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Roads big factor in Cooper's run
PAULS VALLEY, Jul 13, 2010 (Pauls Valley Daily Democrat - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
A belief that he can do the job better is the reason Larry Cooper decided to run for the District 1 commissioner's office in Garvin County.
Cooper, 61, says the main factor in his decision was his many drives over the years on the roads in the county district. Those drives convinced him he could do a better job of building and maintaining those roads.
"I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing it for the people," Cooper said.
Cooper is quick to stress it's his knowledge of what's needed that makes him a good candidate when voters in the district head for the polls during the July 27 primary election.
"I pretty well know how the government works," he said.
His claim means Cooper believes he can do things better when it comes to the county district's operation. For him that's a better use of county funds and equipment.
"I think I can spend money better, more efficient. It's not being spent wisely right now."
Cooper says he's familiar with the district since he lives south of Maysville on a farm in his family since 1936.
Before leaving the job in 2008 he spent about six years on a work crew that maintained county roads and built bridges in District 1.
That experience gave Cooper what he says was a good knowledge of how to do these needed things the right way.
"There's not much I didn't do. If it had wheels on it for the county I utilized it," Cooper said.
"I know how to get roads ready and keep them in shape and how to build bridges, the iron to use, the stress factors. I have knowledge of all kinds of metal," he said.
"They've done it the same way for a long time. There's newer ways, better ways of doing things."
Before his time with the county Cooper worked for 15 years as an aerospace engineer technician in Oklahoma City where he supervised a machine shop and built specialized parts for airplanes.
"I'd work with the engineers. If there was something wrong with the drawings I would have a pow-wow with the engineers and we would work it out and go build it," he said.
Prior to getting into the plane business Cooper worked in the oil field where he supervised as many as 150 "hands" in building oil rigs.
"My main reason for running is to get the county roads back up like they use to," Cooper said.
"Right now they're a total disaster. Maintenance is the main thing and there's no maintenance. It's so aggravating. It's gotten out of hand."
Cooper also believes he can improve the communication with residents living in the district.
"I'm a people person. I can communicate with people," he said.
"Everybody ought to have a say so. There's no communication between the county and the people. They don't ever go out and talk to people. They should listen to these people in the district."
To see more of the Pauls Valley Daily Democrat or to subscribe to the newspaper,
go to http://paulsvalleydailydemocrat.com/. Copyright (c) 2010, Pauls Valley
Daily Democrat, Okla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For
more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune
Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail
services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States,
call +1 312-222-4544).
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