Nacogdoches narrows manager search to three candidates
Published: Fri, 08/11/23
Nacogdoches narrows manager search to three candidates
In this image taken from video, members of the Nacogdoches City Council listen to a report from Capital Needs Committee co-chairs John Calahan and Judy McDonald during a July 11 meeting. The council will interview city manager candidates in person Aug. 18
City of Nacogdoches
The Daily Sentinel
BY JOSH EDWARDS Staff Writer
August 10, 2023
Nacogdoches has narrowed the field of candidates for city manager to three.
The three finalists will be in town Aug. 18 for in-person interviews from the City Council city employees followed by a meet-and-greet with the public from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fredonia Hotel, 200 N. Fredonia St.
More than 50 applicants applied for job, which has been open since Mario Canizares took a similar position in North Texas in February.
“We had a number of outstanding applicants for this position and believe the city will be well served by any one of these candidates,” Mayor Randy Johnson said.
Of the 50, 25 applicants met the listed qualifications and were asked to provide written responses to 22 questions selected by the City Council and human resources director.
“The entire City Council appreciates the outstanding support provided by (Human Resources Director) Bonita Hall and her team,” Johnson said.
The pool was further reduced via a round of teleconference interviews, leading to the selection of the three finalists for the position.
Fire Chief Keith Kiplinger has filled the city manager role in the interim. He did not apply for the full time position.
Kiplinger said Friday that he would assist the new city manager as they get accustomed to the role before stepping back into his job with the fire department.
The City Council opted to let Hall handled the search rather than using an outside firm like that one that found Canizares.
Strategic Government Resources conducted that search that led to Canizares’ hiring in to succeed longtime City Manager Jim Jeffers, who retired in January 2020 after serving as city manager for 17 years.
Shortly after Jeffers’ last day with the city, the council contracted with the same search firm to bring in an interim city manager, retired Plano deputy city manager Rod Hogan. After the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, however, Hogan opted to return to his family in Plano and his role was reduced to an offsite consultant.
Josh Edwards' email is josh.edwards@dailysentinel.com.