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Two incumbents on the Amarillo College Board of Regents have filed to run for re-election.
According to Amarillo College, Regents Jay L. Barrett and Michele Fortunato have filed to run for re-election this May. Barrett and Fortunato were most recently re-elected in 2017, and were part of the AC Board that oversaw the approval of the $89 million bond issue to fund campus improvements, as well as the controversial exit of the Amarillo Senior Citizens Association from AC’s downtown campus. Both Barrett and Fortunato voted to place the bond item on the ballot, and according to his social media, Barrett also openly campaigned for the item that led to the largest tax increase in Amarillo College history.
A third incumbent up for re-election this year, Sally Jennings, had not filed for the ballot, as of this writing.
In addition to Barrett and Fortunato, Texas Army National Guard veteran and entrepreneur Mike Yazbek has filed to run for the board.
Candidates have until February 17 to file for a place on the ballot for a six-year term on the AC Board of Regents. Election Day is Saturday, May 6.