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FROM STAFF REPORTS

MARBLE FALLS — After going through 58 city manager applications, the Marble Falls City Council trimmed the number down to six for interviews during a special meeting April 29.

The council members will begin sitting down with the six candidates the week of May 12. The search for a new city manager became a necessity after former city manager Ralph Hendricks was severely injured in a bicycle accident in October 2013.

Hendricks remained on the staff until a couple of weeks ago, though he was unable to work because of his injuries and rehabilitation. The council voted to end Hendricks’ contract April 22.

Finance director Margie Cardenias has been the acting city manager since Hendricks absence.

Initially, the council posted a position for an assistant city manager earlier this year but, in March, opted to stop that process to pursue a city manager.

Mayor George Russell said the timeline for getting new city manager on staff is really up to the person the council selects. Looking at the process, with a week of interviews starting May 12 and possible second interviews the following week, he estimated the city could make an offer by the end of May.

The soonest a new city manager could be on board, Russell said, could be the middle of June.

The list of candidates are:

  • Shawna Burkhart, who, in 2011, became the city manager in Converse, where she also served as the first president of Cibolo Valley Local Government Corporation;
  • Jason Gray, who is currently the president and CEO of the local government consulting practice of JDGray Group, LLC, but has more than 15 years of experience serving as a city manager or an assistant city manager;
  • Mike Hodge, who has served as the assistant city manager of Pearland since 2005;
  • Frank Johnson, who has a 35-year career that includes 13 years as Marshall city manager;
  • Lanny Lambert, who is the city manager in Kyle, where he took the reins in 2011 but has a 35-year career in city management;
  • and Michael Morrison, who is currently the interim deputy city manager for Irving but has 19 years of local government experience.

editor@thepicayune.com