Jim Gray[/caption] The City of Jersey Village selected Jim Gray as its interim city manager in August following a month-long search and interview process. Gray is replacing former city manager Mike Castro, who served with the city for 11 years and will step down Aug. 26, his official last day with Jersey Village. The former city manager of Ingleside, Gray said he spent several weeks with Castro catching up on the top issues in Jersey Village, including the Hwy. 290 expansion, the launch of a citywide flood mitigation study and the implementation of the comprehensive plan, which city officials updated in February. “We’re ready to go and get up and moving,” he said. Castro stepped down from his position after accepting an offer to take over as city manager in Murphy, Texas. Jersey Village council members thanked Castro for his work at his last council meeting Aug. 15. “Jersey Village is truly a better place because of your service,” council member Greg Hardy said.

Next steps

With the interim city manager in place, the city’s next step will involve selecting a search firm to conduct the search for a full-time replacement city manager. Council is expected to name a search firm at a special meeting in early September. Gray said he is interested in becoming the city's manager for the long term, but is focused on keeping the city on track with its initiatives in the meantime. “I’m enjoying the community and am just excited to be here working with a new council,” he said.

Budget work continues

Gray takes over as city manager for Jersey Village as the city prepares to adopt its budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year. The council typically adopts the budget at its September meeting. At its Aug. 15 meeting, the council passed a resolution setting the maximum ad valorem tax rate for the city at 0.7425 cents per $100 of property valuation, which is the rate adopted for the 2015-16 fiscal year. The Aug. 15 motion still leaves council the ability to adopt an effective tax rate—one that is lowered in accordance with rising property values so tax bills stay the same—if it so chooses. The official tax rate will be adopted at an Oct. 17 meeting. The city's Crime Control and Prevention District also hosted an uneventful public hearing for its 2016-17 budget at the Aug. 15 meeting. After receiving no speakers, the budget was passed by council unanimously. An adopted budget be accessed from the city's website.

Budget projects under consideration in 2017 include carrying out the city’s traffic calming initiative to address speeding and cut-through traffic, making improvements to the Jersey Village Civic Center, purchasing a street sweeper and developing a Jersey Meadows Golf Course marketing plan.

Before stepping down, Castro said he also worked to ensure several comprehensive plan initiatives stay on track. Initiatives slated to be featured in the 2016-17 city budget include the development of wayfinding signage, improved landscaping at city entranceways and the development of a more recognizable city brand. This year will involve the planning phase for these projects—meeting with city council and residents—Castro said. Following the planning phase, the city will likely look to include projects as capital improvements in future budgets. As the 2015-16 fiscal year comes to a close, expenses and revenue are both tracking with projections, Castro said. He noted that sales tax revenue could see a steeper decline in coming years—as much as 8-10 percent—for reasons related to Hwy. 290 construction.