Mayor joins economic development board
City Council urged Connie Schroeder to name herself to vacant seat, which she did.
At the urging of the City Council, Bastrop Mayor Connie Schroeder appointed herself to a vacant seat on the board of the Bastrop Economic Development Corp.
The council unanimously approved her appointment last week.
“I respect each of you and am encouraged by the teamwork and strength of our working relationship that has developed in just two months,” Schroeder said in a memo to council. “Based on council discussion regarding the importance of my serving on the Bastrop Economic Development board, I have appointed myself to Place 1.”
At the council’s June 27 meeting, Schroeder made 30 appointments to city boards and commissions. The council unanimously approved those appointments, but some raised concerns of not having the mayor serve on the economic development corporation, as well as not reappointing Joe Beal to the board. Board member Kristi Koch also was not reappointed.
Council members Gary Schiff and Deborah Jones advocated for Beal’s reappointment — but Schroeder informed them she had discussed with Beal that she would not be reappointing him.
“I spoke with him about that fact that unfortunately through a series of circumstances he is viewed as a lightning rod by many people in this community,” Schroeder said at the June 27 meeting. “I am not trying to put him in the position that we all experienced less than 18 months ago when he was appointed to the board. I thought it was divisive on council and quite frankly not a pleasant thing for him to experience, either.”
Schroeder is a retired registered civil engineer, according to her résumé. She is experienced in design, construction and land development, and has 15 years of experience in the high tech industry, having served as director of site services and chief of staff for a business group.
Schroeder also appointed Carlton Harris to the city’s Housing Authority Board. He previously has served on the board.
With the appointments, the economic development and housing authority boards are fully seated. Schroeder still needs to make appointments to Bastrop Art in Public Places, the cemetery board, the construction standards board, the Main Street advisory board, the parks/public tree advisory board and the zoning board of adjustment. Schroeder said some applications were pending.