While
working for the city of Plano as part of a Historic Preservation and Long-Range
Planning Division, I was fortunate to be recruited by the City of McKinney in
1998. Dr. Wysong (then Councilman) led the charge to establish a "Long-Range
Planning" division in the City of McKinney. I was tasked to dream big,
dream into the future, and establish long-range policies that set a course for
the future. Many
thanks are due for the confidence and support given to me by Dr. Wysong, Bill
Sproull, Reggie Neff, John Kessel, Larry Robinson, and the many supporters we
had in those "crazy days."
Our team was instrumental in many
current and future programs including:
· the Architectural Standards
Ordinance for McKinney
· the Tree Preservation Ordinance
·
the Regional Employment Center Overlay
District
· the McKinney 2000 Master
Thoroughfare Plan (where we established the City's Greenway Arterials)
·
the massive annexation program that
led to McKinney's current day ability to manage a
comprehensive infrastructure
program.
During
that time, I fell in love with my best friend and wife. When it was time to
start a family and venture into our own consulting firm, McKinney was easily
our choice.
An Amazing Journey (the Martin Sanchez Story)
By J.B.
Blocker
“I
hadn’t yet made a choice of universities when I visited Bryan, Texas. It’s not like I knew this was the place I
wanted to spend the next 7 years. But when I visited the Texas A&M campus,
I knew this was where I wanted to be!”
When Martin Sanchez describes Texas A&M he
doesn’t talk about the academics, or the sports, or even the magnificent
campus. To Martin, those are givens.
So, what inspired the young nerd from Harlingen to
choose Texas A&M? Martin reflects, “There
is always a warm buzz all around the campus. It is the sound of students and
faculty as they pass by each other. It is the sound of the howdies and hellos as
people pass each other on the lawns and sidewalks and in the hallways. It is
the constant demonstration of warmth and respectful courtesy and brotherhood. The campus has a gigantic small town aura!”
South
Texas
Leonardo Sanchez would ride his horse to the feed
store where Maria worked at her father’s store. It took a while, but with the
help of her sisters Leonardo finally won over Maria’s father. It was no easy
task. Maria's father did not want to like a seemingly rough cowhand and farmer who
was flirting with a beloved daughter.
Six children later, J. Martin Sanchez was born in
Chicago where his family had moved for a better opportunity. Leonardo had been
given an opportunity to work as a welder with his cousin and he took that skill
to the highest levels which later included oil field platforms, ceramic
welding, and teaching the skills after he retired from the field. He still
works the family land in South Texas to this day.
Maria would continue to work for over 20 years as a
cook at a day care facility because of her love for being around children.
By the time the oldest children were becoming
teenagers the rough inner urban environment, crazy winters, and the distance
from a huge family base led to their return to the Valley. All the other
children had attended Saint Mary’s Adorned in south Chicago.
Education was
extremely important to the Sanchez family. Leonardo constantly reminded his
children, “You have a choice! You can work like a mule like me, or you can get
an education!”
The words stuck like glue and each child has gone on
to huge success.
·
Juan
now owns and operates a medical service that spans 19 counties. The company
became a million dollar success in short order and is still growing.
·
Mark
has
his own successful claims service company. He has served as an Alderman for the
city of Combes, a northern suburb of Harlingen for the past 11 years and is
unchallenged for this current mayoral election.
·
Sam
became a highly regarded appraiser/adjustor for Farm Bureau. He is the
daredevil who still rides motocross and drag races.
·
Mary
is
fondly referred to as ‘the Wal-Mart Queen’. She and her husband are comfortably
retired as executives of the retail giant. She is the nurturing one.
·
Rosie
is
an executive for USAA and is still advancing her education and like her family,
has a real zest for life.
·
Martin’s
story is a winding journey that is still being written.
“When
we returned to south Texas, all of us went to school together dressed in our
Catholic school wear, recalls Juan. That was all we had ever worn to school.”
Big brother didn’t let the teasing go by and the children quickly got back to
their roots.
Juan,
the oldest struck out on his own to join the U.S.Army at age 17, where he
served as a medic for 13 years. With stints in Beirut and Grenada, he was an
inspiration to his youngest sibling of 11 years, Martin. That influence was a
key to Martins high school years.
