The City of Hutto is pleased to announce the hiring of Mindy McDonough as our first-ever regulatory compliance manager. Mindy brings over 25 years of public service to Hutto, primarily with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
For the past 12 years, Mindy served as an environmental investigator for TCEQ’s Austin Region Office. In her role, she acted as the region’s stormwater investigator, where she researched environmental complaints and performed emergency response duties, as well as inspecting construction sites, industrial facilities and municipal storm sewer systems.
Here in Hutto, Mindy will use her vast experience to lead the City’s efforts towards environmental conservation. She will also develop, manage and enforce the City’s storm sewer program, act as the City’s liaison with TCEQ, and ensure the City remains in compliance with all federal and state regulations, among other duties.
“What appealed to me was that the job functions of the position are two sides of the same coin: the regulator and the regulated,” Mindy said. “I’ll be able to serve in a similar capacity as I did with the TCEQ as a regulator, enforcing local ordinances, while at the same time developing and implementing a program that’ll be regulated by the TCEQ.”
With Earth Day just around the corner on April 22, she stressed the importance of doing little day-to-day things that can make a major long-term impact. As the saying goes, “Every day is Earth Day”! Mindy said one of the most impactful things pet owners can do is responsibly dispose of their pet’s waste.
“Picking up your pet waste is important for human and pet health, and for water quality,” she said. “When pet waste isn’t picked up, rain washes the waste into our storm drain system where it flows into our area creeks. Pet waste carries several disease-causing bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can be transmitted to humans and pets causing serious illness.”
Mindy plans to celebrate Earth Day by joining her children for a walk in their neighborhood to pick up trash and recyclables, and she encourages the community to perform similar acts of service.
She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University – Galveston. After graduation, Mindy began her career as an environmental investigator with the Galveston County Health District’s Population Control Division before transitioning to a role as an air quality investigator with TCEQ’s Houston Region Office.