Jesus “Jay” Chapa was approved by a 9-1 vote, with Chris Nettles voting against and Jared Williams leaving the meeting, therefore abstaining, before the vote was cast.
What you need to know
Chapa will replace his former boss, David Cooke, who will retire in February after more than a decade in the role.
The anticipated start date for Chapa is Jan. 27. Chapa was announced as the lone city manager finalist Dec. 5.
“Jay is a man of brilliant creative thinking, has led most of the public-private partnership efforts in the city over the past 10 years and has an unmatched ability to hit the ground running,” Mayor Mattie Parker said. “His proven financial stewardship has and will continue to set the nation’s 12th-largest city up for success far into the future.
"Jay is one of the most qualified city managers in the country—and we are the lucky ones because Jay already calls Fort Worth home.”
The details
Chapa worked in various departments in the city from 2005 to 2022:
- Deputy director of economic and community development (June 2005-April 2007)
- Director of economic and community development (April 2007-November 2008)
- Interim chief financial officer (May 2013-November 2013)
- Director of housing and economic development (November 2008-July 2015)
- Assistant city manager (July 2015-February 2020)
- Deputy city manager (February 2020-January 2022)
He also led efforts for the renewal of the crime and control and prevention district and helped land corporate projects that resulted in more than 8,000 jobs in Fort Worth.
Zooming in
Chapa was one of more than 150 candidates that applied, and 14 were presented to the city council after a national search, according to the news release.
A group of five then went to the council to be interviewed Dec. 4.
The city manager position is one of four council-appointed positions, along with the city attorney, city secretary and city auditor, according to the city website.
Chapa created J Chapa Strategic Solutions in February 2022 to provide strategic advisory consultation to local governments, public agencies, development entities and businesses.
Dianna Giordana, director of human resources and civil service for the city of Fort Worth, took questions about the hiring process. Parker said that using the city’s own department instead of hiring an outside search firm saved the city at least $150,000.
What happened?
Nettles and Williams led a charge to delay the hiring of Chapa until January. Both felt there should’ve been a meet-and-greet session with community members.
In a handout distributed during the meeting, Nettles and Williams claim according to information provided to council, a stakeholder meeting was set in December, a decision would be made in January and the hire would start in February or March.
“So for this council to say, all willy-nilly, we didn't have a process, and late in the game, you want to make a new process? No, ma'am, no, sir. We have a process,” Nettles said. “Not only do we have a process, but we violated our own process.”
Current situation
Williams made a motion to have a public hearing and sit on the hire until the Jan. 28 meeting, but that was voted down, 8-2, with Nettles and Williams voting in favor of it.
Prior to the meeting, Parker posted on X a letter signed by herself and council members Gyna Bivens, Carlos Flores, Michael Crain, Charlie Lauersdorf, Macy Hill, Alan Blaylock and Jeanette Martinez in support of Chapa.
Nettles, Williams and Elizabeth Beck did not sign the letter.
Nettles said he was asked at 4 p.m., 30 minutes prior to the meeting, to sign it. The post by Parker went public at 5:03 p.m., while public comment on the city manager hire was being held.
“It's not only two council members that disagree with this process,” Nettles said “It's just two people who really will stand up and be forceful against this process.”
