Interim City Manager Kimberly Tolbert is continuing to streamline services by reshaping several departments as part of her “100-Day Transition Playbook.”
In a memo to Dallas City Council members, Tolbert explained her rationale for consolidating the Office of Integrated Public Safety Solutions and the Office of Emergency Management into one department — the Office of Emergency Management and Crisis Response.
The realignment will become effective on August 14, and the reorganization is expected to result in “an immediate budget impact” of about $1.5 million.
“The renamed Office of Emergency Management and Crisis Response (ECR) will lead the City’s emergency preparedness and management efforts, operate behavioral health crisis response teams, and operationalize a cross-departmental City Action Strike Team (CAST),” Tolbert wrote.
“The goal of the ECR is to enhance the safety, health, and well-being of Dallas residents and visitors. It will deliver emergency response, compassionate support, advance public safety initiatives, facilitate access to essential services that will reduce future service demands, and address and mitigate chronic quality of life issues through the CAST,” she continued. “The result will be a more resilient organization that is more deliberate with its preparedness and responsiveness.”
“The ECR will also have the benefit of leveraging data to identify areas to proactively coordinate cross-departmental collaboration to intervene with the CAST. In addition, staff will be cross-trained to ensure a more flexible and efficient response, maximizing resources and improving overall effectiveness,” she added.
Created in April 2020, the Office of Integrated Public Safety Solutions oversees the RAPID Response Team, Violence Interruptors Program, and the RIGHT Care Program.
The Office of Emergency Management provides “a resilient emergency management structure dedicated to public safety and welfare through the preservation of life, health, property, and the environment.”
In the memo, Tolbert stated that the new department’s “core functions” under emergency management include preparedness, Community Emergency Response Team, Emergency Operations Center, and Homeland Security grant administration. Behavioral health operations include the RIGHT Care Program and Crisis Intervention Team.
“The newly formed ECR will house the newly established City Action Strike Team (CAST) to address and mitigate chronic quality of life issues within the City that are cross-departmental in nature,” according to the memo.
“These issues … include any combination of homeless encampments, illegal dumping, litter, drug and narcotics use, and other public safety concerns. The team will utilize a data-driven approach to identify problem areas and deploy targeted, proactive interventions that involve cross-department communication and collaboration.”
Director Kevin Oden and Deputy Director Travis Houston will lead ECR.
“This departmental reorganization results in roughly up to $2 million in savings,” according to Tolbert’s memo. “These savings are the result of programmatic and staffing changes and realignment. This will be reflected in the FY24-25 budget. Future savings are anticipated as we continue to identify opportunities to eliminate costs without compromising services.”
In a separate memo, Tolbert announced her intention to consolidate the Department of Transportation and Department of Public Works.
“The new Transportation and Public Works Department (TPW) will lead and manage all City of Dallas multimodal surface transportation programs and projects, resulting in enhanced service delivery to our internal and external stakeholders. TPW will be led by Director Ghassan “Gus” Khankarli, PH.D., PE, PMP, CLTD.”
“Transforming into TPW will help us build on the positive outcomes we’ve already achieved, continue to build trust, and improve adaptability for our evolving business environments,” according to the memo. “This reimagined department will also further investments in current and future infrastructure projects, while strengthening public and private partnerships.”
Tolbert, the former deputy city manager, assumed her position as interim city manager in May when T.C. Broadnax resigned to become Austin’s city manager. She was originally appointed on February 27 in a 12-2 vote, with Council Members Cara Mendelsohn (District 12) and Paul Ridley (District 14) voting no. Mayor Eric Johnson did not attend the meeting.
Since then, Tolbert has implemented parts of her “100-Day Transition Playbook,” the “framework” that emphasizes the pension system, budget, development services, communications and engagement, employee recruitment and retention, and homelessness. She has vowed to reduce each department’s budget by 6% heading into the next fiscal year after CFO Jack Ireland said the City faces a $40 million shortfall in its planned 2024-25 budget of $4.5 billion.
The planning and permitting departments have also been consolidated. Tolbert also moved the Real Estate Division of the Department of Public Works to the newly created Department of Facilities and Real Estate Management, which was called the Building Services Department.
Dallas City Council members and Mayor Eric Johnson did not respond to requests for comment.
