Employee Spotlight Video - City Manager Kenneth Williams
“I will be working for the City of Buda 10 years come this September. I have been involved in local government for 30 years.”
City Manager Kenneth Williams has spent his entire career serving the public. He remembers driving into Buda for the first time 10 years ago.
“When I first came to Buda I never thought I would stay in Buda for the period of time that I have been here. When my wife and I drove into town and saw the City, we instantly recognized this was a place that had an excellent quality of life.”
By the time Williams landed in Buda, he already had over 20 years of City Government experience under his belt. He started in Lufkin, Texas as a Code Enforcement Officer. But his career could have taken a very different turn.
“I was almost hired as a fireman. I did get the other job and the rest is history."
He ultimately worked his way up the chain in the City of Lufkin.
“I was promoted to a Public Works Director and Emergency Management Coordinator. I did that for approximately eight or nine years in the same organization. After a few years, I was promoted to an Assistant City Manager’s position.”
From there he spent a few years in Diboll, Texas as City Manager. Today, we are fortunate to have him in the City of Buda.
“The main role of a City Manager is to manage the day to day operations of a city. That ranges from everything to getting the potholes filled to fulfilling City Council needs. It is an all encompassing job. It is a very fulfilling job and very rewarding. It can be a high risk and high reward position.”
Williams says City Council plays a crucial role in a City's success.
“Buda has been very fortunate to have existing and past council members that have made the City successful. A City Manager is hired by the City Council. They select a City Manager, offer an agreement, and then you work for them for an undisclosed period of time,” Williams said. "You have to put in a lot of hours at the office and at home. The hard part is juggling personal life and family life. You have to take time to spend with your family and make sure you are giving them the time and attention that they need.”
During his time in Buda, Williams has seen a lot of change.
“When we first got here Main Street was not a four-lane road all the way through. Robert S. Light was not built as far as the bridge. We were able to get grant funds from the federal government to build the Robert S. Light bridge and likewise the intersection of Main and I-35.”
Williams says Main Street has also changed.
“We are a Main Street City now. When I got here the City had received a grant for downtown improvements but the occupancy rate was low. Now every building downtown is filled. We are getting new city facilities, such as City Hall and Library, Public Safety building, Parks Maintenance building, so we have been able to improve those systems too.”
While Williams could take a lot of the credit for the City’s success, he is quick to point out that the employees are the reason Buda is what it is today.
“The people responsible for the success of the City are the employees and the staff. Like any other City, the staff has expectations and aspirations in their career. In working with them, part of my job is to put them in a position where they can be successful in the future."
Currently Mr. Williams is the President-Elect of the Texas City Management Association. Next year he will be President of the association.
"I am excited and humbled to know that my peers around the state of Texas elected me to that position."
As for the future of Buda, Williams says there is no limit to what can be accomplished.
“The sky is the limit for Buda. Buda has been able to continue the excellent quality of life and keep its small town feel.”
He is proud of the City’s many accomplishments.
"It is great pride being able to see something and know I was associated with that project. One day when I am not in Buda I can come back and visit and ride down Main Street and say we did Main Street, we built the Municipal Facility, or we provided transportation for the elderly," Williams said. "It is great pride that you are able to look at the things that you have accomplished in conjunction with the great vision of a City Council and the work of staff."
