Sunday, August 17, 2008

Allen City Manager Peter Vargas wants to make a difference

By Minnie Payne

Allen City Manager Peter Vargas

ALLEN — Peter Vargas, 58-year-old Allen City Manager, has over 29 years of municipal management experience in Colorado and Texas, thus he feels he can make a difference in Allen’s economic development.

“I want to be able to make a difference and improve the lives of the citizens of Allen,” he said.

Currently, he said that Allen has two large developments going on. One being the upscale pedestrian /retail Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm, located at US 75 and Bethany Drive, which will provide approximately one million square feet of mixed retail and residential. Another will be The Village at Allen, located at US 75 and Stacy Road, wherein approximately 30 to 35 leading stores will occupy 980,000 square feet. Within The Village at Allen will be the Allen Event Center which will seat 6,300 people for hockey games and up to 8,500 for concerts or other entertainment. Also included will be 500,000 square feet of office space and a 220-room hotel and conference center.

The capital improvement program currently underway involves road construction, the addition of a fire station and the designing of a service center for fleet operations.

“All of this will take place within the next 18 months,” he said. “Long-term goals are the implementation of the capital improvement program.”

“I really like completing projects and enjoy coming to work every day,” Vargas said. “I have a lot on my plate, and it’s an exciting time to be in Allen.”

Vargas grew up in Lamar, Colo., graduating from Lamar High School in 1968. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history and education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1972 and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver, in 1978.

He said that he knew education was the way out of the striving environment that he grew up in.

The city has 650 staff members to whom he tries to convey that they are there to serve the citizens of Allen, he said.

Vargas has been married to his wife, Cheryl, 23 years, and they have a daughter, Jenna, 21.

"We are fortunate to have Mr. Vargas serving the city of Allen," said mayor Steve Terrell. "As city manager for the past nine years, he has been able to successfully manage the growth of city operations and staff while maintaining a fiscally conservative budget.

"He works with staff to effectively implement the council's strategic goals and progress the vision we have of Allen at build out."

Related stories

• Longtime mayor of Allen pleased with city’s economic growth (Aug. 26, 2008)
• Pegasus News Week in View: Joys and Sorrows edition (Aug. 21, 2008)

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• Citizen Profiles
• Politics and Government > City Government > Allen
• Pegasus News Exclusive