By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
City and county elected leaders, administrators and members of the community welcomed Del Rio’s new city manager Tuesday at a meet-and-greet event downtown.
The event was held in the Texas Community Bank Community Center.
City Communications Director Peter Ojeda welcomed those attending the event and thanked Sylvia Owens of Texas
Rios, left, speaks with, from left, Assistant City Manager Manuel Chavez, City Manager
Shawna Burkhart and Mayor Al Arreola during a meet-and-greet event held at the Texas
Community Bank Community Center. (Photo by Karen Gleason)
Community Bank for providing the venue.
Ojeda noted the community center was a fitting place to introduce City Manager Shawna Burkhart, since the stained glass windows lining the interior of the former church depicted scenes from the rich and diverse history of Val Verde County and Del Rio.
“This is the perfect place to introduce you to Del Rio, as it shows our history as the wool and mohair capital, San Felipe Springs, Val Verde Winery and our relationship with Laughlin Air Force Base,” Ojeda said.
Ojeda invited those attending to speak to Burkhart face-to-face after talks by Burkhart and Mayor Al Arreola.
Ojeda briefly reviewed the new city manager’s work experience, noting, “Ms. Burkhart brings over 22 years of experience in municipal government, serving in leadership positions in various cities, including, most recently, Bay City, Converse and Jacksboro.
“Most recently, as city manager in Bay City, she oversaw a critical infrastructure project totaling $52 million in Texas Water Development Board funds. Her ability to stretch city resources has led to complex projects and is something that we as a city will greatly benefit from.
“In addition to managing financial operations, Ms. Burkhart has successfully led multiple departments, including public works, police, fire, code enforcement and finance to ensure efficient and effective city operations. Her accomplishments in economic development include expanding housing opportunities through an innovative funding mechanisms like TIRZs and PIDs and she has garnered millions in grant funding to support city-wide improvements,” Ojeda said.
“In one of her previous communities, for example, she secured a $12.55 million in USDA funding to ensure adequate water resources for the next 50 years. This kind of forward-thinking leadership is exactly what makes her an asset to our community.
“But beyond the numbers and projects what truly stands out about Ms. Burkhart is her commitment to ethical management and empowering city employees. She understands the success of any city lies in its people, and she consistently worked toward building strong relationships and fostering cross-collaborative departments in support of professional development for city staff,” Ojeda said.
“Her collaborative spirit and focus on long-term planning have earned her a reputation as a dynamic leader who listens, communicates effectively and isn’t afraid to tackle tough challenges. As we look forward to the future of Del Rio, I know her vision, strategic expertise and passion for public service will guide us towards new opportunities,” Ojeda said.
He encouraged those present to speak with Burkhart later in the evening and begin fostering those collaborative relationships.
Burkhart took the podium and thanked everyone attending the event.
“Let me share with you some of the things I hope to do while I’m here in Del Rio,” she said, adding she hoped to “permanently plant” herself and her husband in the Queen City.
“My home is now at the Ramada, but I hope that will soon change,” she quipped.
“We are eager to get involved in the community,” she added.
Burkhart noted her background is in grant writing, something she did for the first five years of her career in public service.
“The last 20 years of my career has been using that grant writing knowledge and working for different institutions and cities,” Burkhart said.
She reviewed the cities she has worked in and for.
“I just want you to know that through all these experiences, I try to bring to the table an open mind. My door is always open to the citizens. Please come see me. We’d love to hear from you, and we can try to incorporate all your ideas.
“There may be times that we have to budget for it, but we certainly want to accomplish what you want. We serve you. You are who we serve. It’s the taxpayers’ money, and we want you to know that you guide us in this process,” Burkhart said.
“I want you to know that I believe in the employees of the city, and I believe in good, ethical management. I believe in empowering employees to do their jobs and facilitating their efforts. I am simply a generalist. They are the specialists. So we want to facilitate their efforts and try to accomplish that the city council has set out for us,” she added.
“With that said, I bring to the table some background in budgeting and public works, finance. I’m not an accountant, but the most difficult thing we are embracing in the next six months is just simply creating a base line that everybody can work from.
“What is that base line? That’s a financial base line by which we can make decisions, good decisions, and that the city staff can recommend to city council. I believe that we need to do our due diligence in giving the best information possible to city council. They’re the ones making decisions on our behalf and we want to give them the most up-to-date information possible,” Burkhart continued.
“So we will be working tirelessly in the next six months to achieve that and at that point, I will be up to speed on all the projects. . .but we must establish that base line. So that is what I have planned for the first six months, but also in the first six months, I want to meet you. I want to know the movers and shakers in town, and you are the movers and shakers in town. You actually are the ones sharing with the city your vision, and we appreciate that,” she said.
She again invited those attending to call or visit her.
“I’m eager to start, and I hope to be here for a very long time,” she finished.
Arreola spoke next.
The mayor said selecting a new city manager was a difficult decision.
“We came together and made a decision to pick that individual who has that vision of Del Rio in their mind. This individual wowed us when she said, ‘I don’t want to get to no, I want to get to yes,’ and this is something, with her experience, in every city she’s been in, everything she’s done and accomplished.
“She’s only been here a week, and I guarantee you, even the employees at City Hall have seen the difference, and I’m not shaking Mr. Chavez, who did a tremendous job for nine months, I’m not throwing anything at Mr. John Sheedy. Every city manager has come in and done due diligence with what they brought to the table, but with the experience we have now, I think we’re going to go a little bit higher on the level of accountability at City Hall and everything we do in our city,” Arreola said.
He assured those present that Burkhart’s goals for the city are high and that her doors are open to citizens and employees.
The mayor said he believed “there’s a lot of things the city can accomplish when there’s communication between the city manager, the mayor, the council, the city employees and citizens.”
“This lady, she’s going to bring some changes, and they’re going to be positive. All I ask, from everybody, is to have patience, because Rome was not built in a month, and let’s support her in her vision,” the mayor said.
Arreola then introduced Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus, Councilman Jesus Lopez Jr. and Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez, who spoke briefly.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
