Dallas, TX
Dallas council members say they want more options for city manager job, faster timeline
Some Dallas council members want to know if the four candidates on the shortlist for the city manager job are the best and only options.
A group of council members overseeing the search for the city’s top administrator met Thursday to discuss the next step in the hiring process. The meeting revealed frustrations with the pace and conduct of the search.
Council members laid into representatives from search firm Baker Tilly, asking why they were learning about 50 other candidates on the day of the Thursday meeting after a shortlist was released in November.
Art Davis, with Baker Tilly, told council members the firm identified four candidates as the best of the pool after several top contenders backed out due to issues surrounding the city’s finances and results of the Nov. 5 elections. They looked at education levels, professional experience and demographics.
Council member Paula Blackmon asked why the documents weren’t released immediately and got into a heated exchange with Mayor pro tem Tennell Atkins, chair of the ad hoc committee on administrative affairs.
Atkins said he, too, had only seen the list of 50 candidates as of Thursday morning. He said there is a process in place where not everyone on the council can see the information immediately.
“Once I get (the documents), everything becomes public information,” Atkins said, seemingly hinting at a behind-the-scenes fight over his leadership.
The four candidates on the shortlist for the city’s top job are Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, the city’s interim city manager; William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth; Mark Washington, city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Zach Williams, executive assistant and chief operating officer for DeKalb County in Georgia.
Baker Tilly, which received a $134,000 contract from the city in May to lead the vetting process, said that as of last month, 50 of 616 possible applicants had sent in their resumes.
The city manager, appointed by the City Council, is the municipal government’s top administrative official. Some of the key responsibilities of the official include keeping the lights on across the city, managing more than 13,000 employees and managing a $5 billion budget.
There is a laundry list of issues at the moment. The city still needs to close a $4 billion gap in its uniformed and civilian pension funds, and officials are juggling the pressure to hire more than 900 cops after the passage of Propositions S and U in the Nov. 5 election. The two propositions waive the city’s municipal immunity and mandate that the city allocate 50% of any new revenue growth year-over-year to the police and fire pension system and other public safety initiatives.
The permanent office has been empty since former city manager T.C. Broadnax left for Austin in May to be the city manager. He wasn’t alone. Some of the city’s top brass, including Police Chief Eddie García, have also found jobs in Austin.
A final plan is set to be revealed next week on Monday.
Dallas, TX
Fatal crash on LBJ Freeway in Dallas leaves 1 dead, multiple people hospitalized, police say
One person has died and several others are injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 635 in Dallas on Saturday.
Police were called to the 11100 block of westbound LBJ Freeway just before 6:30 p.m. for a major accident. Investigators discovered that a blue sedan heading west on I-635 moved to exit from the second from the left lane. It first hit the concrete barrier and traffic attenuator, or crash cushion. The sedan was then hit by a white pickup truck and a semi truck, police said. The sedan then caught on fire.
One passenger in the blue sedan died on the scene and another was ejected. The driver of the sedan and the ejected passenger were both taken to the hospital in critical condition.
The driver and two passengers in the pickup truck were also taken to the hospital. Their conditions are unknown.
Dallas police said the investigation is ongoing.
The family of 38‑year‑old Marisol Perez and her 18‑month‑old son, Erik Jr., is sharing their grief after the two were killed in Thursday’s apartment explosion and fire in Dallas’ Oak Cliff.
The blast at the Clyde Apartments also claimed the life of community activist and Democratic Party precinct chair Sylvia Collins. Five others were injured.
Marisol’s sisters describe her as a devoted mother and a deeply loving person.
“She was a dedicated mom and a good person… she had a good heart and wonderful intentions,” said Maria Lopez, Marisol’s sister.
Family members rushed to the scene after receiving a call from police, hoping Marisol and her children had made it out safely.
“They told me they couldn’t find my sister and her baby. It was devastating,” Lopez said.
Daughter rescued from rubble
Marisol’s 9‑year‑old daughter, Vanessa, was pulled from the rubble by a good Samaritan moments after the explosion. She turns 10 on Monday.
“We don’t have any words to thank him. We are so grateful,” Lopez said.
“He risked his life. Anything could have happened when he ran across the street to get her,” said sister Nora Carmona.
A close-knit family grieving
Marisol was one of four sisters, all of whom said they shared a tight bond.
“We called her Mari… or güera,” Lopez said.
“Every special occasion, she wanted me to do her makeup and hair. We’d laugh and bond. I miss it so much,” said sister Rosalinda Martinez.
The family says they are now focused on supporting Marisol’s husband, who was at work when the explosion happened.
“He wants justice. He knows this was not just a tragic accident. There have to be answers,” Carmona said.
Vigil planned for Sunday
The family is inviting the public to a vigil in honor of Marisol and Erik Jr. The event is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sunday.
A GoFundMe has also been created to help with funeral expenses.
H-E-B is one step closer to opening its first location in the city of Dallas.
The grocery chain filed a construction permit for the store at 635 and Hillcrest Road on Wednesday.
According to the permit, construction is set to begin in March 2027. The store is projected to open in September 2028.
When plans for the location were first announced last year, some neighbors raised concerns about the development. Those concerns included increased traffic, noise pollution and crime.
A primary concern is congestion in an already high-traffic area. H-E-B says it plans to add turn lanes and make other upgrades to ease congestion, but neighbors still have concerns.
When the zoning request was still being considered in December 2025, some drew comparisons between the abundance of grocery stores in northern Dallas to the long fight to bring more grocers to food deserts in southern Dallas. The rezoning request passed 14-1.
In a statement, H-E-B wrote: “We appreciate the thoughtful consideration from city officials, staff, and community members throughout this process. We are committed to serving Texans and look forward to bringing our first H-E-B store to the city of Dallas.”
Benjamin Scott, Group Vice President of Real Estate and Shopping Center Development for H-E-B said the new store will bring 800 new jobs and an estimated $24 million in tax revenue to Dallas over the next five years.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.
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