RK Seals lived on the east coast for a majority of his life. The P&Z commissioner earned his PhD in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State and worked for NASA over 30 years. He spent a majority of his career at the Langley Research Center in Virginia and in Washington, D.C.
A satellite project led him down to the Bandera area. This project was the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), which was launched into space in 1991. The satellite “measured ozone and chemical compounds found in the ozone layer which affect ozone chemistry and processes. UARS also measured winds and temperatures in the stratosphere as well as the energy input from the Sun. Together, these help define the role of the upper atmosphere in climate and climate variability,” according to its NASA website page.
Seals said before it was launched, he was able to touch the satellite while wearing protective safety gear; only a few select people were lucky enough to do that. UARS was officially decommissioned in 2005.
While working at NASA, the commissioner explained that projects can last for years and it’s important to go through the material thoroughly. For example, Seals began working on UARS in the 1970s and it launched in the ‘90s.
Fine details matter. It’s also important to be able to work together with other people on projects. Being analytic and thorough has helped Seals in his career and as a P&Z commissioner.
In 2003, Seals and his wife, Priscella, decided to retire to the Hill Country of Texas. He fell in love with the area while visiting Bandera for work. He and his wife met while attending college and have been happily married for 54 years. The couple have two daughters, two granddaughters, and one grandson. One of their daughters was living in Austin in 2003 so Blanco was the perfect location. The Seals lived near Fischer until 2019 when they moved to Cielo Springs to downsize a bit.
The commissioner served on the Old Blanco Courthouse board for a few years. When he was finished serving, he wanted to continue to help the community. Seals said he didn’t have much experience with zoning but thought his knowledge would be beneficial. He joined the commission five years ago and has served as the vice-chair in the past.
The commissioner explained that he enjoys helping and learning what is happening around Blanco. The growth of Blanco is coming and Seals wanted to help figure out the future of the city. A big challenge is infrastructure; streets should be maintained and there is a need for a housing mix. He would love to see the P&Z commission become more proactive in the future instead of reacting to issues brought before the commission. Seals is proud of the work P&Z has accomplished during his time including cleaning up the zoning categories.
In his spare time, you can find Seals golfing at the course or working around his property. The commissioner also enjoys creating Excel documents and has been tracking the current pandemic.
