The City of Dallas has named Baron Eliason as interim inspector general, filling the vacancy left by Timothy J. Menke. Menke's last day is Friday.
Dallas City Council unanimously approved Eliason's appointment with the annual base salary of $150,000 effective at the close of business on Sept. 26
Eliason currently serves as the chief integrity officer in the city's office of the inspector general.
He received a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas and is eligible to practice law, according to the State Bar of Texas.
Menke was discharged from the role last month — less than three months after his start date — because he is not a practicing attorney. That is a voter-approved requirement that was established in the city charter in November.
Dallas voters approved a proposition last year that established an independent inspector general — previously it was a role that was hired as a division of the city.
Part of Proposition L requires that the inspector general should be a "competent practicing attorney."
The office of the inspector general was created in 2021 and was originally a division of the city. Bart Bevers was hired as the first to take on the role in 2022 and continued in the role on an interim basis after the passage of Prop L.
Bevers filed a lawsuit against the city last month alleging wrongful termination and claiming he was most qualified for the role, because he was the only practicing attorney out of the inspector general finalists.
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