NAMES OF 5 FINALISTS FOR CITY MANAGER RELEASED

  

The City of Brenham has released the names of the five finalists for the City Managers position. Terry Roberts, who has served as City Manager for 17 years is retiring at the end of January.

The five finalists are:

James Fisher who served as City Manager in Forney, Texas until September of this year. His employment contract with that city was terminated by their city council after a 1 year review of Fisher’s performance as City Manager.

Chris Heard who served as City Administrator in Lebanon Missouri until July of this year. Heard resigned from his position with the city of Lebanon in July after a dispute with the mayor over the division of authority there.

Carolyn Miller who is currently Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the City of Brenham. Miller has been employed by the City of Brenham since 2005 serving in a number for financial positions. Miller resigned from her seat on the Blinn College Board in 2015 after serving as a Trustee for 4 years.

Bo Thomas who is the current City Manager for the city of Bellmead, Texas where he has served for the past 5 years. He also served as city manager in Page, Arizona for 9 ½ years and Hobbs, New Mexico for 8 years.

Todd Thompson who is the current City Manager in Galesburg, Illinois. He has held that position since 2011. Before that, he was the City Manager in Mexico, Missouri for 3 ½ years and the Assistant City Administrator in Raymore, Missouri for 7 years.

All five candidates are scheduled to be interviewed in person next Wednesday by City Council members. The Brenham City Council is expected to make their final selection in 3 to 4 weeks.

Background information on each candidate provided by the City of Brenham:

 

JAMES FISHER, FORNEY, TEXAS

  • Recently City Manager of Forney, Texas (pop: 19,000) for 1+ years until September 2017. 145 city employees and a $35 million budget.
  • Former City Manager of Murphy, Texas (pop: 20,000) for 8 years until 2016.
  • Former City Administrator of Bee Cave, Texas (pop: 2,500) for 10 years until 2008.
  • Former City Manager of Muleshoe, Texas (pop: 5,000) for 2 years until 1998.
  • Former City Administrator of Castroville, Texas (pop: 2,680) for 2 years until 1996.
  • Former Assistant City Manager of Port Aransas, Texas (pop: 4,000) for 2 years until 1994.
  • BBA in Management from West Texas A & M University in 1988.
  • Master’s in Public Affairs from University of Texas at Dallas 2010. 

 

CHRIS HEARD, LEBANON, MISSOURI:

  • Recently City Administrator of Lebanon, Mo (pop: 14,709) April 2011 to July 2017. 200 city employees and a $54 million budget.
  • Former City Administrator of Ashland, Mo. (pop: 3,707) 3+ years.
  • Former Assistant City Administrator of St. Robert, Mo (pop: 4,340) 2 ½ years
  • Immediate Past President of Missouri. City Managers Association 2014-2017.
  • Bachelor in Communications from Missouri Western State College May 2000.
  • Master in Public Administration from University of Missouri May 2004.

 

CAROLYN MILLER, BRENHAM, TEXAS

  • Currently Assistant City Manager-Chief Financial Officer of the City of Brenham, Texas (pop: 16,000) for 2 ½ years since April 2015. Brenham has 240 employees and a budget of $64 million.
  • Chief Financial Officer for the City of Brenham since June 2009.
  • Director of Finance for the City of Brenham for 2 2/3rds years 2006-2009.
  • Senior Accountant for the City of Brenham for 1 ½ years to October 2006.
  • Corporate Controller for Kolkhorst Petroleum for 4 years to 2005.
  • Various financial positions in Brenham at Baylor Scott and White, Washington County Chamber and O’Malley Strand Engineers for 6 years 1999-2001.
  • The Methodist Hospital-Houston for 11 years ending as Corporate Manager in 1994.
  • Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Texas since 1983.
  • Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas A & M University in 1980. 

