Published: 10-16-08
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today announced that former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels and Brian Newby will lead a Hurricane Ike Recovery and Coordination Effort. Newby will step down from his current role as the governor’s chief of staff to co-lead an effort involving residents business leaders and local and federal officials focused on ensuring Texas communities devastated by Hurricane Ike get the resources necessary to rebuild.
“There are a whole lot of moving parts involved in putting this area back together and it requires determined focused leaders who can start immediately and guide the effort to a speedy conclusion” Perry said. “Judge Eckels and Brian Newby have the right combination of experience people skills and access to statewide leaders necessary to get the job done right and done quickly. I will miss having Brian as my chief of staff but this job is that important to our state.”
While serving Harris County Judge Eckels was instrumental in the area’s preparation and recovery related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita working side-by-side with the state to get area residents the assistance they needed.
“Ensuring that the state fully recovers from the devastation of the storm is of paramount importance” Perry said. “That is why I asked the highest ranking person on my staff and the former highest ranking official in Harris County to undertake this assignment—I want people to know that when they raise a concern with Judge Eckels or Brian they have my ear too.
Newby Perry’s former top lawyer for more than two years and chief of staff since July 2007 will work with Eckels to assemble working groups of county judges mayors business leaders and experts to fully assess and document the damage from Hurricane Ike and to work with the Texas congressional delegation in seeking Texas’ full share of federal aid.
The goal of this effort will be to gather input from all stakeholders in Southeast Texas and make sure their voices are clearly heard in Washington with the ultimate goal of ensuring Texas is treated fairly when it comes to the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.
“Texas learned a lot of helpful lessons from Rita that have helped us prepare for subsequent storms like Ike” concluded Perry. “Unfortunately one of those lessons came when the federal government promised to fund Texas’ recovery from Rita at the same level as Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina but delivered substantially less” Perry added.
