Council appoints Whiteman to GEDC, Gonzalez to Ward 4

GAINESVILLE, Texas — The Gainesville City Council on Tuesday appointed two new faces to key city positions, filling a vacancy on the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation board and a temporary seat on the council itself. Jacob Whiteman, a manager at Safran Industries, was appointed to the GEDC Board of Directors, filling an expired term previously held by Lauri Johnson. GEDC Executive Director Matt Carlson told the council the position attracted unusual interest, with 22 eligible candidates applying. "The review team felt this would be best accomplished if the board was made up of disparate interests," Carlson said, noting the goal of balancing representation from both small business owners and large commercial enterprises. In a separate action, the council appointed Angel Gonzalez, 33, as temporary Ward 4 representative. Gonzalez fills the vacancy created by Jeff Johnson's departure and will serve until the May 2 election. Councilmember Randy Jones proposed the appointment, citing Gonzalez's involvement in community affairs since last fall. "He has passion and has been involved," Jones said, adding that he was also interested in having Gonzalez considered for the Parks and Recreation board. The council also approved the purchase of asphalt zippers for road repair and voted to remove non-voting ex-officio members from the GEDC bylaws. The May 2 election will determine the permanent Ward 4 representative.