“When
I became a Certified Nursing Aide at age 16, I showed my brother Juan my
scrubs. He took me to the ironing board and taught me how to make sharp,
straight creases in my shirt and pants. All the time, he was explaining the
value and need to look sharp and put together as a matter of personal pride as
well as to establish a responsible image. Then, he crumpled up the clothes he
had ironed and had me iron them again! It was a wonderful lesson!”
I asked Juan about his youngest sibling. “ Martin
fully represents the work ethics our parents instilled in us. He has always
found a way to make lemonade from lemons.” In a message to his little brother
he added, “Your city and the people you want to represent are lucky to have
you, no question about it. You have always had such insight and foresight
into what people can accomplish. You are the candle lighter, not the
candle blower. You bring out the best in people, sir. Keep up the
great work.”
Mark
shares the family’s pride in the life Martin has lived. “Martin was playing chess at 5 and winning! He is the smartest, best educated, and most focused of
all of us. He has always understood numbers and I like to say that his mind is
like an Actuary on Steroids. He always seemed to see the big picture. No matter
what he took on, he never gave up or let anyone down.”
“When
I left for college, my brother Mark took me to the side and privately slipped
me some money. It was a thousand dollars! Especially then, it was a huge amount
and I was overwhelmed at his encouraging words of confidence and pride in me.
That is one precious memory.”
Sam
coached
Martin in little league. The entire family is sports crazy and ardent baseball
fans. He points out that Martin was born on the day Ernie Banks hit his 500th
home run while they lived in Chicago. He says it as if it were a sign of things
to come.
“Martin was my star player in little league. It
wasn’t that he was the most talented. It’s just that no matter what the team
needed, he would always come through. If I needed someone to play a different
position, the team could count on Martin. He was always respectful to me and
his teammates; he practiced hard, and just always seemed to get the big picture
whether it was football, baseball, or any other sport. He would have been a
great high school athlete but he chose another path and we are so proud of him
for his wise choices and his determination to do his best. Martin’s best always
goes way beyond expectations!”
“I want to add another thing about his choices. Our
family is entirely Hispanic except for Martins wonderful wife Kim. When they
married, Kim had our mother teach her how to make homemade tortillas. Our wives
joke about the pressure she put on them for that. But it was a sign of her love
and devotion to Martin and our heritage. She has gone on to prove that her
heart belongs to family. Once again, Martin exhibited foresight and is being
rewarded with a wonderful family.”
Martin
the Candy Striper
By age 15, Martin was following the footsteps of his
oldest brother in the medical field. He began volunteering as an aide at a
nursing home and by 16 he was a CNA, (Certified Nursing Aide).
No work was too
menial for Martin. He could be counted on to clean the worst messes while
always keeping a great attitude. He had decided he wanted to be an ER Doctor!
As a sophomore, he was accepted into the South Texas
High School for Health Professionals in Mercedes, Texas.
“Med
High" is a public, health professions magnet high school serving the Rio Grande
Valley of Texas. Part of South Texas Independent School District. Among the
school's distinctions are:
- Named a national "Blue Ribbon" school by U.S.
Dept. of Education.
- U.S. News and World Report rated us as one of the
"top 100 high schools in the nation".
- Texas Education Agency rated "Exemplary".
Every school day for the next 3 years, Martin would
be dropped off at the local high school at 5:45. It was an hour and fifteen
minute bus ride each way!
There are no athletics at this Magnet School. Now
Martin’s energy and skill in sports and team play found a new avenue. The
competitions were in U.I.L scholastics. He competed in Poetry Reading, Number
Sense, Prose Interpretation, and Debate. He won State and National awards in
HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) competitions.
“It
was a whole new world for me. Every morning I left a largely Hispanic community
and studied with kids from every walk of life. I made friends with people from
all over South Texas and then returned to Harlingen every evening.”
In his first year, he was one of 20 sophomores
selected to a 2 week Summer Medical Camp at the prestigious Rice University.
There they witnessed an open heart surgery by the pioneer in the field Dr. Michael
DeBakey.
For the next three years, the inspired and aspiring
physician worked weekends and summers at 3 different nursing homes and was
studying at a college level.
By his senior year, Martin was accepted into the
Medical Preceptorship Program where he attended school half days and worked in
a medical lab for the other half. All this time, he was up at around 5 every
morning and coming home late. The total accumulation of bus time exceeds 1800
hours! Plenty of time to get all of his homework done on time and dream big
dreams.
