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Fort Worth City Council approves Jay Chapa's hiring as new city manager

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Updated  December 10, 2024 7:04pm CST
Fort Worth City Council
FOX 4

Fort Worth City Council to vote on hiring new city manager

The Fort Worth City Council is holding a special meeting Tuesday to finalize the hiring of a new city manager. However, the appointment faces opposition from some who say the process was rushed.

The Brief

    • The Fort Worth City Council voted 9-1 in favor of hiring Jay Chapa as the new city manager.
    • Councilman Chris Nettles was the sole vote against the hiring. Councilman Jared Williams abstained.
    • Nettles, Williams and local faith leaders wanted to delay the vote because they say the selection process moved too quickly and did not involve community input.
    • Chapa begins on Jan. 27. He'll become the city’s first Hispanic city manager.

FORT WORTH, Texas - After several attempts to delay the vote, the Fort Worth City Council voted to approve hiring Jay Chapa as the new city manager. 

City council members voted 9-1 in favor of his hiring. One council member abstained. 

Members of the community spoke both in favor and against his hiring during Tuesday afternoon's meeting.

Two city council members and a coalition of Fort Worth faith leaders say the vote should be delayed because they say the selection process moved too quickly and did not involve community input before naming Chapa as the sole finalist.

Councilman Chris Nettles has also filed a conflict of interest request with the city attorney's office.

Nettles requested a legal opinion before the vote as to whether the hiring of Chapa would be a conflict of interest.

Nettles says his concern is based on Chapas’s recent private sector work as a lobbyist/consultant for hire with clients seeking contracts and economic development deals with the city of Fort Worth.

"Let us have an open, righteous due process. Let’s do the right thing," said community activist Bishop Mark Kirkland. "Perhaps Mr. Chapa is the right guy for the job, but let’s not rush the decision. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and wobbles like a duck, it must be a duck, and a lame one at that. Don’t make this lamed, rushed decision."

"I have heard that the process and transparencies are issues now. If these were issues, they should’ve been brought up at the beginning or during the process," said resident Rosa Navejar. "I believe you all participated in that interview with all the candidates. I look at this as you don’t run a business after the fact. You don’t be reactive; you’re proactive. But to come to these issues now makes us wonder why."

The council easily passed the resolution to hire Chapa. 

Nettles was the sole vote against the resolution. Councilman Jared Williams abstained from voting.

Chapa begins on Jan. 27. He'll become the city’s first Hispanic city manager.

The Source

  • Information in this article comes from Tuesday's Fort Worth City Council meeting.

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