Fort Worth poised to hire first Hispanic City Manager

 

If approved by the Fort Worth City Council next week, the city will have a replacement for its longest-serving city manager, David Cooke.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth is poised to hire its first Hispanic city manager to replace the longest-serving city manager in its history.

If the city council approves his hiring next week, Jesus “Jay” Chapa will replace David Cooke, who announced earlier he’s leaving the role at the end of February after more than a decade.

Chapa would be new to the top job, but has worked for the city of Fort Worth in various capacities for more than two decades.

Chapa previously worked in Fort Worth as deputy city manager from 2020 to 2022, assistant city manager from July 2015 to February 2020, director of housing and economic development from November 2008 to July 2015, interim chief financial officer from May 2013 to November 2013, director of economic and community development from April 2007 to November 2008 and deputy director of economic and community development from June 2005 to April 2007.

“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,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. “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.”

Fort Worth officials said in a press release that the city conducted a national search and the city received more than 150 applicants.

At least one city council member, though, has expressed concerns about an outside search firm not being conducted to lead the search.

“I believe the selection of the City Manager greatly impacts our community and is one of the biggest decisions the City Council can make. This is why when we began this process expressed concern about not hiring an outside, independent search firm to lead the process,” said City Council member Chris Nettles in a statement this week. “I am respectfully asking my Council colleagues to consider adding a phase to the hiring process which would allow for Community/Stakeholders/City Staff Leadership to meet and hear from the top 3 candidates so we can all understand their vision to lead Fort Worth. It is important stakeholders are allowed time to weigh in, before a final decision is made.”

In an interview with WFAA Thursday, Mayor Parker responded to concerns raised by Nettles. 

“With all due respect to Councilmember Nettles in his position on this, I think he’s dead wrong. This has been a flawless process, we conducted a comprehensive national search,” Parker said. “I felt very strongly, and the majority of my council colleagues agreed that doing a very expensive taxpayer-funded national search with a search firm was not necessary, that we had the talent in-house to do that.”

Chapa’s potential hiring is expected to come before the Fort Worth city council on Dec. 10.