Council to Review City Admin. Applicants

The Olney City Council is moving ahead with its search for a new city administrator, six months after the position became vacant.

City officials said they have received 12 applications for the job, which opened after former City Administrator Simon Dwyer resigned last October to accept a similar position in Washington state. Mayor Rue Rogers has been serving as acting city administrator since Mr. Dwyer’s departure.

At the Council’s Feb. 10 meeting, councilmembers voted to form a three-member committee to review the applications and recommend candidates. The committee includes Councilmembers Steven Nurre and Terri Wipperman, as well as Mayor Rogers.

Mayor Rogers said the po- sition will remain open until a permanent hire is made. The committee plans to meet later this week or early next week to begin evaluating applications.

He said one of the applicants is from Newcastle, and a few others are from elsewhere in Texas.

The Council’s goal is to have a new city administrator hired by April or May.

The city administrator position has seen frequent turnover in recent years. Neal Welch retired from the job in 2019 after serving less than two years. Arpegea Pagsuberon served as interim administrator for about a year and was hired permanently in 2022, but was terminated after repeatedly complaining of sexual harassment. Dwyer, a former Olney police officer, was hired in May of 2024 and left the position after less than 18 months.

According to the job posting, the city administrator serves as the city’s chief administrative officer under the direction of the mayor and City Council, overseeing all city departments and daily operations.

The position is full time, with an annual salary range of $90,000 to $110,000, depending on qualifications. Minimum requirements include a bachelor’s degree, a valid Texas driver’s license, and at least five years of progressively responsible experience in city management, a major municipal department, or private-sector executive leadership. Experience in budgeting, finance, and personnel management is preferred.

Key responsibilities include preparing and administering the city’s approximately $3.8-million annual budget, supervising department heads, coordinating interdepartmental operations, representing the city in meetings with outside agencies, and advising the City Council on policy and operational issues. The city administrator will play a central role in managing ongoing infrastructure projects and guiding future development, city officials said.