City moves forward with search for new city manager

Mayor Kirk Watson has indicated progress on the search for a new city manager. On Monday, Watson posted an update to the City Council Message Board explaining that the Council committee tasked with finding a search firm will be recommending Mosaic Public Partners. The committee is made up of Watson, Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis and Council members Chito Vela and Leslie Pool, but the selection of a search firm will require approval by Council as a whole. Watson had previously said that a search firm would be approved by Council in August or September of this year, with an ultimate goal of having a new city manager in place by September 2024. “The Committee reviewed multiple responses to the RFQ, interviewed four national firms (three in person and one virtually) and evaluated references before deciding to make this recommendation. Mosaic Public Partners is a national search firm with broad experience in recruiting public sector officials, including previously recruiting positions for the City of Austin. Among other factors the Committee considered in making this recommendation was Mosaic’s commitment to an open, transparent process that involved a robust public process,” Watson wrote. A transparent process would stand in contrast to the previous city manager search, which was initially held in secret before becoming public. Mosaic is also leading the search for Austin Water’s assistant director of operations. Currently, the city manager position is being filled on an interim basis by former city manger Jesús Garza, who replaced Spencer Cronk after his firing in February 2023. Council is expected to vote on the recommendation at its Oct. 19 meeting.