Marble Falls EDC hires Dockery for newly created post

CONNIE SWINNEY • STAFF WRITER

MARBLE FALLS — After narrowing down a list of 52 applicants, Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. officials chose Midge Dockery, a longtime nonprofit funding director, for a newly created business development coordinator position Oct. 7.

Dockery is the director of the Highland Lakes Legacy Fund and has worked for nonprofit organizations under the Austin Community Foundation for about a decade.

The EDC business development coordinator — pay range $40,000-$50,000 per year — will focus on outreach and retention and work under the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. executive director.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity. I believe that Marble Falls is poised for a lot of growth and development in the very near future,” Dockery said. “I look forward to working with the incoming businesses to the community as well as working with our existing businesses in developing programs.”

Dockery is expected to continue her duties with the Legacy Fund through Nov. 20.

“I’ve lived in the Marble Falls community for 28 years. My husband and I have raised our children here, and I’ve been very active in community and civic groups,” she said. “I have a vested interest in helping our community grow in a positive direction, and I look forward to participating in that effort.”

Dockery is married to Burnet County Commissioner Joe Don Dockery.

Their adult children are Devon, a third-grade Marble Falls Elementary School teacher; and Hannah, who is a student at Texas A&M University.

“I’m very proud of the legacy fund and the projects and impact it has had in our community,” she said.

EDC Executive Director Christian Fletcher said officials also opted to eliminate the administrative assistant position under the EDC and share administrative staff currently under Development Services in the same building, 801 Fourth St.

Rose Metzler, who has held the position since 2011, is retiring.

Metlzer’s last official day as full-time staff was Sept. 28, but she will continue as an hourly employee in the transition.

“Rose was wonderful, and I wouldn’t have traded her for anything, but we need to be out in the community more,” Fletcher said.

Dockery was selected from a list of six final candidates with an emphasis on one-on-one contact with stakeholders in business development.

“Midge will be interfacing with the business community, with school leaders, with business owners and managers so that we make sure that the EDC is meeting the needs of the community, developing programs that are appropriate for local business with a goal of business retention and expansion,” Fletcher said. “Midge has been a great ambassador in the community for a long time. We felt fortunate that she was interested in joining our team, and we are excited about what the future holds.”

Her duties will include marketing and maintaining a client database.

Through the years, the EDC has maintained a single executive director position and/or a combination of two positions, including projects coordinator and administrative assistant. At one point, the city manager handled the EDC administrative duties.

The entity has a more than $1 million budget, collected from a half-cent sales tax within the city limits.

The board — which sets economic development and retention policy and funds projects under $50,000 without city council approval — is comprised of seven directors, three of whom are Marble Falls City Council members.

In September 2011, Fletcher was hired as executive director.

The creation of the coordinator position marks the first time the entity has had two full-time staff dedicated to economic development.

connie@thepicayune.com