UMANT Candidate Statements
Matt McCombs
President
My name is Matthew McCombs, and I am seeking the position of President for the Urban
Management Assistants of North Texas.
The driving factor in my decision to run is that UMANT, while positioned well relative to
other assistant groups around Texas and the nation, has been wedged between two
competing ideals. On one hand is a group dedicated to providing a networking and
development home for all entry-level municipal professional, regardless of future career
objectives. On the other is a group focused on engaging and developing future city
managers. While it is possible to partially embrace each ideal, as UMANT has done for
years, there are substantial benefits to honing in on our “Value Proposition.”
As President, I will spearhead the effort to clearly define what, exactly, we want to be.
We will collectively determine our mission, and strategic goals and objectives to fulfill
that mission. And it is my hope that the spirit of this mission will permeate every action
we take as officers, executive committee, and general membership.
By clearly outlining our mission, we can determine how to add value to our constituents.
By providing an added value, we provide incentive to membership. And, by cultivating
that membership and putting each person in a better position to accomplish their goals,
we take our organization from good to great.
I would be honored to have your vote to serve as the next President of the Urban
Management Assistants of North Texas.
Kellye Cunningham
Vice President
Kellye Cunningham graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2005 with a BA in
public policy and minors in political science, economics, and sociology. She went on to
attend the University of Texas at Arlington where she attained her Master of Public
Administration degree. Her public administration career began with an internship at the
City of Cockrell Hill, Texas awarded via the TCMA Internship Program. In 2007 she
accepted a position as Management Assistant for the City of Burleson, Texas and
currently serves as the Assistant to the City Manager.
Kellye Cunningham has been an active member of UMANT since 2006 and currently
serves on the Executive Committee as Treasurer. She co-chaired the 35th Anniversary
Taskforce in 2007 and the UNO (UMANT Networking Opportunities) committee in
2008. In 2009 she accepted responsibility for serving as co-chair of the Professional
Development committee. Kellye was elected Secretary in 2010. In addition to
developing and organizing UMANT professional and networking events, she has
supported the Membership, Scholarship, and Special Projects committees.
An active member of TCMA as well as ICMA, she served on the 2008 ICMA Conference
Evaluation Committee in Richmond, VA and currently serves on the TCMA Ethics
Committee.
Kellye recognizes that UMANT provides an unparalleled support system for its
membership, but is now facing unique challenges during these difficult economic times.
UMANT will have to stand out as a good investment to cities and members by providing
more value while keeping membership and other activities at a low or nominal cost.
Having a strategic plan and dynamic programming will define the values essential to
UMANT’s future success. Kellye will seek to implement strategies for financial security,
facilitate the creation of a sound strategic plan, and help define a renewed sense of
purpose for the general membership creating future leaders who are engaged in the
processes, programs, and principles of UMANT.
If chosen to be UMANT’s next Vice President, Kellye Cunningham will be dedicated to
improving operations and building upon UMANT’s extraordinary foundation in order to
secure UMANT’s future.
David Gaines
Treasurer
I have been a member of UMANT for the past 4 years and it has been vital to my growth
and the relationships I have developed in this profession. I have served on the
Membership Committee, Professional Development Committee, and I currently serve as
Secretary. I would like to continue contributing to UMANT in the position of Treasurer
for the upcoming year.
For UMANT to continue providing excellent resources to its members it’s vital for the
organization to remain financially secure. In the position of Treasurer I will use my
experiences in financial positions to continue and implement processes assuring this
economic security. We must provide value to the membership through strong
programming which will address issues face by the membership. To remain a worthwhile
investment to our membership UMANT must provide this quality programming at low
membership costs.
I am excited about the future of UMANT and the possibility of stepping in to this role
over the coming year. I know from my own experience the benefits UMANT can give
someone starting in this profession. The lessons learned through the programming, and
the relationships built have been invaluable to me. In the position of Treasurer I aim to be
part of the team which allows UMANT to continue providing these benefits to current
and future members. If we focus on providing value to our members UMANT will
remain strong in the coming years.
Kristin Weegar
Secretary
My name is Kristin Weegar, and this year I am running for UMANT Secretary. I have
been a member of UMANT since 2007, and have had the pleasure to co-chair the
Professional Development Committee since 2010. During my time on the Professional
Development Committee, my co-chair and I organized some very informative and
entertaining events, including: The Art of Negotiation held last winter and the first ever
Women’s Luncheon this past spring. I have always enjoyed volunteering to help with
other UMANT events such as the golf tournament and one day conference. I enjoy being
involved in UMANT; it has been a great resource for me in learning best practices,
networking and making friends.
I have worked for the City of North Richland Hills over four years, moving from
Economic Development to Public Works and now the City Manager’s Office as the
Assistant to the City Manager. I received my Bachelor of Business Administration degree
from Baylor University and my Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the
University of Texas at Arlington. In 2010, I was honored to be the recipient of the
William J. Pitstick Scholarship given by NTCMA and UMANT.
As UMANT Secretary, I will be committed to our organization and will continue to
provide input and support to the Executive Committee in identifying relevant and timely
program topics that will assist us all in preparing ourselves for our future career
endeavors.