Aide to councilwoman strives to make difference
Antoinette Vega

It’s 1:30 on a Friday afternoon and Kristi Wiseman shows no sign of slowing down as she guides three Fort Worth business leaders to the City Council conference room to meet with Councilwoman Wendy Davis. Once they are inside, Wiseman heads back to her desk, located in a small corner of Davis’s office, to answer telephone calls, respond to e-mails and open the daily mail.

Wiseman, Davis’s council aide, is the first person to respond to Fort Worth residents and the person to go through to get to Davis. The tasks that Wiseman does are behind-the-scenes activities, but they are an important part of how the City Council works with the residents.

Wiseman said the most important thing about her job is helping residents feel connected to the city departments and their procedures. For example, Wiseman assisted a resident who did not understand that his carport was not in compliance with the city codes. He needed the carport to transport his disabled daughter to and from her car. Wiseman said the man did not speak English, but with a translator she helped the man understand how to make his carport comply with the city codes.

“The man had a legitimate reason for wanting his carport to be extra long,” Wiseman said. “It was sad that he had to change it, but I was glad to be someone he could turn to for answers and explanations.”

Brian Casebolt, a senior political science major, said he talked to Wiseman many times about his concerns when the city created an ordinance against soliciting money at intersections or panhandling.

He said his fraternity panhandles to raise money for charity and was granted an exemption from the ordinance.

“Our fraternity would have lost a great outlet for raising money if we had not received an exemption,” Casebolt said. “Kristi and I spent a lot of time on the phone discussing this issue, and she always seemed happy to help me.”

Davis said Wiseman may not always have an answer for a resident, but she will work hard to get one for them. She said Wiseman cares about helping residents find solutions to their problems.

“Kristi tries to make sure that every single question or concern is answered every single day, and sometimes on weekends,” Davis said.

Wiseman is also in charge of everything that comes in and out of Davis’s office. She said Davis receives at least 15 phone calls, 20 pieces of mail and more than 100 e-mails a day.

“Many times children send us cards or posters expressing their thanks for something we have done for them,” Wiseman said. “But we also get letters from others out there going through hard times. Each day is different.”

Wiseman has been an aide to Davis for more than two years. Many times, Wiseman must fill in for Davis at neighborhood meetings and appearances. She recently delivered a proclamation at Cooks Children’s Hospital in place of Davis.

“I like to attend as much as I can,” Wiseman said. “It feels great to be out there directly involved with the community.”

Before signing on with Davis, Wiseman worked closely with the City Council while advocating recycling in Fort Worth as a member of the Curbside Recycling Committee. Wiseman said she met Davis through the committee because they both have similar views about recycling.

Wiseman, 51, is originally from Irving, but she now lives close to TCU with her husband, Richard, an area attorney. Both are TCU graduates and were married during their final year in college in 1973. Wiseman completed her bachelor’s degree in physical education in three years. She taught at a school in Austin to put her husband through law school at the University of Texas. They have two sons, Culley and Todd.

Wiseman aid she and her husband never forget about TCU or the community.

“I am committed to my job and to Fort Worth,” Wiseman said. “Every day I see the things we do really help, and I always want to be a part of that.”