Stertzel, who also served as the treasurer for the taxing entity, thanked the Cy-Fair community for the opportunity to serve over the last three years.
“It’s sad. I didn’t expect this. ... I just want to be remembered as trying to provide the taxpayers with the best fire department that they can reasonably afford," Stertzel said. "I worry about the economic demographics of Cy-Fair. They’re shifting, ... and not in a good way. ... I just don’t want some day for a future board to have to make some very difficult decisions.”
What’s happening?
Stertzel, a federal employee with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, said he was forced to resign from the ESD 9 board due to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The order, enforced by the Department of Government Efficiency, requires agencies to reduce remote work and return employees to physical offices. For Stertzel, that means most likely relocating to the SEC’s nearest regional office in Fort Worth, he said.
“I was one of 25 at the SEC who were allowed to work anywhere in the lower 48, and this was over five years ago, and suddenly, with a stroke of a pen, we’re all returned to office,” Stertzel said. “The likely outcome is I will be asked to relocate up to Fort Worth. ... I have some significant decisions to make.”
Elected in 2022, Stertzel said he’s proud of the board’s progress on issues such as addressing property taxes, hiring a finance and human resources director, fully funding the volunteer pension plan, and developing a strategic plan for building new fire stations, none of which were in place when he joined, he said.
What’s next
Commissioner Bevin Gordon said the remaining commissioners will appoint someone to fill the vacancy within the first 90 days, with the appointment lasting until the next election. Gordon said this is a standard process due to the Health and Safety Code, and the size of Harris County.
Interviews could take place in June, with a vote to fill the vacancy possible in July, Gordon said.
Quote of note
“My hope is that we find someone who understands fire service or at least is in an occupation that’s closely related—so health care, public safety [or] public health,” Gordon said. “We don’t have anyone on our board currently who has any fire service, so I think that would be a great advantage if we could bring someone who comes from a background that’s different from the current commissioners.”
