Walt Phillips to Receive Conquistador Award

On City Council's agenda Tuesday, December 1st, Walt Phillips will be receiving the city's Conquistador Award.

A fitting award (maybe not in name but for recognition) at a fitting time (Thanksgiving) for a well-deserving person.

Walt Phillips has given his time over the years to benefit this city in countless ways, and this recognition and thanks seems almost overdue.

But due none the less.

I met Walt going on 3 years ago on the Citizen's Advisory Committee to the Mass Transit Department Board when he was nominated to represent for the Mayor's seat.

To be honest, I didn't know him or know of him at the time, especially having only been in El Paso about 2 1/2 years.

I only knew that an item I had brought up for discussion on the agenda he was against. I didn't understand his thinking behind his point of view, and he didn't understand mine.

I later learned, with time and getting to know him, that he was not unsympathetic to what I was trying to achieve, he was just questioning whether or not it was in our purview of the CAC.

I still believe it was and is, but that is neither here nor there at the moment.

What I learned from Walt is to be slower to judge and to take the time to find out people's agendas before assuming their agendas. Walt doesn't even know he has taught me this, but when we take the time to listen we can learn alot, and I am thankful for that.

Walt and I have had a few more discussions since then on topics that matter to both of us and he has shown nothing but support- he is an excellent cheerleader.

This little snippet does not do justice to the many things Walt has been a part of in shaping NE El Paso and the city as a whole, but I also feel it speaks volumes in the sense that I have only known him a short while and he has made a positive impression on me. I will leave the long list of accolades to those I am expecting to see Tuesday at City Council who have known him longer to honor him. I think we'll see a packed house that morning.

Walt Phillips is truly our "Friend of the NE" and I am proud to call him my friend, too.