CCGCD installs new director; reassigns board positions
May 29, 2014
By Carline Schwartz, News Editor, The Boerne Star
Three Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District directors were officially sworn in by Kendall County Clerk Darlene Herrin during a regular meeting Tuesday, May 13.
Current directors Don Dietzmann and Bob Webster and new director Curt Campbell, who replaced outgoing president Tommy Mathews, all ran unopposed and were declared elected in March after the district canceled its May 10 election.
During the meeting, director positions were also reassigned. Milan J. Michalec, Precinct 2, will serve as president; Dietzmann, at-large, as vice president; R.K. Bobby Schwab, Precinct 3, as treasurer; Webster, Precinct 1, as secretary; and Campbell, Precinct 4, as assistant secretary treasurer.“I’m honored for the vote of confidence given by my fellow directors,” Michalec said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to maintain, and more importantly, to advance the reputation of the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District as one of the most forward-thinking and effective districts in Texas. This is a legacy we clearly owe to Tommy.”
Campbell said he is excited about serving in the district.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for some innovative conservation strategies and techniques,” Campbell said. “Hopefully with my engineering background, I can help bring some ideas to the table and look at how we can meet the needs of the constituents as well as conserving water that we have.”
Campbell, who was born in Corpus Christi and went to high school in Fredericksburg, is an engineering manager at Westward Environmental. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 2003 with a civil engineering degree.
In 2003 Campbell and his wife moved to Florida so she could pursue her graduate degree. While there, Campbell worked with surface water systems for an engineering firm. He has also designed wells for Kendall County. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in systems ecology and engineering through the University of Florida.
This is Campbell’s first time serving in public office in Kendall County. He served on the Health and Public Safety Board in Palm Beach, Fla., for about six months before moving to Boerne in 2010.
Former CCGCD President Tommy Mathews said Campbell is a great addition to the board. “He’s an incredible young engineer,” Mathews said. “He’s got a lot of talent. He brings a wide range of experience. He worked in Florida for quite a while, where water issues are unique there. I think he’s going to bring some new ideas and some great energy to the board.”
During the meeting, the district also bid farewell to Mathews, who served as board president for 14 years.
After the meeting CCGCD General Manager Micah Voulgaris said Mathews had been a great mentor to him.
“He taught me how to start government from scratch and we’re very grateful for all of his assistance here,” Voulgaris said.
After the meeting Mathews spoke fondly of his time at the district.
“I’m really proud of the work that we did for what I hope is a very good foundation for the water district,” Mathews said. “It was a very rewarding experience. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” Mathews said he will still be involved in water issues. He currently serves as the vice chairman and Kendall County representative for the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority.
Milan also serves as President of the Hill Country Alliance.
This story was originally published in The Boerne Star on May 16. http://www.boernestar.com/news/article_76ce1942-dd29-11e3-acbc-001a4bcf887a.html