The backstory
The decision from City Council to appoint Epperson to the position took place during a special meeting held May 8.
Epperson had served as interim city manager since November, when the previous city manager, Clay Pearson, was fired after the discovery of a county tax worksheet error that left the city with a $10.3 million deficit and incorrect tax rates.
In February, the city posted an application on the Strategic Government Resources website, showing it was open for candidates.
By April 24, council had narrowed the search down to two finalists: Epperson and an undisclosed external candidate, Mayor Kevin Cole said. The mayor added there were five other semifinalist candidates, yet one withdrew, and council decided to not select the two other candidates.
Prior to serving as interim city manager, Epperson had served as deputy city manager since October 2020, and before that, he held other city roles, including assistant city manager, director of engineering and capital projects, and director of project management, for a combined 17 years of employment with the city of Pearland.
In their own words
“We are thrilled to have Trent Epperson as our new city manager,” Mayor Kevin Cole said in a news release. “After conducting a thorough search and comparing all of the qualified candidates, it was evident that Trent possessed the right combination of skill and experience to meet our expectations. We look forward to working with him to continue building Pearland into the community of choice.”
“I am honored and proud to be appointed as the city manager of Pearland,” Epperson said in the release. “I am deeply committed to our community and excited to continue working with our city officials, staff and residents to achieve our goals. As city manager, I hope to foster innovation, trust and teamwork in all that we do and ensure that Pearland remains a great place to live, work and play.”
Going forward
As of May 8, Epperson will oversee staff organizational management, personnel appointment and removal, preparation, and execution of the city budget as well as administration of city ordinances and policies adopted by City Council.
