Bryan Hires New City Manager

[dazed2010]

Watkins accepts Bryan job

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...w_post&f=66

David Watkins will start his new job as Bryan city manager Oct. 30, city officials announced Tuesday.

Watkins, 52, of Auburn, Ala., made the decision after spending two days this week talking with department directors and touring the city. The terms of his contract, including his salary, will be determined at Tuesday's Bryan council meeting.

He was one of more than 200 applicants for the job and was added to a list of four finalists last month. Clearwater, Fla., Assistant City Manager Garry Brumback, manufacturing manager Theo Vaults and Bryan Deputy City Manager Joey Dunn also were considered for the position.

The new city manager has more than 30 years of city government experience, including 19 years as manager of Lenexa, Kan. Watkins replaces Mary Kaye Moore, who retired from Bryan earlier this year. Bryan Texas Utilities Group Manager Kean Register has served in the interim.

Mayor Pro Tem Mark Conlee said he thinks the council found the best fit for the job.

"I think we got really lucky," Conlee said. "We felt like we got a top-notch guy."

Watkins' professional experience set him apart from the other finalists, Councilman Ben Hardeman said.

"We had some other good candidates, but he's really been down the road before," Hardeman said.

Watkins, who is married and has two grown daughters, also was a candidate for city manager in Lawrence, Kan. He was a finalist for assistant city manager posts in College Station, Arlington and McKinney.

"Bryan has some momentum going," he said Tuesday afternoon, when reached for comment at a Houston airport on a return trip to Auburn. "I think I can help them take advantage of that momentum."

He said he's impressed with the caliber of the staff in Bryan.

"A city manager is only as good as his staff," he said. "A manager is a coach, a mentor. I came back to Bryan this week because I wanted to see what talent I'd be working with."

Department directors ought to be empowered to make decisions without constantly consulting with the city manager, Watkins said.

"The world moves too fast now," he said. "There are too many issues to have a choke point where decisions are given a thumbs up or thumbs down. If a manager understands parameters, then that manager should feel free to do what they need to do. I want people who are confident and competent to make decisions."

Watkins said he thought all of the department heads he met were competent and capable.

It's too soon to make judgments about potential organizational restructuring, Watkins said.

"We're all under the microscope," he said. "You really need a good six months to get the lay of the land. Everybody will be coming in at first with a project that they weren't able to get through before. We'll spend some time talking about those things before I make any determinations."

Councilman Jason Bienski said he thinks the council members will have individual meetings with the new manager once he gets settled.

"We'll talk about some of our goals and objectives and visions for the future," Bienski said. "There's plenty to tackle. We'll also be looking to him for his ideas and suggestions."

The councilman added that he thinks Bryan will make progress under Watkins' leadership in areas such as economic development and code enforcement and improving the city's image.

"Only time will tell what lies ahead of us in the job Mr. Watkins will do for the city, but I feel confident in his ability to lead us in the right direction," Bienski said.

Watkins said his priorities include establishing respect with the council, developing a framework with the staff and making himself visible to the public.

"The role of a manager is to provide a strategic overview," he said. "I think a manager should spend a lot of time with the mayor and council working with visioning and communication and making sure they're informed, not about minutiae, but about the things they're going to be asked about in the community."

Edited September 20, 2006 by dazed2010