Olney’s New City Administrator Comes Home

When Andy Wolfe arrives in Olney to take over as the city’s new administrator, he will bring more than two decades of experience in municipal government — and a career that began literally in the ditch installing water pipes.

Mr. Wolfe started his career in public service at the City of Montrose, Colorado, in 2004 as a utility worker and worked his way up through the ranks to leadership positions in several Texas cities, including director of parks and recreation in Ennis, assistant city manager in Canton, and city administrator in the Texas cities of Hico and Venus.

Now, after several moves across Texas and to Colorado for both career and family, Mr. Wolfe says the chance to return to Young County — a region he already knows and enjoys — made the Olney job especially appealing. His last day of work as Utilities Manager for the City of Gunnison, Colorado, is May 8, and he plans to be in Olney the following week.

Mr. Wolfe and his wife, Rebecca, have two daughters at home, Rylee, 12, and Avery, 11. He also has three older children who live in Mansfield — Marshall, 25, who works for North Star Energy Solutions; Jake, 22, a senior at the University of Texas at Arlington; and Sarah, 20, a sophomore at UTA. The family is looking forward to settling in a rural community where they can enjoy a little space for their animals — including chickens, goats, and three dogs — and where their younger daughters can grow up in a smalltown environment close to their older siblings.

Below are excerpts from a recent interview with Mr. Wolfe.

Enterprise: How did you get started in municipal government?

Andy Wolfe: I started with the City of Montrose in 2004, so I’ve been in municipal government for about 22 years. I started, actually, just as a utility worker. I was installing pipe in the ditch and kind of worked my way up to equipment operator and eventually a crew lead, and then to a foreman.

I followed my career down here to Texas to chase a utility superintendent job, met my beautiful wife, and since then we’ve kind of moved around to some different spots in Texas for my career and also for family.

Q: How did you meet your wife?

Mr. Wolfe: She’s actually from the Orlando, Florida area. She went to college there and got her physical therapy assistant degree. Then she decided she was going to do a traveling physical therapist assignment where they would send her for about six months at a time.

She signed on with Olney hospital for a stint, and then with Graham for another stint.

I met her at a physical therapy gym where I would go work out. I met her right before her contract was up and she was about to go home, so she never ended up going back to Florida.

Q: Olney is in the early stages of building a new water treatment plant. What are some of the challenges with a project like that?

Mr. Wolfe: Coincidentally, we’re actually doing a water treatment plant build here in Gunnison as well. We just finished awarding a contract to a design team and a build team. It’s going to be built within the next three years.

We went through the whole process just like Olney has, trying to decide what kind of filter media to use. I believe we’re going with a granular activated carbon system.

A membrane system is a little bit different than what we’re doing (in Gunnison). There are some things to watch out for with a membrane system, but it’s a great system. It just depends on the turbidity of your water and things like that.

I’m anxious to get there and dive into that and talk to them about how they came up with using a membrane system.

Q: The city recently created tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZ) aimed at encouraging development. What role do those play in growth?

Mr. Wolfe: I’m familiar with those. I do know that you guys approved a commercial area and also a residential area. So the plan is to have future housing coming.

That’s a wonderful opportunity and a way for infrastructure and development to pay for itself. That’s very important when you’re growing as a city or when you’re going through water studies and things like that — to make sure that development pays for itself.

You never want to put a water or sewer line that’s going to service a new development on an existing taxpayer who doesn’t have any benefit to that water line.

Q: What ultimately convinced you that Olney was the right place for you and your family?

Mr. Wolfe: It was the mayor and council. When I got the call from the mayor that they wanted to interview, I had a virtual interview first with him and two council members. They were fantastic. They were down-to-earth and had a good sense of community.

Then I came out for a personal interview, and it was outstanding. They seem to have a good pulse on what the community wants, and they were very friendly and welcoming to me and my family.

I feel like a council is a reflection of the public in that area. If that’s what council is like, then Olney is basically going to be the same way — and I’m excited to move my family to a community like that.”

Q: Housing is tight in Olney right now. Have you found a place to live yet?

Mr. Wolfe: I found several places there in town that would do just fine for us. I’m very handy. I’ve remodeled several houses, so I was kind of excited about that opportunity.

But we do have chickens and goats, and three dogs, so we like a little bit of space. We like the country atmosphere. I could find an acre or two, a manufactured home, or an old farmhouse that I can remodel. We would just love to be a part of the Olney community.”