Dallas City Council members interviewed the three finalists for the position of City Manager on January 11, 2025. The finalists are Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, the interim City Manager, Mario Lara, an Assistant City Manager in Sacramento, and William Johnson, an Assistant City Manager in Fort Worth. The City Council is expected to vote on the appointment of a permanent city manager next week.
Residents and community leaders gathered at Dallas City Hall on January 11, 2025, to meet the candidates vying for the position of Dallas City Manager. The finalists, seated from left, were Dallas Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Sacramento Assistant City Manager Mario Lara, and Fort Worth Assistant City Manager William Johnson.Several council members chose to remain silent after the City Council meeting concluded, declining to comment on their interviews with the candidates.
Unless a special meeting is called, the earliest the elected officials could vote to appoint a city manager would be next Wednesday, as state law prohibits official votes during closed sessions. The Dallas City Manager is the highest-ranking appointed official in the municipal government, responsible for overseeing the daily operations of its over 13,000 employees and all city services. Their duties encompass hiring department heads, implementing policy decisions made by the City Council, and formulating and managing the annual budget. The city manager is appointed by and reports directly to the City Council.Among the pressing issues facing the new permanent city manager will be the recruitment of a new police chief and fire chief. They will also need to oversee the city's ongoing efforts to address homelessness and the growing need for affordable housing. Navigating the implementation of new voter-approved charter rules that mandate a significant portion of excess city revenue be allocated to public safety will also be crucial. Additionally, they will need to manage the city's response to a new ban on police officers arresting individuals suspected of possessing less than 4 ounces of marijuana and a lowered legal threshold allowing lawsuits if officials fail to comply with local or state laws. Johnson, Lara, and Tolbert were selected as finalists last month from a pool of nearly 50 applicants. In November, search firm Baker Tilly, which the city hired to lead the search, recommended Johnson and Tolbert as semifinalists but not Lara. Instead, they recommended Mark Washington, city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Zach Williams, executive assistant and chief operating officer for DeKalb County in Georgia. Both subsequently withdrew their candidacies.The selection process sparked criticism from some City Council members who raised concerns about the near-yearlong search for a city manager, the delayed release of the full list of applicants to the entire council, and whether Baker Tilly's semifinalist list presented the strongest candidates. Johnson and Lara are currently serving in cities that have recently completed or are in the midst of their own city manager searches. The Fort Worth City Council last week appointed another assistant city manager, Leyne Milstein, as interim city manager. The salary offered to the new Dallas city manager remains undisclosed. Broadnax, the previous city manager, earned $423,247 annually before departing the city. Tolbert receives $367,683 per year in her interim role, according to city records. Tolbert appears to be the frontrunner for the executive appointment and would become the first Black woman to hold the position of Dallas city manager if selected. Among the finalists, she possesses the most work experience in North Texas, nearly 30 years, with most of it within Dallas' government
DALLAS CITY MANAGER CITY COUNCIL KIMBERLY BIZOR TOLBERT MARIO LARA WILLIAM JOHNSON FINALISTS APPOINTMENT CITY SERVICES HOMELESSNESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING
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