The Public Works department at Pilot Point has a new director in Nestor Ramirez.
Ramirez, originally from the Dominican Republic, made his first appearance in the city back in 2017.
“Originally, the first time it was 2017-18,” Ramirez said. “I was working for a geotechnical firm, and some of the projects we were working on drove me first to the Pilot Point High School where I was involved in the expansion of the band hall. Then afterwords, I was here for the police building along Washington Street.”
He then returned to the Dallas, Grand Prairie area before seeing the listing for Public Works Director in Pilot Point at the end of 2024.
“I thought, ‘I was very happy being in the North Texas area,’” Ramirez said. “That’s where I got my roots for engineering in the U.S. I took a chance, and Britt took a chance on me.”
Ramirez started his career in 2009. “I went to school for civil engineering back in the Dominican Republic, graduated in 2009 and from then till 2012 was working in several aspects of engineering from residential construction to high rise and commercial,” Ramirez said. “In 2012, I decided to pursue my master’s and got an opportunity to study abroad. I went to Spain then returned back home from 2014-15.”
He and his wife then decided on the U.S. to “lay down roots and start a family,” and did so in the Denton area.
“I was not aware of all the processes for validating my degree here, but in the end, it wasn’t very difficult,” Ramirez said. “After four years, I was able to sit down for and pass the exam and acquire the experience the Texas board required to validate and grant me my license application.”
He later also obtained his certified floodplain administrator license.
Before taking the job at Pilot Point last October, Ramirez had begun working in civil engineering in the public sector.
“I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work in civil engineering for municipalities and infrastructure, that being water, wastewater, storm and paving,” Ramirez said. “I then progressed and started working as a construction manager and was involved in all processes and aspects of construction.”
He further shared the position with Pilot Point is one he hopes to keep in the long term.
“I never dreamt that I would be a director, so this, to me, is not just a stepping stone,” Ramirez said. “This is the culmination of many years of putting in the time, acquiring the experience and learning to work in different disciplines. I see myself here for the long run, as long as the city will have me.”
He said that desire comes, in part, from what he’s seen of the community as it relates to his department.
“I love the support the community has given the Public Works,” Ramirez said. “It typically goes unnoticed because it mostly goes underground. Everyone just expects it to work, but I’m happy to see the support. It makes me sure I made the right decision.”
After his three months on the job, Ramirez gave some insight as to where the city is at from a Public Works standpoint and where it’s heading in the immediate future.
“Right now, the direction the city is oriented on, it’s setting up a good foundation in collecting all these studies and understanding where they’re standing right now and what type of infrastructure is in place right now,” Ramirez said. “[It helps in] assessing the current conditions to plan ahead for the future, … maintaining existing infrastructure and assessing what needs to be upgraded, rehabilitated and what can stay in
place.”
He continued.
“We’re working on revising and updating our Water and Wastewater Master Plan, which not only models the current infrastructure but dictates what areas are still lacking in the system,” Ramirez said. “Those indications will set some parameters.”
Evenings for Ramirez are spent watering the results of those roots he and his wife set down.
“I’m blessed to say my son is about to be one year old in February,” Ramirez said. “We were waiting a long time for him. Right now I’ve got dad duties after work, and that takes most of my time. I used to run and would love to try to get back to that, but that will depend on my son’s schedule. He rules the house right now.”
