October is here. It is finally cooling off outside and the hints of fall in the air give me a spirit of optimism for our future.  I hope that is true for you too.

Committee and Board Appointments Announced

The Governor recently made two appointments to the AMC Advisory Committee and one new Board member. On the AMC Advisory Committee, we welcome Julia Hayes of Beaumont and returning member, David Mentesana of Dallas, who has been reappointed.  More details can be found here.  Additionally, the Governor announced Rolando Castro of Cypress as the newest appraiser member of the Board.  Mr. Castro fills the vacancy left by Mr. Jim Jeffries who announced his resignation from the Board in May, which took effect at the end of September.

Upcoming Meetings

October is full of committee meetings. The AMC Advisory Committee, Enforcement, and Education committees are all meeting in preparation for the upcoming Board meeting. It has never been easier to attend, given that all meetings are currently conducted remotely.  Check out the calendar on the agency’s website and save the date for any meetings of interest. The Board is working very hard to examine current policies and affect change to better the industry and protect consumers.  Included in these initiatives are efforts to increase transparency between trainees and their supervisors by Board staff informing supervisors of communications. Additionally, through the Enforcement Committee, the Board is examining changes to increase board member participation and oversight in the enforcement process.  We look forward to the participation of all those interested in these policy initiatives.

COVID-19 Response

We continue to fulfill our mission and meet customer service needs while operating remotely.  We will likely continue in this capacity until this pandemic is behind us with little to no impact on our license holders and the public.  The mail is processing more slowly, so you may see delayed processing of items that physically arrive in the mail.  Additionally, our office is not currently open to the public.  Should you need to contact the agency, you can find up to date contact information on our website.

I hope each of you finds a way to recharge in some way.  These times have been hard, and we all need to find a way to be kind to ourselves and each other.