Posted on May 24, 2019
 

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed new Mineral Wells City Manager Randy Criswell, and his wife, Janie, to Wednesday's meeting. They are pictured above with club President JJ Dugan, left, and program chair Tanya Lukas, right.

 

The former Canyon city manager began his new assignment in Mineral Wells on May 6. He has been been busily catching up on all the projects, proposals and activities under way and on the planning books.

 

One of his most important immediate tasks was to become meet with and become acquainted with city administrators, department heads and as many of the approximately 175 people employed by Mineral Wells. He has also been absorbing and working on the city's new and critical economic development strategy following the report recently turned over by consultant Hawes Hill & Associates and the priorities outlined by the citizens' task force.

Criswell is noted for overseeing and healing lead Canyon's successful downtown revitalization effort, experience he said will help him lead similar efforts already underway in downtown Mineral Wells and other areas of the city.

 

He said one of the main differences between Canyon's redevelopment and what is transpiring locally is the overall buy in, support and participation among Mineral Wells citizens and already having some funding mechanisms in place such as the 4B economic development sales tax revenue fund and the downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone fund. It is expected those dollars, some of which have already been used to fund various studies and make recommendations, will help the city hire a new economic development director, urban planner and Main Street coordinator – possibly one person assigned to all three of those areas.

 

Another area of initial importance for Criswell is the need to replace previous city building inspections and code enforcement official Tony Stubblefield. Criswell said the city needs to find the right person to step into that role, not only for existing properties and those under construction, but to handle the growth and projects coming.

 

He said he will do what he believes is best for the city and the citizens as a whole, and will be open to suggestions, comments and work closely with city council in formulating plans, directives and budgets to attain those goals.

 

He said there are many positive things he sees happening in the city and he believes Mineral Wells' time to grow is now.

 

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Palo Pinto General Hospital for lunch, networking, updates on club projects and news, and a program of interest. Meetings are for club members, invited guests and prospective members.