The current interim city manager is set to take on the permanent role – one that, in Dallas’ form of government, has more responsibility and power than the mayor
DALLAS — A former Dallas City Hall intern is poised to become the city’s most influential public official after the Dallas City Council voted to appoint Kimberly Bizor Tolbert as the next city manager on Wednesday. The council approved the appointment with a 13-2 vote, officially confirming Tolbert in the role she has held on an interim basis since February 2024.
Tolbert’s appointment is historic: she will be the first Black woman to serve as Dallas city manager and the first woman in over a decade to hold the position.
The city manager role became vacant following the resignation of T.C. Broadnax, who left to become the city manager of Austin last year. Although Tolbert was widely seen as the frontrunner, she kept her intentions under wraps over the summer, even as she led a major reorganization of city departments and managed the departures and replacements of key city leaders.
Her formal candidacy came as no surprise when she was named one of three semi-finalists for the position in November. After a contentious selection process, Tolbert was chosen over Fort Worth Assistant City Manager William Johnson and Sacramento Assistant City Manager Mario Lara.
Despite some internal friction among council members over the lengthy hiring process, it was Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins who made the motion to appoint Tolbert to the job permanently, with a salary of $450,000—up from Broadnax’s salary of $423,247 at the time of his resignation.
“This has not been the easiest journey,” Atkins said before the vote, acknowledging the confusion surrounding the process but expressing confidence that the council would unite in support of Tolbert. “Dallas is the greatest city in America, and we should show that we have the greatest city manager in America.”
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam Bazaldua also praised Tolbert’s leadership, noting improvements in City Hall morale under her interim tenure. “We already have the best in the city of Dallas,” Bazaldua said. “I know that the future of the city is bright in the hands of Ms. Kimberly Bizor Tolbert.”
However, not all council members were in agreement. Council member Cara Mendelsohn, who voted against Tolbert’s appointment, expressed a desire for more change and reform, particularly in hiring more police officers and streamlining the city’s permitting processes. “My vote will be grounded in the hope that I have for Dallas’ future,” Mendelsohn said. “A future that demands a new direction and a fresh perspective in our leadership.”
Council member Paul Ridley, who also voted against Tolbert, raised concerns about a contract provision that could grant Tolbert up to two years’ severance pay—potentially amounting to $900,000—in the event of her termination. Bazaldua dismissed these concerns as “disingenuous at best.”
Mayor Eric Johnson emphasized the importance of appointing the right person for the job. “The hiring of a city manager is the single most important hire that the city council makes,” he said. “I believe we did it by finding the right person for the right job at the right time.”
Tolbert’s family was present for the vote, and she addressed the council afterward, thanking members for their confidence in her. “Together, we can continue to improve and make Dallas an even greater city,” she said. “We proactively laid a new foundation to evolve into a more customer-centric organization that does business with thoughtfulness, yet urgency.”
As city manager, Tolbert will oversee a $5 billion budget, manage the police and fire departments, and direct crucial city services such as permitting and road repairs. Under Dallas’ charter, the city manager holds more power and responsibility than the mayor.
One of Tolbert’s most immediate challenges will be appointing a permanent police chief, a position made even more difficult after she successfully fended off efforts to poach Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia—only to lose him to Austin last fall.
Tolbert will also need to guide the city through the implementation of voter-approved Propositions S and U, which have raised concerns about potential legal battles and financial strain. Additionally, she will need to resolve the city’s ongoing legal issues with the police and fire pension board, following a judge’s ruling in November that could force the city to adopt a more costly strategy for the pension plan.
In her role as interim city manager, Tolbert earned $367,000 annually.
From Intern to City Manager
Tolbert’s journey to the top job is a remarkable one. A graduate of the University of North Texas, she began her career with the city as an intern in the early 1990s. She earned both a bachelor’s degree in political science (1991) and a master’s degree in public administration (1993) from UNT. Tolbert described her elevation to interim city manager as a “full circle moment.”
She worked her way up through various roles, including assistant director of the Department of Aviation and assistant to the city manager. After nearly nine years at the North Texas Tollway Authority, where she served as chief of staff and director of strategy, Tolbert rejoined the City of Dallas in 2017 as Deputy City Manager to Broadnax.
Her promotion to interim city manager came after Broadnax’s controversial departure in early 2024. While some groups, particularly those in the city’s Black community, vocally supported her ascension, her appointment was met with resistance from others on the council who criticized the process as rushed and lacking transparency.
Tolbert’s tenure as interim city manager was seen as a lengthy audition, during which she showcased her accomplishments, including stabilizing the city’s public safety pensions, passing a $5 billion budget, and reorganizing city departments to improve efficiency. She also faced setbacks, including the loss of Police Chief Garcia to Austin, despite an intense effort to keep him in Dallas.
A Rocky Hiring Process
The search for a permanent city manager was marred by delays, missteps, and public disagreements. The city hired a search firm, Baker Tilly, at a cost of $134,000, but the process was plagued by errors, such as using a photo of Houston in promotional materials for the Dallas position. Tensions between council members boiled over, and by December, a group of members had attempted to force a meeting to discuss the hire, only to be thwarted by a lack of support from their colleagues.
On January 15, the final three candidates were interviewed behind closed doors, and the council debated their qualifications for about seven hours before casting the final vote on Wednesday.