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City manager outlines tactics update: workforce, CIP implications and zoning overhaul
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Summary
City manager Don Magner presented a midterm tactics update touching on workforce recruitment and retention, IT modernization and cybersecurity, potential expansion of the five‑year CIP depending on bond outcomes, a planned overhaul of the unified zoning and subdivision ordinance to encourage missing‑middle housing, and exploration of grants and alternative funding.
City manager Don Magner presented a midterm update on the council's tactics and the staff work plan, summarizing completed items, ongoing initiatives and new tactics added since last year.
Magner highlighted human‑resources priorities including a comprehensive compensation analysis for hard‑to‑fill positions in public safety, IT, accounting and engineering; expanded recruitment partnerships with local universities and regional job fairs; and internship and CTE (career and technical education) program collaborations aimed at building workforce pipelines.
On operations and capital, Magner previewed a multi‑year IT systems modernization effort centered on consolidating legacy systems into a Tyler‑based platform and underscored investments to maintain cyber resilience. He said the city has a seven‑to‑nine year plan to phase replacement of legacy systems and that those investments are critical for incident response.
Magner said the council's five‑year CIP could change materially depending on bond program results, noting a potential increase from roughly $400 million to over $600 million in a five‑year outlook contingent on voter authorization and bond outcomes.
On land use and housing, staff previewed an upcoming plan to overhaul the city's zoning and subdivision ordinance (CZO) using an overlay strategy to realize four tactics from the housing needs assessment and to encourage middle missing housing in five study areas. Magner said the initiative will appear on an agenda within weeks for council consideration.
Magner also described ongoing economic development work (small business supports, façade/site improvements, marketing), collaboration with DART on the Cotton Belt Trail and protected intersection projects, and plans to explore CDBG participation with earliest eligibility in FY 2028.
No formal council action was taken on these tactics at the meeting; staff said they will return with detailed briefings and roadmaps on specific initiatives and with updates tied to the ongoing bond and budget processes.
