Dallas Real Estate Community Weighs in on Tolbert’s City Manager Appointment
Share News:
In what Mayor Eric Johnson deemed “the most important hire that the Dallas City Council makes,” Kimberly Bizor Tolbert was appointed last week as the first Black female to lead the ninth-largest city in America.
Tolbert, who has served as interim city manager since T.C. Broadnax’s departure for Austin early last year, will earn an annual salary of $450,000.
The vote was not unanimous. Councilmember Paul Ridley expressed concerns about a “golden parachute” severance package in Tolbert’s contract amounting to $900,000 if she is terminated. Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn pointed out some missed opportunities with city-owned assets and shortfalls in dealing with homelessness, street repairs, and public safety.
But the support was much greater than the opposition. Tolbert is “the right answer for the City of Dallas at this time,” Johnson said.
“Kimberly Tolbert is one of the smartest, hardest working, most accessible, most humble, and easy to get along with and work with [individuals] than I have ever worked with in government,” he said. “I’ve worked with literally thousands of government employees and I can tell you that Kim Tolbert is frankly second to none … in terms of knowing her stuff, being prepared, and being honest when she doesn’t know right off the top of the head the answer to your question, and going and finding out.”
The new city manager issued a memorandum with a slide deck on Friday titled “Building on Our Momentum: The Journey Forward.”
“Building trust and enhancing the customer experience is the outcome we know every stakeholder deserves,” Tolbert wrote. “We will achieve this by being Responsive, Accountable, Open, and Honest, by continuing to Connect, Collaborate, and Communicate and deliver Service First Now!, in the following areas that have been made clear to us are important for Dallas to thrive: Public Safety, Homelessness & Housing, Financial Stability, Targeted Economic Growth and Basic City Services.”
Immediately after the announcement was made last week, our partners in the real estate community offered congratulations to Tolbert.
The Real Estate Council
The Real Estate Council CEO Jamee Jolly noted that during Tolbert’s 11-month tenure as interim city manager, she “took swift and decisive action to address long-standing issues impacting the real estate industry, notably the city’s permitting process.”
Additionally, Jolly said the new city manager acknowledged the concerns of industry stakeholders and implemented significant reforms to streamline procedures.
“Kim Tolbert’s extensive experience and dedication to Dallas make her an exceptional choice for city manager,” Jolly said. “As interim city manager, her commitment to addressing critical issues and fostering collaboration with the commercial real estate industry ensured that Dallas remains a vibrant and competitive city. We look forward to supporting her leadership as she continues to drive meaningful progress for our community.”
Dallas Builders Association
Officials with the Dallas Builders Association, which acts as the voice of the housing industry in North Texas, said they look forward to continuing a partnership with Tolbert and her team in the effort to streamline development processes and address the pressing need for affordable housing and sustainable urban planning.
“We are excited to work alongside Kimberly Bizor Tolbert as she steps into this vital role,” said Gena Godinez, executive officer of the Dallas Builders Association. “Her collaborative approach aligns with our mission to ensure that Dallas remains a thriving community for families, businesses, and builders alike.”
The Dallas BA represents nearly 1,200 member companies across 10 North Texas counties, advocating for housing affordability, workforce development, and innovative building practices.
“We stand ready to be a resource for Ms. Tolbert in shaping a prosperous future for Dallas,” Dallas BA officials said in a press release.
High Praise for Kim Tolbert
Council members also praised Tolbert’s success when it comes to streamlining processes and working with the public.
Preston Hollow Councilmember Gay Donnell Willis commended Tolbert for realigning the Planning and Development Services departments.
“Permitting was this spiraling issue that nobody could get their head around,” Willis said. “You brought a team together that delivered here last week [an annual report] to us in the most impressive way. I was at the North Dallas Chamber and when I read those stats they cheered and applauded at how the gap in the permitting time had been reduced so tremendously.”
Willis added that at a recent meeting, attendees were asked to describe their personal philosophy in a quote.
“The quote that Kim Tolbert gave was, ‘Get out of my way,’” Willis said. “I’m looking forward to being the fuel for a rocket … You send us proactive texts and pictures of you all working on council priorities. When you’re working on council priorities, you’re working on resident priorities, and I don’t know what could be more important than that.”
Councilmember Jaime Resendez said Tolbert’s appointment reflects the City’s “continued focus on creating opportunities for all of our residents, regardless of where they live.”
“Growing up in Pleasant Grove and now representing District 5 and southeast Dallas, I know firsthand how important it is to have leadership that understands the unique challenges of southern Dallas,” Resendez said. “With Kim Tolbert’s leadership, we will continue to work toward a future where every part of our city, including historically underserved areas and our burgeoning Latino community, thrive equitably.”
Tolbert spoke to a crowd in Council Chambers on Wednesday that included her mother, sisters, son Josh, and several friends and city employees who supported her appointment.
She said her grandfather challenged her to “be the change that I was seeking, to build a better community for people who otherwise did not have a voice.”
“I believe that we will be a model for global excellence in how we innovate, become a more efficient government, and continue our focus on targeted economic growth,” Tolbert said. “We will be responsive, accountable, open, and honest, and rebuild trust within this community. Our momentum is great but we must keep running up the score to make sure that Dallas is at the top of the leaderboard, which is where we belong.”
