DALLAS — Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax has submitted his resignation with the City of Dallas.
His last day with the city will be June 3.
Broadnax submitted his letter of resignation to Dallas City Council on Wednesday. In the letter, he called his resignation an incredibly difficult decision, both personally and professionally.
"It is my hope that my departure provides the City Council an opportunity to reset, refocus and transition to a new City Manager that continues to move the City forward and will allow for a more effective working relationship with the Mayor and City Council to move the City forward," Broadnax wrote.
Mayor Eric Johnson in a statement acknowledged he and Broadnax "did not always see eye to eye," but said they "still worked together to help move this city forward" and wished Broadnax well.
"I received word of the city manager’s resignation via memo today and briefly spoke with him afterward about his decision. TC was tough — he often knew what he wanted for Dallas and would fight hard for it. And I would do the same," Johnson said. "We did not always see eye to eye, but we still worked together to help move this city forward. After his seven years of working for our city, I want to wish him well on whatever comes next."
Broadnax said that he would spend the next few months before his resignation to work with his team on a smooth transition for projects, initiatives and responsibilities.
"I am committed to working with the City Council during this transition to ensure the continuity of programs, projects and services to the community are not negatively impacted," Broadnax wrote. "I sincerely thank each one of you for the privilege of serving as your City Manager, and I wish you, city, staff, and this amazing community the best in years to come."
In a joint statement, Dallas city councilmembers said Broadnax's resignation "is a necessary step towards fostering an environment conducive to maximizing the potential of our beloved city."
"After careful consideration, it has become apparent that the relationship between the mayor and the city manager has not been conducive to effective governance and the advancement of Dallas’ interests. The dynamic between these key citywide figures has unfortunately hindered the realization of our city's full potential, and it is imperative that we address this issue head-on in order to move forward," the statement read. "As we embark on this new chapter, the Dallas City Council is dedicated to continuing an environment of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in city governance. We remain steadfast in our commitment to serving the interests of all residents and ensuring that Dallas continues to thrive and prosper."
A meme from the Dallas city secretary shows council plan to hold a special meeting to discuss Broadnax's resignation and a resolution to appoint Kim Tolbert as interim city manager for the city starting June 3 and until council appoints a new city manager. Tolbert is currently the deputy city manager for the City of Dallas.
"This is a sad day for our city," District 11 Council Member Jaynie Schultz said in her statement. "We must realize that there was nothing else Mr. Broadnax could do for Dallas given the oppositional forces beyond our control."
Schultz concluded by saying Dallas will rise to the moment and emerge stronger.
"I hope that my fellow elected officials will reflect on how we can pull together and give clear direction to our other appointed professionals, our city staff, and our residents," she said. "Now more than ever, we must be one Dallas."
Broadnax was hired to serve the City of Dallas as its city manager at the end of 2016 and officially started the role in 2017. He had the highest annual salary at City Hall at more than $423,247. He also had a $700 monthly car allowance.
Dallas City Council Liaison Penny Anderly said Broadnax's severance pay has not yet been negotiated.
According to his initial, 2016-signed contract, a copy of which was obtained by WFAA, Broadnax is entitled to a lump some equal to 12 months of his "then current base salary" in the event of his "involuntary separation as City Manager." The contract then details numerous definitions for the term "involuntary separation," including "the City Manager's resignation following a suggestion, whether formal or informal, by a majority of City Council that he resign."
The joint statement released by council opens with the acknowledgment that "Broadnax has resigned effective June 3, 2024, at the suggestions of the majority of Dallas City Council."
According to council members Paula Blackmon and Adam Bazaldua, a majority of council supporting his separation would also allow Broadnax to be free to move on to work for another city without any restrictions levied by the City of Dallas.
Sounds on council confirm to WFAA that a majority of the council worked with Broadnax behind the scenes to support his resignation plans -- all while keeping their plan secret from council members who might oppose the move, including the mayor.
While serving in arguably the most powerful role in Dallas city government, Broadnax helped lead the city through a number of changes, hirings and controversies.
A large controversy was stirred up almost two years ago when Mayor Eric Johnson and city council members had considered firing Broadnax or asking for his resignation.
Council members confirmed at the time they had asked Broadnax for his resignation following years of disagreements regarding staffing shortages in various departments, a large backlog of permit delays, and the loss of more than 8 million records by the city. A report on the data loss at the time criticized the IT staff's lack of training and encouraged more "depth of job functions" for their tasks.
But concerns over Broadnax's departure were quelled when he laid out a 100-day action plan last July seeking to remedy many of those issues. In a report on the plan in November of 2022 given by Broadnax to council members, he said 18 goals had been completed, 18 were being implemented, two were ongoing, one would be continued to monitor and an additional goal was cancelled. These goals included streamlining the permitting process, updating the technology at the city's 911 call center and implement city manager-led listening sessions to engage with residents and local businesses to address issues.
Entering into the position, some of Broadnax's first accomplishments included hiring the city's first female police chief and creating the largest bond package in the city's history at $1.05 billion. But that chief, Renee Hall, resigned three years later after reports showed her officers had used tear gas against protesters in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd.
Following those protests, Broadnax released an action plan in June of 2020 for police reform, which included requiring officers to warn before they shoot someone and banning chokeholds.
Broadnax would go on to name Eddie Garcia as the new Dallas Police Chief in December of 2020 -- the department's first Hispanic police chief. Garcia is still in the position and the city has seen a drop in crime since his hiring.
In 2021, Broadnax was in the hot seat for not letting the council know about a major data loss that impacted Dallas Police Department files. Councilmembers grilled him and Assistant City Manager Jon Fortune.
Broadnax knew in April 2021 that 22 terabytes of Dallas police data disappeared, but the council didn't know anything until the news had broken four months later.
Broadnax oversees a staff of about 13,000 employees at the city, and manages a $4.6 billion city budget.
Prior to arriving in Dallas, Broadnax served as the city manager of Tacoma, Washington for five years, and also served as an assistant city manager for San Antonio and Pompano Beach in Florida.