Former county engineer appointed as new Harris County Flood Control District Director
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The Harris County Commissioners' Court appointed a new candidate on Thursday as Executive Director of the Harris County Flood Control District following the resignation of the previous director.
Following the meeting, officials confirmed that Marcus Stuckett will take over as executive director. Stuckett has over two decades of experience helping with flooding projects in the region.
He is also the first African-American to serve this role.
Commissioner Lesley Briones said in a statement that the mission remains clear to keep families in the jurisdiction safe.
SEE ALSO: Former county engineer poised to take over Harris County flood control district
Today, the Harris County Commissioners Court made history by unanimously appointing Marcus Stuckett as our new Flood Control District Executive Director. He will be the first African American to serve in this crucial role. With over 20 years of experience delivering large flood control projects across the region, he is prepared to lead. Nothing is more important than keeping our families safe from flooding, and I look forward to working with Stuckett and our dedicated team to do just that.
At this moment, we have more flood control projects moving forward than at any time in Harris County history, and we have made unprecedented investments in infrastructure maintenance. We must move with urgency to deliver key projects to protect our homes, strengthen our communities, and keep Harris County residents safe. And we must do so in close collaboration with our federal, state, and community partners.
While our Flood Control District has a new leader today, my focus remains the same: relentlessly delivering protection to the people of Harris County."
The appointment comes after the resignation of Dr. Tina Petersen, P.E., who was questioned over her leadership this month. Petersen came under fire after several project deadlines were missed, and the status of the projects, totaling at $320 million, was not updated.
Petersen announced her resignation on the same day as the scheduled June 11 commissioner's court meeting to discuss the matters.
During that time, the court said the HCFCD would work with the Office of County Administration during the transition.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said the process could initially take months to appoint a new director. Commissioner Tom Ramsey's office told ABC13 that Stuckett was considered to lead the flood district five years ago but was passed over.
According to Stuckett's LinkedIn profile and county employment records, he was a supervising engineer for the City of Houston for 2 years before joining the Flood Control District in 2015, where he rose to Director of Engineering. He left the county in 2022 to work for a private engineering company, where he has worked for the past 4 years.
RELATED: Director of Harris County Flood Control resigns from position following questions over leadership
"I am honored by the confidence placed in me by Commissioners Court and Administrator Carter," Stuckett said. "The Harris County Flood Control District has a long history of protecting residents from flooding through innovative engineering, strong partnerships, and responsible stewardship of public resources. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated employees, community partners, and elected officials to continue delivering projects that reduce flood risk and improve the quality of life for Harris County residents."
