From the
Asheville Citizen-Times (06/10/05)
Jackson named new city manager
Former Fort Worth manager wants to ‘get out and meet people’
By Julie Ball
STAFF WRITER
ASHEVILLE — With a pledge to promote partnerships in the community, the former Fort Worth, Texas, city manager will take over as Asheville’s city manager later this month.
Members of Asheville City Council unanimously agreed to hire Gary Jackson on Thursday.
Jackson, 51, replaces 61-year-old Jim Westbrook, who is retiring after 11 years as city manager. Jackson will take over the job June 27 and will be paid $140,000 a year.
“It’s important for people to know that I’m open and accessible. I’m really looking forward to invitations to get out of City Hall and meet people,” Jackson said. “I’m not coming here with all the answers, and I am looking forward to learning about the community through other people’s perspective.”
Chris Pelly, president of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods, called Jackson a good choice and said he liked Jackson’s “proactive approach with the neighborhoods in the cities where he previously worked.”
“I just thought he was a strong candidate,” Pelly said. “We need somebody that listens to all segments of the community, and I believe we’re going to have that in this person.”
Jackson spent three years as city manager in Fort Worth. There, he headed a staff of 5,500 people in a city that has grown in population to more than 600,000.
Jackson left that job last year amid criticism over a new trash program and news reports that he was under pressure to resign. Since then, he has worked as a management consultant.
Asheville Mayor Charles Worley said he did not consider the situation in Fort Worth a mark against Jackson.
“We understood the circumstances, and we’re very comfortable with that,” Worley said.
Fort Worth Councilwoman Becky Haskin said Jackson lost four of his five assistant managers — two to illness and two to retirement — making it tough for him.
On top of that, “We had a new mayor that came in and wanted to change everything,” Haskin said.
Asheville Councilwoman Terry Bellamy called Jackson a “comprehensive candidate” and cited his ability to deal with developers and to seek input from neighborhoods on projects.
“The ability to mesh developers’ needs with residents’ needs, to bring them together to put forth good plans and policies for city council, his track record is very successful,” Bellamy said.
While in Fort Worth, Jackson worked on a public-private project to renovate an office tower that was damaged by a tornado in 2000. He also was involved in negotiations to bring a 600-room hotel to downtown Fort Worth and worked on a $265 million bond package for infrastructure needs.
“My style is to promote teamwork, involve and empower managers and rely on business techniques, establishing business plans, goals and objectives,” he said.
Before taking over at Fort Worth, Jackson spent about five years as the city manager of Carrollton, Texas, a city of more than 100,000 near Dallas.
While he was city manager in Carrollton, the city came under fire after some city workers bulldozed over the nesting site of some egrets. Following the controversy, the city suspended three workers, according to published reports.
Jackson has also worked in Liberty, Mo., and Coon Rapids, Minn., and he spent nine years working for the city of Dallas, eventually serving as assistant to the city manager.
Born in Frederick, Md., Jackson grew up in Dayton, Ohio.
He went to work as a social worker in Dayton after graduating from Miami University of Ohio.
But Jackson said he feels he could have an even greater impact working for city government. He has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas.
“I was ready for a change from the big city pressure cooker. I was looking for the right opportunity, and Asheville was the perfect opportunity to find the right balance,” he said.
Jackson is also a competitive bicyclist. He and his wife, Kathy, have two sons, ages 11 and 13.
“I’m attracted here (to Asheville) for the very same reasons that everybody else is attracted to Asheville — the quality of life, the diversity and the character of the community,” Jackson said.
Challenges ahead
Jackson said as city manager, he will emphasize communication, collaboration and continuing improvement for the city.
But he will face a number of challenges.
The first of which will be the expiring water agreement, unless city and county leaders reach a deal soon. The agreement set up the existing water authority, but city leaders announced last year that they want out of the deal. The water agreement ends June 30.
“I’m going to go to school on the issue,” Jackson said. “I think it’s about relationships at this point.”
Jackson sees as another challenge managing the city’s growth while protecting the environment and character of the area.
“One of the things I would challenge him (the new city manager) to do would be to come out and talk and have a town hall meeting, and find out what their needs are,” said Keith A. Ogden, pastor at Hill Street Baptist Church.
Ogden attended a forum last month that featured all three city council candidates. He says affordable housing and addressing the concerns of poorer neighborhoods are key challenges for the new city manager.
“The city manager plays such an incredible role,” said William Wilcox, president of Tower Associates in Asheville.
The new manager will have a lot on his plate, but Wilcox said, “We’re excited about having him on board.”
Contact Ball at 232-5851 or
jball@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.
On the Net:
www.ci.asheville.nc.us.
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Sidebar: Community reaction
Thomas Rightmyer of Asheville: Any one of them (the three finalists for the job) would do. My personal favorite was the assistant city manager (Jeff Richardson) just because he’s local. ... But I’m sure the fellow who has been chosen will do a fine job.
“He (Gary Jackson) has the advantage of coming in fresh and not knowing anybody. He has the advantage of experience in a city larger than Asheville.”
Keith A. Ogden, pastor of Hill Street Baptist Church: “One of the things I would challenge him (the new city manager) to do would be to come out and talk and have a town hall meeting, and find out what their needs are. We need (someone) that’s going to actually come out and talk to the people and find out what’s going on.
“Come sit down and talk with these pastors. … We have the members in our church, and we hear their cries. We hear their complaints.”
Edna Campos of Asheville: “Most people who live in Texas understand the issues about diversity… It means this particular person is going to have some experience working with minority communities. With the anticipated growth we have in different communities, with new people coming here, I think it can be helpful.”
Campos added that Gary Jackson’s experience working in a larger city would be to his advantage in Asheville.
Chris Pelly, of Haw Creek, president of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods: “I’m glad to hear they selected him (Gary Jackson). He was a strong choice,” Pelly said. “We need somebody that listens to all segments of the community, and I believe we’re going to have that in this person.”
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