Wichita Falls residents will likely know who their new police chief is by the end of July.
City Manager Jeffrey Jenkins said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting the search will be narrowed to eight or 12 candidates to interview by the end of June, and the list will be further whittled down to finalists on July 14.
He said on the evening of July 14, the city will host a meet and greet for the public to meet the finalists. No location has been selected for that event yet, he said.
The search for a new chief began when longtime chief Manuel Borrego abruptly retired on Feb. 21 in the wake of the arrest of a woman that resulted in the firing and criminal indictment of one police officer and the resignation of another.
The city subsequently hired a Chicago firm for up to $275,000 to search for a new chief and hired former Garland police Chief Mitch Bates to be interim chief.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council hired HDR Engineering Inc. for $298,700 to look for ways to mitigate flooding on the city’s Eastside. Several residents have spoken out about the ongoing problem at recent council meetings.
The study would be paid for out of the city’s stormwater fund, which is a portion of residents’ utility bills, and possibly grants. The results are expected by February 2027.
The panel hired the Fain Group of Fort Worth as construction manager for an overhaul of the artificial waterfall on the Wichita River.
The city’s namesake waterfall has been closed for months after a study revealed it needed extensive repairs.
The Fain Group will be paid 4% of the actual construction costs, which are estimated to be up to $6 million. Four percent of $6 million would be approximately $240,000.
Councilors signed off on applying for a grant of about $20.92 million from the Texas Water Development Board to replace a pump station and add valves and water mains.
In a closed-door executive session, City Council members were slated to discuss economic development negotiations related to Oklaunion Power Station.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita Falls sets timeline to pick new police chief
Reporting by Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News / Wichita Falls Times Record News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News | USA TODAY Network
