Brian Platt, Kansas City's city manager, is sticking to the land of BBQ and jazz after pulling out of the race for Austin's city manager job, leaving Texans hanging just days after he was announced as a finalist. Platt, who had been up against Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax and Denton City Manager Sara Hensley for the top gig, said Sunday that he's bowing out, according to KCTV5.
Details on Platt's decision to withdraw were sparse, but the move came after Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas had previously expressed his intention to keep Platt in the fold. "We appreciate Austin’s recognition of the success of Kansas City, and its government over the past four years and our top administrator, Brian Platt," Lucas had written on Twitter, showcasing local pride in the face of out-of-state admiration. Platt, who took the reins in Kansas City in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, has a resume that includes a stint as city manager in Jersey City, New Jersey, before taking on Missouri's challenges, as per KCTV5.
The shake-up left Austin's search for a new city manager momentarily off-balance, with Watson telling the local council Friday via the City Council message board that — despite reports — Platt had not yet stepped back, as reported by the Austin American-Statesman. Yet just two days later, Platt's formal statement put any ambiguity to rest.
Platt's abrupt exit leaves Broadnax and Hensley as the remaining contenders in the Austin city manager showdown. Their fate will be decided soon, with public city meetings and a town hall scheduled for March 25, as Mayor Kirk Watson revealed last week. The Austin City Council plans to conduct interviews in executive sessions the following day, eyeing an early April decision.
