering and career
“My public life in Lubbock got started during Hurricane Katrina. And like many of our fellow Lubbockites, I answered the call to work in Lubbock’s Hurricane Katrina shelter. I did so becoming a Red Cross volunteer and worked overnight security in the shelter and stuck around for Hurricane Rita a week or so after that,” Curnow said.
That was 2005. His community involvement includes:
- Lubbock Area United Way volunteer and board member
- American Red Cross volunteer and past chairman
- Citizens Traffic Commission member and past chairman
- Community Development and Services Board (past chairman)
- 2013 Tornado Warning Task Force
- 2021 Charter Review Committee
- Lubbock 101 and Lubbock Area Law Enforcement Citizens Academy
He went from being a Red Cross volunteer to eventually serving on the board and later becoming the local chair.
“A lot of people assumed that I worked for the Red Cross, but the whole time I was doing all that, I’ve been working for PCCA, Plains Cotton Cooperative Association,” Curnow said.
He started off doing website work which later evolved into information security manager.
“My job is to oversee our security program and help keep our members’ data safe,” Curnow said.
Why run and why now?
“Every time I took a look at it, the time just didn’t seem quite right. And when this opportunity came up, finally the math made sense in my head,” Curnow said when asked why he’s running.
People come in contact with local government more than state or federal agencies. It’s where people get the basic services like trash collection and public safety, he said.
“Far too few of our residents are registered to vote. Far too few of those who are registered actually vote. If I do anything, if I accomplish anything at all, I hope it’s that when I’m talking to people, I inspire them and get out and vote. You get the government you show up for,” Curnow said.
