Gillespie County has hired a new county engineer. Melissa Eckert filled the position in early July and will take on responsibilities formerly managed by Wayne Wells, who has worked as a consultant contractor for almost two decades.

Eckert is a graduate of Texas A&M University and was raised in Tyler. Her husband, Cullen, is a Fredericksburg native who was able to move back to the area when his job became remote during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“Before this I worked as assistant city eng...