 

BO THOMAS, BELLMEAD, TEXAS:

  • Currently City Manager of Bellmead, Texas (pop: 10,100) for 5+ years since July 2012. 78 city employees and a $14 million budget. .
  • Former City Manager of Page, AZ. (pop: 7,500) for 9 ½ years to 2012.
  • Former City Manager Hobbs, NM (pop: 28,000) for 8 years to 2002.
  • Former Assistant City Manager 2 years and Risk Manager 4 years in Hobbs.
  • Bachelor in Business Administration from New Mexico State University in 1984

 

TODD THOMPSON, GALESBURG, ILLINOIS

  • Currently City Manager of Galesburg, Illinois (pop: 32,195) for 6 ½ years since January 2011. 222 employees and a $66 million budget.
  • Former City Manager of Mexico, Missouri (pop: 11,320) for 3-1/2 years until 2011.
  • Former Assistant City Administrator of Raymore, Missouri (pop: 16,000) for 7 years until 2007 including one year as Acting City Administrator
  • Management Assistant in Public Works for the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri (pop: 70,000) for 2 ½ years until March 2000.
  • Bachelor in Political Science from Southern Illinois University in 1993.
  • Master’s in Public Administration from Southern Illinois University in 1995.
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27 Comments

  1. Why don’t they look outside of the box for someone who has run a SUCCESSFUL town?! How will our community reach its potential with this small town thinking?

  2. If he wants to take it on, Lowell Ogle would make a good city manager. I can only assume he did not want to apply or was discouraged by other city officials who obviously want more of the same. Everyone that reads this article and has decent comprehension can see it is the business as usual snow job on this farce of a search for new city manager.

  3. Right on Rick, I to have had great response when needed from Lowell. If Lowell had applied and the consultants fail to recognize him as the top candidate then they are only drawing names. They will be gone soon with the big check and council will blame them if a wrong choice is made. Shop Brenham.

  4. Not exactly an A list line up, I think I would fire my recruiting firm and start all over. Recruiting firms are supposed to attract quality candidates, those who are working and doing a great job who might not be looking to leave, but are might be enticed to go if a great offer comes along. Interviewing a bunch of unemployed, underemployed, and complete out of state people will not get us a great result.

    Shame on the city council.

  5. Get in the street with your pitch forks. These are life time city managers. They know how it works and how to get the most taxes from YOU! We are just sheep, they are the hearders.
    So what if it’s spelled wrong, you know what I mean. BE HEARD!

    1. I’m a taxpayer. I go to the city office to ask a question on property and parking I know it is Friday. But, I’m at work I would ecpect as a taxpayer, that city employees would be at work too. On Friday morning, city planner, light off. On Friday morning, city engineer, light off. This is what my taxes pay for. It is paychecks without performance. It ain’t like it was last time I did a paving project in Brenham. I’ve decided to work other pkaces. At least those cities have people that shiw up to work.

      1. Are these employees not allowed time off? How do you know why they are not at work, perhaps there was a family emergency or heaven forbid they just wanted to take a day off. Find out why they weren’t there and then complain. I am not a big fan of most of our local government at all, however they are entitled to days off!

  6. How can The city manager, mayor and council look at themselves in the mirror each day? Seems like the fix is in and it is the good ole boy/gal system again. When will this insanity stop? The good citizens need to create and complete a petition to put the elimination of city managers job on the next ballot. And the animal shelter management is a scandal. In my 50 adult years as a Brenham citizen, I never imagined our city government in the current state.

    1. I totally agree. I recently attended a public forum where the City Planner and one Asst. City Manager want an ordinance for all residential buildings , commercial buildings, and industrial buildings, to be brick. Yes, you read this right. No more wood houses. Two council members were there in support of this too. At the same meeting I found out that all new streets have to be concrete. No more asphalt. Another scheme to raise taxes and to make Brenham unaffordable. Nevertheless, I agree. The city mentality is in shambles. It is no wonder that the city manager search is so incredibly pathetic. We need No Incumbents at the next city election.

