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Dallas City Council members interviewed the three city manager finalists behind closed doors on Wednesday.
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During a community event on Sunday, the candidates each talked about why they are the best person for the job.
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The council is expected to select among the three with a vote next week.
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Dallas City Council members interviewed the three city manager finalists behind closed doors on Wednesday.
-
During a community event on Sunday, the candidates each talked about why they are the best person for the job.
-
The council is expected to select among the three with a vote next week.
DallasThe three candidates for the Dallas City Manager position are being introduced to the public.
Members of the Dallas City Council interrogated the candidates on Wednesday: interim Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert, assistant Fort Worth City Manager William Johnson, and assistant Sacramento City Manager Mario Lara.
3 finalists named for Dallas city manager position. Here’s what happens next.
Three applicants were questioned by a committee on Monday morning for the vacant city manager position in Dallas.
Over the weekend, the public had the opportunity to meet the candidates and ask questions, but the interviews were conducted behind closed doors.
Next steps:
In a week, council members are supposed to cast their votes for the next city manager.
Mario Lara
Lara Mario
At a forum in North Dallas on Sunday, Sacramento candidate Mario Lara made an effort to establish a personal connection with the locals.
“I am aware that I am an outside candidate looking to give the community a new start and a different viewpoint. Therefore, it’s crucial that you truly get to know me,” he stated. “I am an immigrant. My parents were teachers, and I was born in Belize, Central America. They taught me the importance of diligence, self-control, honesty, and volunteerism.
Since 2022, Lara has been an assistant city manager in the capital city of California, where she has been in charge of the emergency management, community response, fire, and police departments.
“One major accomplishment there was a reduction in homelessness, which I ve heard from the community input sessions that I’ve heard is a concern here,” he stated.
Lara has also held positions in San Bernadino County, California, and the city of Riverside.
William Johnson
Johnson, William
William Johnson, the assistant city manager in Fort Worth since 2019, touted his achievements when it comes to police pay.
“Great new contract that our police are so excited about where we made some adjustments in how we structure pay, how much time it takes for them to reach their maximum salary so that we can attract the best of the best not just from around the Metroplex but from around the country,” he stated.
Johnson said he wants to be in Dallas because it is one of the premier cities in the world, and he has experience when it comes to attracting tourism.
“The Stockyards receive more visitors than the Eiffel Tower. “A lot of people are unaware of that,” he stated.
Johnson has previously worked in emergency services in the private sector and for the cities of Atlanta and Baltimore.
Kimberly Tolbert
Kim Tolbert
Dallas is already her home, Kim Tolbert stressed.
She s held finance and administration roles in the city, and has served as the deputy city manager and chief of staff to the city manager.
“This is a full circle moment for me because I started my career with the city of Dallas as an intern 32 years ago. I am fundamentally a supporter of this city. I came from Tyler, Texas as a budding rose. “And Dallas gave me the opportunity to flourish,” she remarked.
She focused on her accomplishments as interim city manager since May.
“I laid out a proactive 100-day plan. We started with a budget deficit of $38 million, and we worked to close that gap. I restructured the organization, streamlined operations saving you $13 million,” she said.
Tolbert said the budget put public safety first while funding the pension commitment to first responders.
“I also worked to ensure we delivered the largest property tax reduction in modern history of this city with a unanimous city council vote,” she said.
She closed her case with passion.
“I know I am the right leader right now. And I m ready to serve as the permanent city manager,” she said.
The Source:The information in this story comes from a community meet and greet event with the candidates on Sunday, as well as past news coverage.
