Safe and Secure

Safe and secure: Munoz, Matranga discuss protecting Texas City
THE MASTERMINDS of security in Texas City were able to give attendees an updated picture of
things during Thursday’s Texas City-La Marque Community Advisory Council Meeting at Nessler
Center’s Captain’s Room.
City of Texas City Emergency Manager Ton Munoz discussed the potential of the city’s new
emergency messaging system, which will be tested on May 28. Among the new features is the
ability for users to add up to 10 different numbers in order to let others outside of Texas City be
informed about the status of family and friends in the area.
The system was approved on Thursday by the Integrated Public Alert Warning System, making
Texas City the first in Galveston County to receive such confirmation.
Munoz also announced that the city will host a town hall meeting regarding the 2019 hurricane
season on June 6.
Fellow guest speaker Mike Matranga, Executive Director of Security and School Safety at TCISD,
discussed some of the changes that have been applied to the district’s 14 schools since his
arrival last summer. One of the biggest is the addition of deputies to elementary schools, giving
the district a total of 19. TCISD is also the first district in the state to install Mutual Link, which
provides an extra layer of safety to administrators and teachers.
The district will continue to use state-of-the-art technology that bolsters safety at the schools,
included upgraded cameras, access control readers and facial vision.
Matranga also discussed about how improving school safety must come from the homes of
students, stating that social media has given some youngsters the freedom to say things online
they would dare not say in public.
TCISD plans to make more changes over the course of the summer break in order to provide
students and faculty a stronger sense of safety when the district opens its doors for the 2019-
20 school year on August 19.
CAC’s next meeting will be held on July 18, 2019 with Texas General Land Office Environmental
Review Coordinator Tony Williams as the featured speaker.