CBS7′s Midland Mayoral Race Profiles: Lori Blong
CBS7′s series of profiles on Midland mayoral candidates
ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - Born and raised in Midland, Lori Blong has served as a city councilmember for the last three years. Now, with the backing of several former Midland mayors, she hopes to step into the role of mayor herself.
“So much has happened in Midland and the world in the last three years with COVID and negative oil and all of the challenges that we’ve faced.” Blong says. “I think these last three years have really shown us how important local, elected officials really are. Whenever Patrick decided he was not going to run for mayor, I felt like it was important to make sure we still have strong leadership and some continuity to get some of these things accomplished.”
Aside from her experience in local government, Blong and her husband founded Midland energy company Octane Energy in 2013.
“I think there’s two facets to my experience in the oil and gas business that really benefit me in a role such as mayor. I do understand the industry, I understand the operations and the logistics and so much of what our community deals with in the oil and gas business,” Blong said. “Also, our company has been boot-strapped. We’re a small, entrepreneurial business that has built our business with our own hands. So, a lot of the conservativism and reasonable fiscal management that I’ve had to do in my own organization translates well into city budgets and managing people on a city level.”
Blong says one of her greatest accomplishments on city council was closely examining and reworking city contracts. She says she plans to continue to work to ensure Midlanders know their money is being spent wisely if she is elected.
“The biggest priorities that we’re hearing from people in the community right now are related to fiscal management. They want to make sure they have a responsible leader who’s going to say ‘let’s be conservative in the way that we spend our money, intentional in the way that we spend our money, and take care of taxpayer dollars,’” Blong said.
If elected mayor, Blong says she’s ready to usher Midland into the future.
“I believe that Midland is really at an inflection point right now in the history of our community,” Blong said. “It is time to move Midland forward. We have a lot of new, young families that are here. It’s an exciting time to be a Midlander, but we need new leadership that is willing to move forward in a new direction with Midland. Honoring our past, but looking forward to the future.”
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