McKinney City Council Member Randy Pogue announced May 21 that he will be running for the city of McKinney mayor seat in the upcoming May 2017 election. Randy Pogue will run for mayor of the city of McKinney in the May 2017 election.[/caption] Pogue said he expects the race to be highly contested. "There are already quality candidates in the mix, which is the way it should be for a city our size and for the great community McKinney has become," he said. "However, I believe I am the best candidate in the race to build upon the good work we, as a council, have done in the past, as well as expand on the areas that need to be modified, created and changed. I have the experience of serving on the Council now, as well as relationships with the entities that we interact with. I believe I have the knowledge and credentials needed to move McKinney forward." Pogue said while on council he was able to spearhead efforts to create a retail strategy, modify to the city's zoning ordinance and drainage ordinance in an effort to streamline the development process. He has also recently initiated conversations with the Texas Department of Transportation, county and state officials to assist in planning future expansions of US 75 that would run through McKinney, instead of stopping at its border. "I believe that I have made a very positive impact for the City in my current role, though running for city government was never part of my original life plan," he said. "Serving on Council seemed to be a good fit based on my past involvement and I have always believed in the statement of leaving the place better than you found it." Pogue is a business owner and a professional engineer specializing in land development. Pogue currently serves at-large and was elected in 2013. He also serves as an executive board member on the McKinney Education Foundation board of trustees and as a board member the board of trustees for McKinney Christian Academy. Pogue lives in McKinney with his wife, Emily, and their children Meredith, Samantha and Lincoln.