Austin City Manager Marc Ott announced Friday he is leaving his position with the City of Austin for a job in Washington D.C.
Ott accepted the position of Executive Director of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) in the nation's capital. He will continue to perform as Austin City Manager until October 30.
"This wasn't an easy decision. I've dedicated myself to the residents and employees of Austin for almost nine years," Ott said. "But this is a unique opportunity – one that allows me to apply 30 years of experience toward advancing the profession and bettering communities around the world. My experience here in Austin has prepared me well for this new challenge."
Ott will oversee all aspects of ICMA, which is a local government association of city and county managers, appointed chief administrative officers, assistant and deputy administrators and other employees who serve local governments. ICMA includes over 10,000 members from 23 countries.
"It's an opportunity to bring best practices to local governments in cities and towns all over the world," Ott said during a press conference.
During his time in Austin, Ott has overseen unprecedented economic growth and helped navigate the economic downturn in 2008-2009.
"Marc is a reflection of our members' dedication to local government service and most importantly to the ethics of our profession. ICMA, our membership and staff will be well served by Marc Ott's leadership," ICMA Executive Board President Patricia Martel said.
Mayor Steve Adler released the following statement on Ott's resignation:
"I want to thank Marc Ott for a decade of service and dedication to Austin. Under his management, Austin has grown into one of the most vibrant and successful cities in the world. That's huge, and he deserves a lot of credit.
The Council needs to move quickly to name an interim manager while we begin the process of looking fo ra permanent one. Austin's loss is also an opportunity to find the right leadership to guide our city as we deal with affordability and mobility."
Austin really feels like home to me, not just to me but to me and my family," Ott said. "I will be paying attention, because I have certain expectations for Austin and its bright future."
Council member Don Zimmerman, a critic of Ott's practices, released the following statement:
"We now have an eagerly-awaited chance to recruit a new City Manager with the temperament and skills to better represent our diverse city," said District 6 Council member Don Zimmerman, representing Northwest Austin. "We look forward to a nationwide search for a candidate with who places a high priority on community service and who has a business background in customer relations."
Putting constituents first -- not City Hall bureaucrats or corporate lobbyists -- should be the number-one priority for anyone we hire."
Zimmerman also wished Ott well on his new position.
The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce also released a statement on Ott's resignation:
"The Austin Chamber of Commerce greatly appreciates Marc Ott's leadership over the last eight years. As City Manager, Marc has been a steadying presence, a professional and true champion of diversifying Austin’s industry base. He has supported programs to ensure prosperity is more broadly shared in our community and that Austin can be better prepared for the next eventual downturn. I consider him a friend and we wish him the very best in his next endeavor.
The City of Austin has a number of pressing issues. We encourage Mayor Adler and the City Council to act swiftly and recruit the strongest candidate to provide strong staff leadership in support of the diverse interests and priorities of America’s 11th largest city."