The exodus of Dallas city leaders who worked under former Dallas City Manager TC Broadnax continued this week with the announcement that the deputy city manager and chief of staff will be leaving the city in the coming weeks.
Deputy City Manager John Fortune and Genesis D. Gabino, the city manager's chief of staff, will both leave the city within three weeks, according to a memo sent Monday by Interim City Manager Kim Bizol Tolbert to City Council members. It is said that it will happen.
Both will join Broadnax in Austin, according to a memo sent to the Austin City Council on Monday.
Fortune will retire on June 7 and join Austin as deputy city manager. Gavino's final term ends May 31, when he becomes special assistant to the city manager.
Mr. Fortune was involved in negotiations that affected law enforcement pay scales for police officers and firefighters, as well as the city's shelter program after Hurricane Harvey. Fortune also oversaw the city's COVID-19 testing and vaccination center. The departments he will oversee include the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Fire and Rescue, Dallas Sheriff's Office, Dallas Municipal Court, Office of Emergency Management, and Office of Integrated Public Safety Solutions.
“During my seven-year tenure in Dallas, I have had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most talented and dedicated people I have known in my 33-year career,” Fortune said in a statement. “Together, with our unwavering commitment to excellence, we have been able to serve the residents of Dallas, accomplish many impactful programs, and overcome tremendous challenges. It has been an honor to contribute to a collaborative effort that has shaped the success of our organization and positively impacted the lives of the people we serve.”
When former City Manager TC Broadnax announced his resignation earlier this year, Dallas Firefighters Association President Jeff Patterson said: dallas morning news The association asked Fortune whether it would consider taking Broadnax's position. But Fortune declined, Patterson said.
“Losing John Fortune is a tremendous loss to our city,” Police Chief Eddie Garcia said in a statement. “John was not only his boss, but also a very fond friend. He fought hard for this department and supported me through difficult times. He was a great leader. But he is an even better person.”
Gavino led the launch of the city's first Digital Navigator program, which aims to bring internet connectivity to underserved communities. Gabino also worked with local school districts to vet matching grants to obtain federal funding for COVID-19 relief. In 2020, Gavino also served as the Resilience Officer for the Office of Equity and Inclusion.
Both joined City Hall in 2017.
Fortune and Gavino's resignations come days after Assistant City Manager Robert Perez was selected as city manager for the city of Topeka, Kansas. Assistant City Manager Majid Al Ghafrey will become DeSoto's city manager after the DeSoto City Council voted Tuesday to approve an employment agreement.
Interim City Manager Kimberly Biser Tolbert recently told potential employers to mislead Police Chief Eddie Garcia after reports surfaced that Garcia was being courted by the cities of Houston and Austin. discouraged. Garcia said last week that he would stay in Dallas until at least May 2027. City officials amended Garcia's contract to include a $10,000 retention bonus every six months until then.
Everton Bailey Jr. and Kelli Smith contributed to this article.
