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City manager honors IT director Earl Shipman, announces promotions and reviews public-safety and budget snapshots
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Summary
At the Feb. 24 briefing the city manager announced a recognition for 22-year IT director Earl Shipman, promoted Patrick to assistant director and named Neil Bolton as incoming IT director starting March 23; the manager also summarized a recent shooting investigation resolved with Flock Safety assistance and a contained commercial fire, and reported fiscal-year revenue and expenditure pacing.
The city manager used Tuesday’s briefing to highlight upcoming events, recognize long service in the information-technology department and report public-safety and financial snapshots for the fiscal year.
The manager announced a March 2 recognition for Earl Shipman, who the manager introduced as the city’s IT director for 22 years. Shipman addressed the council and thanked elected leaders and staff, saying he was proud to have served. "This is the best counsel anywhere in the world," Shipman told the council during his remarks.
The manager said Patrick has been promoted to assistant IT director and that Neil Bolton will start as the new IT director on March 23. "He leaves it in really good hands," the city manager said of Shipman’s team.
On public safety, the manager reviewed a March 2025 shooting investigation on the 400 block of Kenya Street that investigators say led to an arrest on Jan. 15, 2026, and credited use of the city’s Flock Safety technology in locating the suspect. The manager also summarized a commercial-structure fire after the New Year that crews contained with no reported injuries, praising the police and fire departments for their responses.
On finance, the manager said the city is about 90% collected on property-tax revenue and that expenditures are tracking roughly in line with the fiscal calendar at about 34% of budgeted spending. The manager noted a previously discussed $1 million transfer that did not occur in FY2025 and said the planned transfer from the building maintenance fund of $750,000 is not anticipated.
The manager also previewed several community events, including a North Texas Commission meeting in Irving, the Cedar Hill Independent School District state-of-the-city event, the Cedar Hill Shares gala on Feb. 28 and a March 7 block party. No formal votes on these announcements were recorded during the briefing.
The briefing adjourned to reconvene at 7 p.m. for the council’s regular meeting.
