By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
New City Manager Shawna Burkhart gave her first update on city projects during the city council’s regular meeting on Tuesday.
Burkhart told the council, “Good evening and welcome to the public. I wanted to give a short review on some of the things – not all of the things – our office has touched on in the last two weeks.”
Burkhart noted she attended Diez y Seis de Septiembre festivals at Brown Plaza in Del Rio and in Ciudad Acuña, Coah., Mexico.
“I was delighted to be received so well by the mayor there. They certainly treated us with great respect and honor. It was a delightful event,” Burkhart said.
She then began her update on city issues.
“We are reviewing (the city’s) purchasing policies for the future and working on how that interacts with departments,” Burkhart said.
She said the city has held groundbreaking ceremonies for the Severiano Skate Park and a new volleyball court.
“We also had a meet-and-greet where many of you came out to greet me, and I was able to speak at the meet-and-greet and introduce myself to the community, as well as introducing myself to the Lions Club. I’ve spoken with them, and today (Tuesday), I spoke with the Rotary Club. I am getting the opportunity to get out there and meet the public,” she said.
Burkhart added, “In addition, I attended the I-27 meeting, along with the Economic Development Department director and Mr. Chavez (Assistant City Manager Manuel Chavez). I was able to attend the U.S. 377 Binational Corridor Study Workshop and learned quite a bit on those projects.
“We’ve also had many meetings with our divisions, where I have been introduced, including the WIC department and the Nutrition Center. I’ve met with water distribution, I’ve met with the golf course personnel, I’ve met with the landfill personnel, and I have many more to still go through, so if you can bear with me. I’m not in the office much. I have one meeting in the morning and one meeting in the afternoon almost every single day with each division, but I want to get out there, so that they know who I am and who they’re working with,” Burkhart said.
She added, “Just a few topics we have touched on: we have pre-development meetings that we have tried to schedule. We have some financial reconciliation that we’re working on for the city so that we can complete the 2023 audit. That will hopefully be done by the first of November to come back before you, and we’ll have some reconciliation on that topic.
“I have met with the county on some drainage issues that we’ve had, and we will continue to have those discussions. We are working on some lighting out at the golf course and I believe that is in the vicinity of the Goodbar, and that will be happening around the first of next week, I believe. These are just a few of the things we are working on.
“We have also test-pumped our well, the hole that we’ve drilled for a potential new water well, and we believe those results came back positive, and we hope to bring that forward to you soon,” Burkhart said.
“Those are just a few of the things, and I hope to be visiting with all of the departments in the very near future, as well as any citizens’ groups that would like me to come visit with them,” she finished.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