  7. Wow! This is the way I see it – Mr. Fisher and Mr. Heard need a job. Ms. Miller has been in a financial position with the City of Brenham since 2005. Have any of you Brenham residents ever analyzed your tax records? I went and looked at ours tonight just to see what kind of job Ms. Miller is doing in the City. The following is tax amounts for the same house: In 2000 our City of Brenham taxes were $378.40. In 2017 they are $730.68. Lets see, that is an increase of $352.28 during Ms. Millers time. Our Blinn College taxes were $58.91 in 2000 and $70.82 in 2017, increase of $11.91. Our Washington County taxes went from $335.45 in 2000 to $376.89 in 2017 for an increase of $41.44. Ms. Miller doesn’t seem to have kept the taxes comparable to the other two entities, so I am not sure she would be a very good City Manager in my books. Mr. Thomas has served only in small towns, so I am not sure how he would do with a town our size. Right now, Mr. Thompson would have to get my vote, but since we are not voting or have a vote in replacing Mr. Roberts, I am going to do some more homework and then write my council person a letter with my thoughts! I hope others in the City do the same.

    1. I would encourage more research before assigning the tax increases to a city employee. Tax increases are a combination of city council decisions and the appraisal district increasing or decreasing the assessed value of a property. More than likely, you have gotten both an increase in your property appraisal (City Council does not control this) and an increase in your tax rate (City council does control this). Ms. Miller would not have any direct control in her current position and whomever the new city manager is would have very little control either. Luckily we live in a democracy and it takes more than one person to increase what we pay to our governments. I don’t have a preference either way here, but I am not a fan of the wrong information being posted. If you have issues with your current tax rates, you should contact your city council member. Those are the people who are making these types of calls.

      1. That just chimes in with today’s government mentality. The reason taxes are so high is simple. It boils down to mismanagement of tax dollars. Middle management is out of Control. That is the respobsibiliry of city management. That is in control of city chief financial officer. The system is already broke. Existing management that can’t manage and have increased middle management need to leave. We need a single manager that manages, not out of control hiring seat warmers in city hall.

    1. Agreed. Was Mr. Lowell Ogel considered? He has been there for quite a long time and is very helpful and knowledgeable. When we had a problem with our utility bill, my wife met with him and came home very pleased and our bill was adjusted. It seems like hiring from within would be a great plan!

      1. agreed, we need someone like lowell that has been a hands-on problem solver. public utilites notified us that my meter had a problem. found out that i had a broken pipe. lowell handled the unforeseeable incident with utility clerk. problem solved without a hastle.

  8. These are the “TOP 5″…………….? The citizens of Brenham have got to stand up and be heard.. This is unbelievable..

  9. Carolyn Miller would be the biggest mistake They could make just ask Blinn board about her performance there from what I under she resigned because things would not go her way!!!

  10. I’m in agreement with Really & Bryan; looks like some of those MANY apps came from bottom of the barrel; at least two of the finalists … Prayers that the most valuable one is chosen.

  11. The City hired a $20,000 consultant service and the finalists they came up with consist of 2 whose contracts were terminated or they “resigned” and 1 who is a current employee. What a complete waste of taxpayer dollars.

      1. Hmm mm. So the color of one’s skin, not the qualifications, or lack thereof is more concerning to you? It is a candidate’s history in the position he or she is applying for and his or her ideas on how to best run the city that count. The pigment of their skin shouldn’t come into play. That’s how I see it in the real world. I’m tired of race being brought into everything in America today. How about we look at one another as people instead of what color our skin is. God bless America, Texas, and Brenham.

  12. Come on Brenham all you have to do is a google search on these candidates for city manager position and see that the city counsel isn’t doing their homework.

    Chris Heard who served as City Administrator in Lebanon Missouri was asked to resign by the mayor in May of 2017. There was even a citizens petition for removal of Chris Heard.

    James Fisher who served as City Manager in Forney, Texas less than a year and he was terminated. The city of Forney had to pay him $200,000 severance pay.

    1. It is obvious that the city government is stacking the deck of cards again. By choosing the worst applicants; then the bad that is already onthe city staff looks better. This is the last straw. I can’t wait till election time. The incumbents should not waste their money to even run. But they will. This’s why your taxes are on the rise; poor judgement.

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