Aggie
World
“I
never took a student loan. There were some academic scholarships that helped,
but I basically studied and worked. I worked at nursing homes, waited tables,
and tutored. Eventually I received fellowships that paid a little for research
work too.”
Martin fell in love with Texas A&M. “Hook, line, and sinker!”
Aside from not having to ride a bus 3 hours a day,
there was so much of a family atmosphere that he was at home from the start.
But there was only one thing he never expected! It was a big thing!
“We
went to a pre-med orientation and our group was sent to the medical lab where
we were introduced to what would be our lab cadavers! I couldn’t get around the
fact that I was maybe a little too (let’s say) sensitive for that experience.
The idea of carving on another human being was a far cry from caring for them!
It was with that reality that I changed my major to my other love and maybe one
of my greater skills. Numbers! I became an Economics major and it changed my
whole direction in life.”
Medical
Humanities and Ethics ?
Along the way to an Economics degree, Martin is
referred to Dr. Don Self who is the Dean of the A&M College of Medical
Humanities and Medical Ethics. Under his guidance, Martin co-writes a published
work on Moral Orientation of Justice and Care and researches for 20+ hours a
day for 14 weeks for a social analysis.
This research included hundreds of
hours developing a coding system to analyze human development and the media.
They created an auditing course in Econometrics and
by his senior year the Dean of Liberal Arts called him in personally for a new
project in Health Care Development. The next thing he knew he was in a Masters
of Urban Planning curriculum.
Part of the work was incorporating the needs of
health care with the College of Architecture.
When Dr. David Pugh (considered the father of zoning in Texas ) called
on Martin, his education began to include developing Healthy Cities. This involved studying landscape architecture
and Urban Planning.
“I
knew I had found my home and my calling! What we do as planners is not just
about making cities great. It’s about making them safe, nurturing, and able to
adjust and grow.”
The graduating class of Texas A&M ’92 included
Martin Sanchez. In ’95 he would receive his Masters of Urban Planning while
working under and eventually for several of the highest regarded Deans at the
University. From ’94 to ’97 he would work at the research center for Housing
and Urban Development.
In 1997, Martin Sanchez was hired by the city of
Plano and one year later his skill, experience, and body of work inspired the
city of McKinney to invite him to guide the long term direction of the city.
And so, here we are. Martin Sanchez and family have
found their home and his calling. The city of McKinney’s future is calling and
Martin can hear that voice and see that image better than anyone!
Kim Sanchez speaks up. I am Martin’s wife, so I am biased – but, I do
believe my husband, Martin Sanchez, is the best candidate for City
Council at large. Let me tell you why.
Martin
has been employed by the State of Texas and Municipalities all over
Texas. While he was employed with the City of Plano he was recruited by
the City of McKinney to come on board, initiate and lead the long range
planning department – a big title for the word VISION.
The City of
McKinney recognized him as a leader in VISIONING and sought him out.
While working at the City of McKinney Martin became intimately familiar
with the structural organization of McKinney. This is so important when
trying to achieve the City’s goals. Both creating the City’s Vision
and intimately understanding the organization’s structure is something
Martin has already done and.
When
Martin went to work with the private sector he was hired by a number of
municipalities to do 2 things that are important to this election.
First, he was hired to train other City Councils on their duties,
liabilities and maximize their capabilities.
Secondly, he was hired to
develop Land Plans to maximize theses municipalities economic
development and quality of life for their tax paying citizens. Why
would we not want Martin to do this for us? Lets ELECT him to get this
job done.
Lastly,
when Martin and I started our own business in 2005 our business plan
revolved around understanding both the City’s goals and the private
developers goals marrying the two for a win-win situation.
This is what
Economic Development is all about – marrying public and private
VISIONS. And this is how you reduce the tax burden on our City’s
citizens.
Martin’s
entire career has been the perfect storm for this position. As our
good friend and supporter John Ganz eloquently stated “No Disrespect of
any other candidate but I firmly believe McKinney is privileged to have a
man with these credentials willing to commit his time and energy to the
betterment of our City. Voting for Martin may be the easiest thing you
ever do to improve this community.” Please vote for VISION…Vote for J.
Martin Sanchez for City of McKinney Council At-Large.
Kim Sanchez, PE
- J.B. Blocker is a media consultant based in Collin County in North Texas. Advertise with J.B. by calling 469-334-9962.
