Palestine approves new Economic Development Director

Palestine Herald-Press
By Jason Jones jjones@palestineherald.com
October 26, 2022

Palestine City Council met Monday evening and approved the recommendation by the Palestine Economic Development Corporation board to confirm Christophe Trahan as its new director.

PEDC board member Dan Bochsler presented the board’s recommendation to the council.

“We had six applications for the position,” Bochsler said. “We eliminated four based on background and requirements. We interviewed the two remaining candidates in a lengthy and detailed process and voted to present Mr. Trahan to the board for approval.”

Trahan is currently the Executive Director of the Wood County Economic Development Commission. He went to Wood County from his hometown of Linden, where he was the Executive Director of the Linden Economic Development Corporation.

Trahan’s experience in economic development extends back to his collegiate career, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentrations in both economics and finance from East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas.

“One important element to recognize is the that key requirement is marketing,” Bochsler said. “Mr. Trahan clearly demonstrated high levels of current knowledge and experience. He clearly possesses a level of knowledge and expertise hasn’t been present at PEDC in the past.”

The council voted five to one in favor of confirming Trahan as PEDC Director with Mayor Pro Tem Vickey Chivers casting the lone dissenting vote.

In other business the council recognized Palestine Police Officers Brandon Nicholson and Carson Brandenberger as they were promoted to Sergeant and Corporal respectively.

The council approved an ordinance amending Code of Ordinances Chapter 14, Animals, Article II, Treatment of Animals, Section 14-11, Offenses, Subsection 14-11(a) Failure to control.

The amendment was based on multiple recent incidences of citizens failing to control barking dogs at night. The amendment removes a requirement of persistent barking to last 20 minutes or more.

“We’re not going to just go out and write tickets for barking dogs,” said Police Chief Mark Harcrow. “We have to apply a level of reasonableness to the situation, and I will leave that to the discretion of animal control and the officers. If we have a situation where a dog is unreasonable, then we will take action.”

Other agenda items approved by the council included:

• the consent agenda items,

• and cancellation of the second monthly meetings for the months of November and December as per protocol in past years.