AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: The above video was published in June 2023.
The City of Austin is getting closer to choosing a new permanent city manager.
Last week, Mayor Kirk Watson's chief of staff gave city council members an update on the search process.
The firm hired to find a new city manager, Mosaic, plans to officially open the application process on Monday, Jan. 8. Applications will close on Feb. 12.
Mosaic officials said that there is already strong interest in the job, and they expect a good number of applicants.
Watson's chief of staff said Mosaic will review candidates with the council in early March and arrive at a group of finalists. There will then be a selection process that includes council interviews and opportunities for others, including community members, to meet the finalists.
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The chief of staff said the goal is for the council to decide on a new permanent city manager in early to mid-April. Back in June 2023, Watson told KVUE that the City hoped to welcome a new city manager on Sept. 1, 2024.
This latest update comes almost a year after former city manager Spencer Cronk was fired last February. Jesús Garza, who previously served as Austin's city manager from 1994 to 2002, has been serving as interim city manager since Cronk's termination.