The Junction Texas Economic Development Corporation’s (JTEDC) mission is to attract, retain, and grow businesses and jobs and improve the quality of life in Kimble County.
The JTEDC had its beginnings in 1994, when voters in the City of Junction adopted a proposition authorizing the levy of a one-half cent “sales and use” tax within the city limits. This proposition and the Texas Development Corporation Act of 1979 (as amended) govern the types of activities that may be funded with the sales tax revenue collected by the City of Junction.
The JTEDC, a government entity, is the body responsible for administering economic development activities authorized by the 1994 City proposition and state law. The City Council is the governing body of the JTEDC. Its board consists of seven (7) members appointed by the City Council. Appointees, who serve staggered two-year terms, must be at least 18 years old, residents of Kimble County, and at least three (3) of the Board members must not be City employees or members of the City Council.
The JTEDC has undertaken a number of projects since its inception, which involved loan guarantees for local businesses, funding construction of facilities on the Texas Tech campus in Junction, making a grant to assist with upgrading the county airport, and assisting with City Park improvement projects. Depending on the nature of a project, both private and public entities are eligible for financial assistance. Cost-sharing grants continue to be the primary type of assistance provided by the JTEDC.
Polly Robinson, President
Polly Robinson moved to Kimble County 1958, and she grew up on her family’s ranch. She graduated from Junction High School and received a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Ms. Robinson then began a 30-year career as a national bank examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. She retired in 2013 and moved back to Kimble County to help manage her family’s business interests.
Marlene Case – Vice President
Marlene is a recent transplant from the Pacific Northwest, where she was a co-owner of a weatherization company for 13 years and co-managed a bookstore for a junior college for 14 years. She enjoys quilting, needlework, and paper crafts, and is very interested in the environment and the impact on our future generations.
Carol Neiman, Secretary
Carol grew up in Dallas as the eldest child of a blue-collar working class family. After earning a scholarship, she found that university life didn’t suit her and spent the next 40+ years living all over the U.S. and abroad, gaining experience as a waitress, bouncer, program development specialist for a management consulting firm, gallery owner, editorial director of an international publishing company, and more. She moved to Junction from New York City in 2011 to be closer to family and experience the unique charms and challenges of small-town life. After nearly six years as secretary for the Junction Police Department, Carol is now officially “retired” and has a passion for finding the common ground among those with differing backgrounds and perspectives.
Lisa Heap – Treasurer
Sheila Mills
Sheila graduated from Junction High School and received a BBA in Finance from San Angelo State University. She then began a 28 year career with the Texas Department of Transportation, serving as the Right of Way Division Project Delivery Director where she managed the statewide right of way acquisition and utility coordination process before retiring. During her tenure, Sheila was also responsible for a $1.2 billion dollar budget for the State of Texas and was selected to lead several change initiative efforts for the department to identify, develop and successfully implement cost effective streamlined processes. Sheila then worked three years as Vice President of Lochner Engineering firm before returning to Junction with husband, Greg to be closer to family and to enjoy retirement. Sheila served eight years on the City of Georgetown, Texas Transportation Board, two of which she served as Chairperson. She also served two years as the Transportation Chairperson for the International Right of Way Association. She enjoys wine tasting, a good mystery book and playing cards.
Doug Haynes
Doug moved to Kimble County late in the summer of 2005 to coordinate operations at the Junction office of Pedernales Electric Cooperative. Recently retired after 40 years of service, he served the Co-op’s members in underground distribution design, system maintenance and most recently served as the Director of District Operations for the Junction district. A member of the First United Methodist Church, Doug participates in the choir and is an active participant in Parent University. In addition to his service on the JTEDC, he also currently serves on the City Council in Place 4. His interests include, among other things, his four grand kids, raising poultry, fishing and relaxing on the banks of the Johnson Fork Creek.
Tom Rattan
Tom is a native Texan who grew up in Midland. He graduated high school in 1967, attended Odessa Junior college a couple of semesters, then joined the Navy. He volunteered for river boat duty in Vietnam and, after four years in the Navy came back to Midland and attended Midland Junior College for two years and finished college at Arizona State University. He came back to Midland and went to work for an architecture firm there. After a few years opened his own firm and did mainly commercial design along with residential design. Churches made up a large part of the practice. Tom is retired and living in Junction but still does a few projects for some of the local builders. He attends the College St. Church of Christ and is on the board at the Junction Golf Course. Interests include working in his pottery studio and fishing.
Vinetta Sanders, Office Manager
Vinetta moved to Junction in 2013 with her husband and two children. She quickly became involved in many different organizations in town, including Kimble County Library board, Lions Club, Kimble County Youth Show board and volunteering at Junction Elementary School. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from The University of Texas of the Permian Basin and her previous work included being a mental health caseworker, probation officer, and a victim’s services coordinator. She also stays busy keeping up with her kids’ school activities and sports, helping her husband with woodworking projects and spending time on the Llano River.
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