• Sonny Long •
• Originally published June 18, 2009 at 4:24 p.m., updated June 18, 2009 at 10:41 p.m.

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Deck Shaver - yes, that's his real name and not some sort of scam at the poker tables in Las Vegas - took over as the new city administrator in Moulton on May 18.

A veteran of both municipal administration and facilities management, Shaver, 51, now oversees the daily operations of the Lavaca County town of fewer than 1,000 residents.

A father of three grown children whose wife, Marion Shaver, will join him Moulton soon, Shaver visited with ranging reporter Sonny Long in his office at Moulton City Hall.

Q: Tell me about your first name. It's unusual.

A: It's a family name. I'm a junior. It's my dad's name, too. It's different.

Q: Tell me about your work experience prior to coming to Moulton.

A: Most recently I worked in the facilities department at Texas A&M - Kingsville. Before that I worked for about five years in the facilities and structures division with BNSF Railroad. Before that, I was in municipal work. I was city manager in Cleveland, Texas, and in Fritch. Before that I was in public works and utilities for about 10 years in cities in Kansas and North Carolina.

Q: What attracted you to the position in Moulton?

A: It seemed to me to be interesting and challenging work. I enjoy municipal work, especially the infrastructure management, water, sewer, utilities, that type of thing. As a small town city administrator, you're involved in all those activities as well as financial, law enforcement and administrative aspects. It's an opportunity for me to work in some areas where I have experience and have enjoyed in the past. It's an opportunity to work in what I find to be a rewarding endeavor. In small-town administration, you do a little bit of everything. It's hands on. The citizens are your customers, and the customers are your citizens. It's a direct and personal kind of customer service. It's what people expect and it's what we have to do.

Q: What seems to be the biggest challenges in Moulton?

A: Upgrading and updating our infrastructure management. Maintenance and replacement of water works, sewer facilities, streets and drainage. Assessing and identifying areas that need improvement and how we can best go about using our resources to maintain and upgrade our facilities. Probably with as emphasis on streets and drainage as much as anything right now.

Q: What is it about a small town that attracted you?

A: The people. They are very friendly, cordial and down to earth. Very neighborly. And that's basically the kind of people we are, basically small town folks. We've lived different places and done different things, but we've always gravitated toward a small town atmosphere.

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