A convo with the city manager
After three months, the new City Manager isn't sure what Barton Springs is.
On July 31 I was granted a 30-minute interview with City Manager T.C. Broadnax at his office on the third floor of City Hall. My main takeaway was that the new boss, at least in public, is the quintessential city manager: exceedingly cautious and almost impossible to pin down on any issue. Even some of the softball questions got murky answers (see his answer on Barton Springs).
This is in stark contrast to his immediate predecessor, Jesus Garza, who made his views on a number of issues very clear –– sometimes more clearly than the elected official he was clearly serving: Mayor Kirk Watson.
The following is a significantly condensed transcript of our conversation. It is still quite long –– don't feel bad if you don't finish it.
Now that you've been in Austin for a few months, what would you say the difference is between Dallas and Austin as cities?
The [Dallas] region is obviously a little bit larger. We had suburbs in the 250-400,000's. It's just different for me [because] Austin is the preponderance of the county.
And getting around the city –– Dallas had a lot more highways.
But it's been a great transition. The people, I think, whether here or in Dallas, have all been welcoming. And I've enjoyed my brief time here and look forward to getting more acclimated so that when I'm asked that question [again], I can answer from the framework of Austin.
Have you been to Barton Springs yet?
You know, I think I have.
You think you have?
