Florida does what Florida does. In this case, a council took a giant dump on the pool of finalists and the local paper memorialized it for everyone to read.
In Texas, we have “city manager on city manager violence” involving the newly hired Clyde city administrator and I am curious to see if this story develops into something more.
And in Oklahoma, foes of a data center took an “L” after their attempt to recall the entire council fizzles out. All that and more news after the job postings.
Job Board Postings
It is free to post all of your senior and executive level recruitments over at the AAME job board. If you would like to include them in this newsletter, select the $199 option.
City/County Manager Recruitments
Other
IL: Decatur - Director of Finance (4/5/2024) | in-house
IL: Village of St. Joseph - Public Works Director (Until Filled) | in-house
KS: Osage County - County Controller (4/14/2026) | Bird Dog Consulting
NM: Ruidoso - Economic Development Director (5/6/2026) | Clear Career
NM: Ruidoso - Finance Director (5/6/2026) | Clear Career
NM: Ruidoso - Water Resource Director (5/6/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Dumas - Finance Director (5/6/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Lufkin - City Engineer (Extended - 5/19/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Marble Falls - Finance Director (Until Filled) | Clear Career
TX: Odessa - Assistant City Attorney (5/10/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Odessa - Chief Financial Officer (5/8/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Weatherford - Assistant Director of Water Utilities (Until Filled) | Clear Career
TX: Wichita Falls - Chief Building Official (4/29/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Clyde’s New City Administrator Accused the Granite Shoals City Manager of Misappropriating Funds Before He Left; She’s Been Cleared
Interesting story coming out of Texas.
The City of Clyde announced they have hired Kevin Rule to be their city administrator. Though he has previous city manager experience, he most recently served as the finance director for Granite Shoals.
He was fired in January. However, in December he made some serious allegations. He claimed that City Manager Sarah Novo and Assistant City Manager/Fire Chief Tim Campbell were involved in an unapproved city manager pay increase, fraudulent fire department equipment purchases and travel reimbursements, other improper spending, and funding shortfalls.
The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office has cleared the two officials of any wrongdoing following a months-long investigation.
I am curious to see what, if anything, Novo and Campbell do in light of this development. Is it possible to seek some sort of civil damages for reputational damage, etc.? And what are the intra-professional impacts, if any, of such a situation?
SC: City Administrator’s Job Search Lands Him in Hot Water with Some Residents
Bennettsville City Administrator William Simon is facing some heat after it was learned that he was a finalist for a job about 100 miles away.
Apparently, articles reporting on the Blythewood city manager search stated Simon lived in Columbia — not Bennettsville. This drew criticism from at least one commenter.
Another resident was apparently miffed that he was looking elsewhere after the council had just extended his contract. However, it appears based on a quick glance that his search began before the contract was extended by the council.
CA: ‘New Information’ Prompts Alameda To Delay Hiring Of Pleasanton City Manager
Odd situation that may be much ado about nothing.
Pleasanton City Manager Gerry Beaudin is a finalist to become the city manager of Alameda where he previously served as the assistant city manager. It all appeared to be a done deal.
However, a council member said that new information came to light earlier that morning and that the only place they could talk about it is in closed session. Another council member said they had no clue what he was talking about.
My read on the matter is that this is an overly cautious “dotting of I’s and crossing of T’s” and Beaudin will be voted in as the city manager. However, stay tuned…
News Around the Country
CA: Hired as Guadalupe’s public works director in February 2025, David Trujillo tapped to lead city
CA: Twentynine Palms City Council appoints a new City Manager; he finished second in 2024 to Stone James and they asked if he was still interested
CA: Former Stockton City Manager Harry Black tapped for be Vallejo’s interim city manager
FL: Hasty to fire city manager, Loxahatchee Groves very slow to hire attorney to negotiate severance package
FL: Marco Island city manager candidates not up to snuff, councilors say; Another article gives timeline of city manager drama
FL: Longtime Tallahassee City Manager Reese Goad has announced his resignation
GA: Valdosta names Jennifer Wheeler first female finalist for city manager
IN: Chesterton launches new economic development initiative, replaces town manager with team of three
KY: Union city administrator to depart after five years
MO: Former Cape Girardeau Mayor, City Manager J. Ronald Fischer passes away
NC: The North Carolina City & County Communicators (NC3C) recognized Iredell County Strategy and Communications Manager Darsee Heath with two Excellence in Communications awards for their digital employee newsletter and branding
OK: Recall effort for entire Sand Springs City Council fails due to lack of signatures, City says
TX: Alamo commissioners vote to terminate city manager’s contract ‘without cause’
TX: Corpus Christi delays action on plan to cut water use by 25%
ifwhen emergency is declared (as soon as possibly September)TX: Two Dallas Council Members Say Staff Are Trying To ‘Guide the Public’ With City Hall Questions
WI: After losing 10% of its workforce, Ashland city administrator begs the council to pump the brakes on new initiatives until the vacancies can be filled
WI: Eau Claire City Manager Stephanie Hirsch resigns effective immediately and hours before council was slated to extend her contract
Compensation & Contracts
AR: Little Rock City Manager Delphone Hubbard's annual compensation is set to increase from $215,000 to around $218,762
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