The search for a new city manager is heating up as Dallas officials have selected four finalists from a pool of 50 applicants.
The City is now one step closer to replacing T.C. Broadnax, who left his post earlier this year as City Manager to take up a new job in Austin, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
According to a recent memo obtained by D Magazine from Edward Williams, a director at the executive search firm Baker Tilly, the four finalists for the city manager position were chosen after an extensive review process by Dallas officials. Seven candidates were invited to complete additional questionnaires after their initial application, with the final four advancing to the next round of consideration for the job.
The current finalists being considered for the position include William Johnson, the Assistant City Manager of Fort Worth, where he currently oversees economic development, public safety, and major projects like the Texas A&M campus and the historic stockyards.
Another candidate is Mark Washington, who has served as the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan, since 2018. Washington has experience in local government jobs, including prior roles in Austin and Fort Worth.
Zachary Williams, the county manager for DeKalb County, Georgia, is also in the running. Williams has held this role since 2013 and has also worked in senior positions in Fulton County, Georgia, and Broward County, Florida.
Lastly, Kimberly Tolbert, is also still being strongly considered for the permanent job, despite a rocky interim stint as the current city manager.
Tolbert, who has held the position since Broadnax’s departure to Austin, has played a key role in Dallas’ operations during the transitional era, overseeing some tumultuous times in the city.
The incoming new city manager will face a number of key responsibilities that will shape the city’s future, including the appointment of a new permanent police chief. The current void at police chief comes after former Chief Eddie Garcia’s retirement earlier this year, a move that followed Broadnax’s resignation to join the city of Austin, as previously highlighted by DX.
During her stint as interim city manager, Tolbert has faced criticism for her handling of local policy issues. Specifically, she spent considerable time opposing the HERO amendments — propositions S, T, and U — that Dallas residents fought to approve in the recent elections.
Proposition S grants citizens the standing to sue the City and waives the City’s governmental immunity from suit and liability claims. Proposition U amends the charter to require the City to maintain a police force of at least 4,000 officers and increase their starting salaries. In addition, it stipulates that the City must spend at least 50% of annual revenue that exceeds the previous year’s revenue on funding the Dallas Police and Fire Pension.
Amendments S and U ultimately passed with a considerable margin despite pushback from Tolbert and others. Proposition T, which would have tied the city manager’s compensation to the results of a community survey, failed to pass.
The Dallas Express will update readers once the City makes a final decision on who will ultimately fill the city manager position, as Dallas is expected to announce its chosen candidate in the next few weeks.