Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax will retain his post for now.
Broadnax and Mayor Eric Johnson released a joint statement Tuesday, announcing that Thursday’s scheduled job performance review of Broadnax was postponed until August.
The postponement is in part due to Johnson being in isolation after contracting COVID-19 and partly because the pair reached an agreement to move forward together.
“A little over a week ago, I said that it was time for a change at the top of our city government,” Johnson said in the statement. “I still believe we need change. But after some serious and frank discussions with our city manager, I believe he is ready to make the necessary changes to address issues that are critically important to our residents.”
For his part, Broadnax said he had not handled some issues in a way that was up to his standards.
“I know my team, and I can be better. I understand that I am fully accountable to my 15 bosses. So today, I want to say to the mayor, to the members of the City Council, and to all the residents of this dynamic city: I accept the challenge,” Broadnax said in his statement.
“I take full responsibility for addressing the issues that are critical to the long-term success of the city. I recognize that our problems are not just about what the media reports but how we perform. I own that,” he added.
Additionally, the two men agreed to work together on major issues, including permit backlogs, 911 response times, public safety, and inter-office communication on high-priority topics.
One of Broadnax’s priorities will be enhancing transparency and accountability in how these matters are handled using the “R.E.A.L. Impact Plan.” “R.E.A.L.” stands for “Responsible, Equitable, Accountable, Legitimate” and refers to a proposed philosophy that would apply to all actions by the City and its authorities.
A significant aspect of the plan is R.E.A.L. Change, which focuses on improving Dallas’ policing practices.
Other areas of concern include IT infrastructure and concerns raised by Dallas firefighters.
As reported by The Dallas Express, Broadnax came under fire for his response to a data breach that cost the Dallas Police Department several terabytes of data.
He also previously elicited criticism from Jim McDade, president of the Dallas Fire Fighters Association.
McDade wrote in a letter to the city council last week, “Years of red tape, permitting issues, and delays from every city department who is involved in the process have caused areas of the City of Dallas to lack Fire and EMS coverage, endangering citizens and visitors.”
