McQuinn is community oriented

Even after suffering a bad fall last month that saw him spend several weeks in a hospital, Dennis McQuinn is ready to serve the people of Comanche as a city council member as an at-large member.

“I’m doing good, I hope to get out of physical therapy either Wednesday or Thursday,” McQuinn said in a telephone interview.

Originally from Irving, Texas, McQuinn and his family sought out small-town living more than 20 years ago.

“We moved here to raise our kids, When my oldest son had a knife drawn on him in junior high, I was like, that’s it, we’re moving,” McQuinn said. “Plus, I always wanted to open my open pizza place.”

His sister lived in Comanche, so he got to see the town when he came to visit her.

“I liked the town and thought this is a place I’d like to stay,” McQuinn said.

McQuinn has been interested in serving the city for the past several months.

“I just want to be able to help the community,” McQuinn said. “I know there are some things I can and can’t do as a city council member. I’m not just going to be one of those guys who just says, ‘Yes.’ I’m going to question where the dollars are spent and where money is put. I know I can’t just go in there and lower utility rates. It costs money to run a city. The city is a business and you have to run it like a business. You have to buy electricity from somebody that has to buy their electricity. You have to add that to the cost.”

McQuinn said many of the homes in Comanche are older with old wiring.

“They can’t keep up with this new grid and people are like well my electric was this,” McQuinn said. “Well, there’s insulation and other types of stuff to do there.”

McQuinn has always been a supporter of first responders and his accident has led him to be even more so.

“We need to make sure we are giving them all the money that we can,” McQuinn said. “They’re one of the reasons I’m alive right now. If I had to wait for an ambulance from Duncan, I might not be here. These guys are volunteers. I understand the city gives them a stipend every month and I want to make sure it is enough. And being ex-law enforcement, I’m all about supporting law enforcement.”

McQuinn thinks Comanche has a good city council and a good city manager.

“I just want to make sure we get the grant money that goes where it needs to be and we have the right people doing the job it is there for. Nothing against our city employees, but we need to make sure if we are redoing the water towers, we need to get a company that specializes in water towers fixing them. I’ve learned a lot in the past year-and-a-half going to city council meetings.”

McQuinn is thankful to be living in a small town.

“After my accident, everyone was calling Dana and seeing how I was doing,” McQuinn said. “It’s that small-town community where everyone knows each other. When something happens people know and they are concerned and they are helping us as much as they can.”