The mood was tense in the Amarillo City Council Chamber last Tuesday as the council discussed recently rescinded changes to the organizational structure helmed by Interim City Manager Andrew Freeman. In the end, the council chose to hold off on discussing any changes to the organizational chart until after the city manager search, with the exception of keeping Donny Hooper as Managing Director of Public Works.

The discussion began with Freeman laying out his position on the changes. “In my professional opinion, I did what I thought best for the organization to make it as efficient and high-performing as possible using the approved budget and existing resources to do so,” said Freeman. “It’s hard to argue I didn’t already have the authority to make organizational changes. I did not break the law or ignore the charter.”

Councilman Les Simpson pushed back, asking why he did “not share and perhaps get feedback” from the council regarding the changes, which included creating several new Managing Director Roles.

“That was not the past practice,” replied Freeman. “If I knew all council was that interested in major organizational changes, department hires… I need more clear direction on which positions, are they director level, are they assistant director, any of that suggestion so I can bring those to you.”

Simpson then brought up a discussion he had had with the city attorney. “I was told by the city attorney that this should have been voted on and approved by us,” said Simpson. Freeman interjected that “the charter is over a hundred years old,” to which Simpson replied that “we have to abide by the charter.”

Mayor Cole Stanley and Councilman Tom Scherlen noted that they had discussed and expressed approval of the creation of the new Managing Director of Public Safety role with Freeman, but had not given approval for other positions. This lead to an especially tense exchange between Mayor Stanley and Freeman.

“I did ask you, I said, look, let me ask you here, because, like, I’m not in a position to give you permission, I’m just one of five,” said Stanley. “That is not the conversation-” replied Freeman, who was cut off by Stanley who retorted with “that is how the conversation was, sir. I said I will advise.”

Stanley then noted that he found out about the changes, which were implemented on a Friday, when members of the media reached out for comment on Saturday.

The council then discussed if changes made by Freeman should be considered. “We’re in a city manager search. Ninety to a hundred days, we should have a new city manager,” opened Simpson. “My thinking would be, since we’re going to have someone, that we don’t make any changes at this point.”

Councilman Don Tipps, in contrast, expressed support for at least considering the changes. “I’m not opposed to entertaining it and looking at it. My thought is, when we have an Interim City Manager, that they go full force,” said Tipps, though he did note that he felt the changes should have come before the council initially. He also noted that, in his opinion, making the changes “might not be hamstringing the new city manager” and that the making the changes now “might be giving them benefits.”

Councilman Josh Craft noted that he was more in agreement with Simpson. “As far as the organizational structure, I guess I agree more with Les as to leaving it all the same,” said Craft. “I almost feel like we shot ourselves in the foot because we didn’t give you strategic direction when we appointed you as interim, as much as it sucks to say.”

With Councilman Tom Scherlen adding his voice to Simpson and Craft, the council chose not to move forward with entertaining changes until a new city manager is chosen.

However, the council did agree to one Managing Director role. In October, Donny Hooper was brought back to the city with the new title of Managing Director of Public Works. Stanley, Tipps, and Simpson voiced their support for keeping that in place. Stanley noted he felt it was appropriate to keep him in the position as he has now been in that position for several months, while Simpson stated that he “can’t in good conscience send anybody back to Austin.”