Dallas officials say they hope to hire a new city manager by the end of the year, but the hiring process has yet to be finalized.
The city manager position has been open since May when former embattled City Manager T.C. Broadnax stepped down following seven years of controversies and various inefficiencies in City operations. He left to become Austin’s new city manager, as reported by The Dallas Express.
On Monday, Dallas City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Administrative Affairs received a seven-page city manager recruitment brochure. Mayor Eric Johnson tasked the committee with overseeing the recruitment of the next manager alongside search firm Baker Tilly.
The brochure includes a detailed run-down of the position, including a desired candidate profile, leadership opportunities, priorities, education requirements, and a short paragraph on compensation and benefits.
“The City Manager determines the financial, personnel, and strategic goals of the City, providing excellent customer service through effective communication, leadership, integrity, respect, and accountability,” the brochure reads. “The City Manager is also responsible for ensuring that the city remains a safe and vibrant place to live in.”
The draft of the brochure says the City of Dallas is looking for someone with unquestionable integrity and ethics, visionary leadership, outstanding communication skills, adaptability and accountability, fiscal management expertise, community engagement, organizational skills, workforce planning, and crisis management.
The committee was also presented with a survey of what 450 Dallas employees and 2,100 residents are looking for in the next city manager.
Survey results showed that previous experience as a city manager or other leadership position in municipal government was the most important qualification, followed by financial management experience.
Additionally, Dallasites are looking for a city manager who will ensure the safety of residents and visitors and foster clean, livable, and vibrant neighborhoods.
Polling conducted by The Dallas Express has shown that public safety is a top concern of residents, many of whom feel there are not enough police officers on the street.
Baker Tilly presented a drafted timeline of the hiring process, with candidate reviews beginning in September, interviews scheduled for October, and an offer issued by October 31.
Among the potential contenders could be interim city manager Kimberly Tolbert, who took over after Broadnax resigned. Tolbert has yet to publicly state that she will apply to be the permanent city manager; however, many believe she is making long-term moves to ensure she gets the job.
Tolbert has a long history of working to advance racial “equity” and other DEI-related issues, DX reported.