The search has officially begun to replace G.K. Maenius, Tarrant County’s longtime administrator.
Maenius announced his retirement in June. He’s the longest-serving county administrator in Texas and the only one Tarrant County has ever had, according to a press release. He was the first person to take the newly established role in 1988, and county leaders have called him irreplaceable.
On Tuesday, Tarrant County Commissioners voted 4-1 to hire Mackenzie Eason, an executive recruiting firm based in Fort Worth, to lead the search.
“I feel very confident that within 10 weeks, we can have a slate of candidates ready to go,” said Darien George, managing partner at Mackenzie Eason.
Mackenzie Eason has worked to find leaders in the public sector for 20 years, George told commissioners. The firm has previously assisted in finding a chief financial officer for Fort Worth, a superintendent for Rocketship Public Schools and an associate vice president of student affairs at TCU.
The county administrator is the county government’s top staff member, responsible for overseeing county departments, implementing the will of the elected Commissioners Court and shepherding the court’s public meetings.
Maenius makes about $410,000 a year, county records show. His last day is Sept. 30.
Tarrant County leadership is undergoing significant turnover. Maenius’ departure was followed by the retirement of County Auditor Renee Tidwell, who told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram she decided to leave, in part, because of new divisions and partisanship among elected officials.
Earlier this year, Tarrant County Elections Administrator Heider Garcia announced his departure, citing disagreements with County Judge Tim O’Hare.
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Got a tip? Email Miranda Suarez at msuarez@kera.org. You can follow Miranda on Twitter @MirandaRSuarez.
