Government
BY SARAH BRAGER
ESD9 Commissioner Cameron Dickey talks term priorities On July 31, Harris County Emergency Services District No. 9 commissioners appointed Cy-Fair resident Cameron Dickey to ll a vacancy left by former Commissioner Kevin Stertzel. He was sworn in Aug. 6 and will serve until the November 2026 election. Dickey serves as president and CEO of Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union. He held several leadership positions prior to ESD9, including as a trustee for the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation and an elected representative for Harris County Water Control Improvement District No. 157. Community Impact spoke with the new com- missioner about his background and goals for the district. What makes you best suited for this position? What will be the biggest knowledge gaps? Strengths, I think 30 years in balance sheet management, budgets, multimillion dollar deci- sions, needing to balance the decision for today or the following year with long-term strategy...that mostly comes from my professional background. Most recently, I served six years on the board of [WCID 157]...a tax-setting entity responsible for oodwater and rainwater detention and manage- ment...I think [WCID] has prepared me for some of [ESD9]...Another thing I bring to this position is I’ve also been somebody who reports to a board of directors...So as a board member, I’d bring an insight to the person that’s reporting to us to understand the challenges of meeting all the appe- tites of the people who are up there asking them
questions...One of the weaknesses I worry about is being a bit naive about the political environment of all of this, but I think long term there’s more people in our community that are wanting people to get things done, to do things the right way and to be kind, even when you’re forceful. ESD9 board meetings as of late have involved a lot of disagreement between commissioners. How do you plan to navigate this to best serve the district? I had the opportunity to sit and talk with all of the commissioners, administration, command sta and union president, and what I see univer- sally is well-intentioned, kind, knowledgeable people who are invested in a successful ESD9. Not one of them did I have any sense that they didn’t know what they were talking about or had ill intent. What I do observe is sometimes everyone’s look- ing at the same set of facts, and they see dierent things...What I think I can do in this case is to try to be a uniter and try to diuse emotion in the conversation while making sure people feel heard and respected...My organization’s mission state- ment is to write good into the life stories of those around us, and it really has become something I believe in so much...I think there is an ability for us to have dierent opinions,...but what I’m get- ting at is that every issue should be evaluated on its merit and the quality of information presented. What do you hope to accomplish for the district by this time next year? All you have to do is sit through the duration of one of these board meetings...to pick up on [a] restlessness and concern...We have not built the belief that we are for [the employees]...If our employees are not convinced we are for them, even when we disagree, it’s hard to provide con- sistent, predictable [and] high-quality emergency
COURTESY HARRIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT 9
services...So one of my goals over the next year is to balance how can we make sure the people who work and volunteer in the district feel like they have the tools, the equipment and the support of the board, while also understanding that doesn’t always mean agreement.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .
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