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New Braunfels Utilities’ Board of Trustees Appoints Community Advisory Panel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Melissa Krause
Chief Communications and Strategy Officer
830.629.8440 | mkrause@nbutexas.com

(New Braunfels, TX – October 26, 2023) – Today, the New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) Board of Trustees appointed a 13-member Community Advisory Panel to foster greater collaboration and enhance communication and community engagement regarding NBU’s initiatives for providing essential services to its customers.

In April of 2023, the Board of Trustees directed NBU staff to form the Community Advisory Panel to be tasked with reviewing certain NBU initiatives, including but not limited to NBU’s future energy mix strategy, the drought ordinance, and the Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027 rate design study.

“The Community Advisory Panel is our way of inviting the voices and insights of our valued community members from a customer’s point of view,” shared Ryan Kelso, the Interim Chief Executive Officer at NBU. “This panel creates a special bridge between our customers and NBU, enabling us to keep doing what’s best for our customers who count on us and the vibrant community we serve.”

The NBU Community Advisory Panel comprises members throughout NBU’s service territory, representing many customer categories, and will serve three-year staggered terms. The New Braunfels City Council nominated seven members, and the NBU Board of Trustees nominated four, all of whom previously served on the NBU Rate Advisory Committee. In addition, two new at-large members were selected from an open application process.

Members of the newly formed NBU Community Advisory Panel include:

New Braunfels City Council Nominations:

Justin Meadows, Chair

Dr. Les Shepard

Stuart Blythin

Mark Hampton

Dr. Michael Patrick Harrington

Bobby Avary

NBU Board of Trustees Nominations:

Darren Hill

Jonathan Packer

Ian Perez

Alice Jewell

Chris Snider

Members-At-Large:

Amber Chanelle Brown

Leticia Pena Martinez

Newly appointed Community Advisory Panel Chair Justin Meadows commented, “We appreciate and understand the value of community members investing their time and talents to be involved in the process of providing resilient essential utility services to New Braunfels. We look forward to working with the NBU Board of Trustees and leadership team.”

The Community Advisory Panel will meet monthly to discuss relevant topics, provide feedback, and collaborate on NBU initiatives. The Community Advisory Panel will receive information from NBU staff, consultants, and subject matter experts. The meetings will be open to the public and posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act at nbutexas.com/community-advisory-panel/.

To learn more about NBU’s Community Advisory Panel, visit nbutexas.com/community-advisory-panel/.

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About New Braunfels Utilities:
Dedicated to excellence in service, New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) was established in 1942 and is one of 2,000 community-owned, nonprofit public power electric utilities in the nation. The mission of NBU is to enhance the quality of our community by providing innovative, essential services. Governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of local residents appointed by the New Braunfels City Council, NBU is committed to being a recognized and trusted community partner, providing essential electric, water, and wastewater services. Utility revenue is invested back into the utility systems, which benefits the community. New Braunfels Utilities makes an annual transfer to the City of New Braunfels, which in turn helps to pay for services such as fire, police, and parks. Additionally, in 2016, NBU repurposed its former16-acre warehouse site to become the Headwaters at the Comal, to serve as its conservation legacy, which will strengthen the relationship between the community and nature by showcasing the significance of the Comal Springs. Follow NBU on Facebook at facebook.com/newbraunfelsutilities, on Twitter at @nbutexas, and learn more, visit nbutexas.com.