Cottonwood Shores Accounting Clerk and Assistant Financial Officer Gladys Montoya at her desk. Staff photo by Nathan Bush
As accounting clerk and assistant financial officer for the city of Cottonwood Shores — as well as a native of the town — Gladys Montoya revels in the opportunity to assist residents through a wide array of issues.
That happy-to-help attitude was why she was voted a 2023 Locals Love Us Favorite City Employee by The Picayune Magazine readers and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune listeners.
“I was interested in working where I was raised,” she said. “It’s been pretty cool. It’s a different experience than a lot of other jobs.”
Montoya started her job for Cottonwood Shores in 2014 after moving back to the area from Dallas, where she lived for about a year.
“I had just moved to Dallas, and I was pregnant,” she said. “I decided I wanted to raise my kids where I grew up, so I moved back to the Marble Falls area.”
Montoya’s top duties include utility billing, managing the city’s website, and offering accounting support for the city’s head financial officer. She also serves as the unofficial city interpreter.
“If somebody needs translating in any department, I do it,” Montoya said. “It’s not my department, but it’s OK. I like to help people.”
The Locals Love Us award is not something she takes lightly.
“I was surprised,” Montoya said. “It means a lot to me because I’ve been here for such a long time.”
She said her success would not have been possible without the love and support of her fellow city officials.
“Without everyone in the city’s help, I wouldn’t be where I am right now,” she said. “I came in here with no experience, and they believed in me.”
Montoya hopes to remain with the municipality for years to come.
“There are so many people that have been here for years and years,” she said. “I want to be like them. I want to retire from the city one day.”
Also voted Favorite City Employee were the city of Burnet's Andrew Scott and the city of Sunrise Beach Village's Sean Schreiber. Flip through the digital 2023 Locals Love Us magazine for a full list of winners.
nathan@thepicayune.com
