Austin City Council members react to T.C. Broadnax recommendation for city manager role

After T.C. Broadnax, the exiting city manager of Dallas, was recommended Tuesday evening to be hired as Austin's next city manager by an Austin City Council subcommittee, he and most council members offered their reactions.

Broadnax was one of two finalists for the top position in Austin that oversees the daily operations of the 10th largest city in the country. He has been Dallas's city manager for seven years and prior to that the city manager of Tacoma, Wash., and the assistant city manager of San Antonio and Pompano Beach, Fl.

The other finalist was Sara Hensley, the city manager of Denton and former interim assistant city manager and director of parks and recreation in Austin.

The subcommittee that made the recommendation, according to a message board post from Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, was the group initially charged with hiring the search firm for the position: Watson, Leslie Pool, Paige Ellis, José “Chito” Vela and Vanessa Fuentes.

Read More: Austin City Council subcommittee recommends T.C. Broadnax be Austin's next city manager

Watson's post said they will post for a City Council vote next Thursday to authorize the negotiation of an employment agreement and/or the execution of an employment agreement with Broadnax to be the next city manager.

Here's what Broadnax and some City Council members had to say about the recommendation.

T.C. Broadnax

On Tuesday night, a few hours after Austin Mayor Kirk Watson posted on a City Council message board about the recommendation, the city of Austin sent out a news release with a statement from Broadnax:

Read More: Who is T.C. Broadnax? Here's what we know about the man recommended for Austin city manager.

"I am honored and I look forward to the City Council’s vote to allow me to serve as Austin’s next City Manager. With the continued growth of our state’s capital city, I am mindful of the critical needs we must urgently address and I am committed to doing so with a collaborative, transparent, inclusive and equitable approach. I also want to thank the Dallas City Council, city staff, and residents for the opportunity to serve as their City Manager for the last seven years."

District 1 Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison

In a post to the City Council message board, Harper-Madison said both Broadnax and fellow finalist Denton City Manager Sara Hensley were so impressive the council had a difficult time during deliberations:

"I applaud both T.C. Broadnax and Sara Hensley for their tenacity through the long process and their respective commitment to service. In this decision, I ultimately landed on the candidate who had the most experience in this specific role and in a city of comparable size with similar challenges."

District 2 Council Member Vanessa Fuentes

Fuentes in a statement said she was looking forward to working with Broadnax:

"Mr. Broadnax comes with the experience needed to manage a city like Austin with a commitment towards equity and empathy. As we move forward to address our city’s most pressing challenges, it’s critical that our next city manager engages in robust conversations with our labor leaders. I stand in firm support of our labor unions and want to ensure the concerns that were raised during the interview process are addressed."

District 3 Council Member José Velásquez

Velásquez congratulated Broadnax in a post on the council's message board:

"I’m looking forward to the challenges, collaboration and service that provide us with nothing but opportunity to make our city a welcoming place for all. Huge propers (sic) and thanks to Sara Hensley for being a candidate and for considering to coming back to serve her city." (Hensley was previously an Austin interim assistant city manager and director of its Parks and Recreation Department.)

District 4 Council Member José “Chito” Vela

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Vela said he was looking forward to working with Broadnax as Austin's next city manager, saying, "His depth and breadth of big city experience makes him a solid choice.

"He has deep knowledge of the legal and political environment that Texas cities operate in, which is critical for Austin."

District 5 Council Member Ryan Alter

Alter in a post to the council message board congratulated Broadnax on the selection:

"I want to congratulate TC Broadnax on his selection and really look forward to getting to work together to not just solve the pressing challenges facing Austin, but build on all the areas that already make this such a great place to live."

District 6 Council Member Mackenzie Kelly

Kelly in a written statement said, "I look forward to collaborating with the new city manager to shape Austin's future in a way that reflects the aspirations and priorities of our residents. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our interim city manager for his commendable work and dedication during his tenure. I want to emphasize that community engagement is of the utmost importance to me and that I remain open and receptive to any feedback from the community."

District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool

Pool said in a post to the council message board that "both (finalists) interviewed and presented exceedingly well."

"The scope of TC's experience tipped the balance for me: he has not only managed cities of our size and complexity, he has specifically demonstrated the ability to work through difficult controversies. His vision for public service and his experience - that testing - will help Austin meet our challenges now and into the future," she wrote.

District 8 Council Member Paige Ellis

Ellis in a statement said, "Both candidates have brought a wealth of knowledge and passion to public service. This work is not easy, this decision was tough, and I appreciate their willingness to lead."

"I am eager to work with Mr. Broadnax to move our city toward a more resilient, inclusive, and equitable community for all. We are ready to accomplish great things for our community. My priorities remain focused on reaching our mobility goals on time and being responsive to climate emergencies. Mr. Broadnax’s qualifications, vision, and dedication align seamlessly with our goals.”

District 9 Council Member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri

Qadri in a statement said it was exciting that the City Council reached a decision to hire Broadnax:

"We had a rigorous and lengthy discussion among Council Members, where we ultimately decided that his breadth and depth of experience, coupled with positive feedback, put Mr. Broadnax over the top. I look forward to working with him as we approach Austin’s opportunities and tackle our city’s issues together in the future.”

District 10 Council Member Alison Alter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson from Watson's office said the mayor would not be making an additional statement on the recommendation outside of his message board post.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin City Council reacts to Broadnax recommendation for city manager