The city managers on both sides of the state line named J.D. Phillips as the permanent director of Texarkana Water Utilities today.
Phillips, who also celebrates his birthday today, has served in the position on an interim basis since September 2015.
Texas-side City Manager John Whitson is confident in Phillips' ability to lead the organization, according to a news release from Texarkana, Texas, city spokeswoman Lisa Thompson.
Arkansas-side City Manager Dr. Kenny Haskin "and I agree with great confidence in J.D.'s ability to lead that was demonstrated during the interim period," Whitson said. "We are pleased with his performance, and recognize that he is the best qualified for this job, which is why we took the opportunity to appoint him as director."
Haskin agreed that Phillips was the best choice, the news release states.
"What instantly stands out when evaluating J.D. is his character," Haskin said. "The mayor and Board of Directors made it clear early on in the process that they wanted me to hire quality people that would provide added value to the organization. I'm confident John and I did just that."
Phillips has been employed by TWU for the past 25 years. The appointment as director was effective on Monday, and his salary will be $89,000 annually.