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Durham council appoints Deputy City Manager William B. "Beau" Ferguson as city manager effective Jan. 1, 2025
Summary
Following closed-session deliberations, the council reported out and unanimously appointed William Bowman "Beau" Ferguson as Durhams city manager effective Jan. 1, 2025; councilmembers highlighted his operational experience and asked for an orderly transition.
In a report out from closed session the Durham City Council formally voted to appoint William Bowman "Beau" Ferguson as city manager, effective Jan. 1, 2025. The motion to appoint passed unanimously (7-0) in open session; councilmembers indicated the decision stemmed from closed-session deliberations and directed staff to proceed with transition planning.
Councilmembers who spoke publicly about the selection emphasized Fergusons operational experience, referencing his role as deputy city manager and prior incident responses. Several councilmembers thanked outgoing City Manager Wanda Sims Page for her service and asked that staff ensure a careful handoff. The city attorney confirmed council has discretion to initiate a motion in open session and to report out on the closed-session decision; the contract terms were negotiated and distributed to council members in advance of the vote.
The council recorded the appointment and noted the effective date of Jan. 1, 2025, for the new city manager. Councilmembers asked for transition briefings in the coming weeks and encouraged collaboration between Ferguson and Manager Page to ensure continuity of services and ongoing projects.
