Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax may be forced out of his job
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax may soon be out of a job.
CBS 11 first reported that on Friday, three City Council members, Paula Blackmon, Gay Donnell Willis and Cara Mendelsohn requested a special meeting for Wednesday to "consider taking appropriate action related to the performance of the city manager including discipline or removal."
Mayor Eric Johnson also requested an executive session Wednesday to "discuss and evaluate the performance and employment of City Manager T.C. Broadnax.
Three sources told CBS 11 the dissatisfaction with Broadnax has been building for a while.
These sources also said some council members began talking with Broadnax two days ago, and there was another meeting Thursday in which they discussed his resignation.
Mayor Eric Johnson issued a statement Friday saying, "I believe it is time for a change in city management. Several of my duly elected colleagues on the Dallas City Council have made it clear in recent days that they also believe it is time for a change. We are ready to move forward and discuss how best to build for the future of our great city and its amazing people, and that is why I have placed the item on the City Council's agenda for next week."
The city hired Broadnax in January of 2017 after a nationwide search.
The sources said Broadnax was given until 12 p.m. today to resign.
It would have been effective Aug. 15, in time for him to propose next year's budget, which begins Oct. 1.
But Broadnax didn't resign.
Blackmon said Friday that Broadnax has not provided solutions for the IT department's recent failures, the permitting office's problems, and homelessness.
"We've seen some system failures in recent months in permitting and the IT data breach. We've seen the homeless, we're not really getting a hold of the homeless situation that's really percolated in our city since COVID. I have at least three emails either on permitting or homelessness every day in my inbox," Broadnax said. "I just feel we need to have this discussion of do we have the right people or right person sitting here making those decisions."
Council member Cara Mendelsohn said "our citizens deserve better management than we have now."
She also cited what she described as deficiencies in the IT department and the permitting office.
Council member Tennell Atkins was one of three members who met with Broadnax Wednesday.
Atkins said there was no conclusion to the discussion that day and he didn't meet with Broadnax Thursday.
Atkins said, "The process is messy right now and I don't want to get involved in a mess."
In a statement to CBS 11, Broadnax said, "Periodic performance review is critical to me and all City employees to demonstrate progress and ensure transparency for our residents, taxpayers, and stakeholders. I am proud of the hard work which has led to accomplishment of many goals related to the City Council's eight strategic priorities and look forward to sharing the R.E.A.L. impact we continue to make to improve the lives of Dallas residents in ways that are responsible, equitable, accountable, and legitimate, together as One Dallas."
If the council decides to fire Broadnax, members will need at least eight votes.
Blackmon said, "I assume there are eight to nine votes on this otherwise it wouldn't have come this way. But I believe we all want to have a discussion about it."
The Next Generation Action Network, North Texas's largest social justice organization, released a statement saying it stands against the calls to terminate Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax, saying the "primary dysfunction in this city is the mayor, who plays political theater with council committees and who continues to undermine the City charter."
