Council approves Laurie Wilson as the new assistant city manager, approves KTMPO grant applications

Killeen Daily Herald
By Kevin Limiti | Herald
October 17, 2023

Laurie Wilson was approved as the city’s new assistant city manager by the Killeen City Council Tuesday by a vote of 6-0.

Councilman Ramon Alvarez was on Zoom and Councilman Joseph Solomon was absent.

There was no discussion during Tuesday’s regular meeting, which only lasted a few minutes.

Wilson — who previously worked for the city of Carrollton as an administrative services director — was chosen as the final candidate for the vacant Killeen assistant city manager position.

Wilson has 11 years of experience in government. She has worked in the city of Carrollton since 2012 and worked her way up to administrative services director as of 2017.

The population of Carrollton is 133,251, according to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2021. Killeen’s population is close to 160,000, according to a 2022 estimate.

Eighty-eight candidates applied for city’s No. 2 position behind City Manager Kent Cagle. Ten candidates did a video interview and five took part in an in-person interview on Sept. 8.

Cagle said in August the salary for an assistant city manager was budgeted at $195,000.

Wilson salary is $185,000, according to the city.

The city’s previous assistant city manager, Danielle Singh, was hired at $175,000 annually. She left the city in late May to take the city manager’s post in Jarrell, a fast-growing city between Belton and Georgetown along I-35.

Solomon arrived later in the evening for the council’s workshop meeting.

KTMPO

Two KTMPO grants were also approved 6-0 by the City Council, one for the Chaparral Road project and the other for the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Trail.

Councilman Riakos Adams was designated the ambassador for the KTMPO applications, he said last month.

The Chaparral Road Project was previously approved for $12.8 million for phase one of the project.

Phase 2 of the Chaparral project is estimated to cost $30 million, according to a presentation accompanying Tuesday’s agenda item.

If this phase of the project is approved, it will cover 80% of the costs, or $24 million.

If the council gives its approval, the application for the grants are due Oct. 27.

Another project that could be funded through KTMPO is the Fort Hood Regional Trail Extension.

Estimated cost of this project is $15 million.

If approved, KTMPO will pay about $12 million.

Any of these applications, if approved, would require a letter of support from the city of Killeen.