I tend to take some time in this space to occasionally discuss the leaders of tomorrow, not in some grand utopian vision, but by way of practical and realistic examples. This is important because, contrary to pop culture advertising, the future is not now - but it is very close.

     As such, summer internships provide another opportunity for young people to be immersed in a component of municipal government work that could turn into a career. All one need to is ask Assistant to the City Manager Rachael Johnson, who first joined us five years ago as Marketing Intern Rachael Loftus. She wound up with a full-time job, and a husband (though not from the City).

   This summer we've had a particularly savvy group of young folks working with our different departments. Some of the duties they've performed weren't even imagined when the rest of us began our careers.

Matthew Tiller

   Matthew Tiller plans to graduate from Texas Tech next year with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and spent this summer in our Finance Department conducting an internal efficiency audit (resulting in a potential cost savings of $180,000), managing a software implementation team and more.

James Bautista

  James Bautista is an Emergency Management student at the University of North Texas who spent the past few months working for the Fire Department but helping Public Works with a debris management plan that the City could employ following an emergency.

   Maureen Genov is a senior at Newman Smith High School and hopes to study Human Resources at the

Maureen Genov

university level. She assisted the City's HR department this summer with website and online form development as well as electronic records retention.

Maximiliano Gomez

   Additionally, our Public Works Department was the beneficiary of the expertise of interns Maximiliano Gomez and Austin Fox, both students at Newman Smith. Max reviewed and compiled data on solar energy for possible City consideration of use while Austin learned how to read plats, review right-of-way permits and plan sheets relative to City utilities.

Austin Fox

   Hiring able interns for summer or school semesters will continue to be a practice for the City. Not only does the department in question receive the benefit of additional work hours, they glean the perspective on their work that can only be seen through new, fresh eyes on the situation.

   We feel tremendous encouragement for the future of government service after witnessing the fine work of these dedicated young folks. These guys and gal, and others like them, will land firmly on their feet when their education is complete and be a tremendous benefit to the organization that hires them.

   Perhaps the City of Farmers Branch will be one of those organizations.

   I hope so.