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Interim City Administrator Richard Morton speaks during the July 11 Bandera City Council meeting.
Photo by Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
July 18, 2023
City of Bandera hires interim city administrator
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
To help bridge the gap until the position can be permanently filled, the City of Bandera has hired an interim city administrator. Hailing a long list of cities he has assisted and worked with, Richard Morton has more than 30 years of experience to draw from.
After retiring from the City of Odessa, where he served as city manager for 15 years, and four years as assistant to the city manager, Morton moved on to serve as interim city manager in Bay City, Port Lavaca, Alvarado, and Rockport. Other cities he worked for include Sugar Land and Bryan.
Recommended by Bandera City Attorney Dan Santee, Morton’s first day was Wednesday, July 5. He will remain in place for “as long as the council desires me to,” he said, adding the typical time frame to serve as interim is three to six or seven months.
“I work for the mayor and the council as a body, but I need to know individually what they each see as issues, and also what they love about Bandera,” Morton said. “The City of Bandera has had eight administrators in eight years. I need to know why they think there has been such a high turnover.”
Morton said he plans to interview every employee and collect their thoughts on the city. He said he would evaluate the administration, and plans to assist with the city administrator hiring process, “to make sure we get the right permanent city administrator,” he said. “I do have a lot to learn about Bandera.”
His hourly rate is $78.75 per hour for at least 40 hours per week, plus housing, and mileage to travel to his home on Cedar Creek Lake in the City of Star Harbor twice per month.
After retiring from the City of Odessa, where he served as city manager for 15 years, and four years as assistant to the city manager, Morton moved on to serve as interim city manager in Bay City, Port Lavaca, Alvarado, and Rockport. Other cities he worked for include Sugar Land and Bryan.
Recommended by Bandera City Attorney Dan Santee, Morton’s first day was Wednesday, July 5. He will remain in place for “as long as the council desires me to,” he said, adding the typical time frame to serve as interim is three to six or seven months.
“I work for the mayor and the council as a body, but I need to know individually what they each see as issues, and also what they love about Bandera,” Morton said. “The City of Bandera has had eight administrators in eight years. I need to know why they think there has been such a high turnover.”
Morton said he plans to interview every employee and collect their thoughts on the city. He said he would evaluate the administration, and plans to assist with the city administrator hiring process, “to make sure we get the right permanent city administrator,” he said. “I do have a lot to learn about Bandera.”
His hourly rate is $78.75 per hour for at least 40 hours per week, plus housing, and mileage to travel to his home on Cedar Creek Lake in the City of Star Harbor twice per month.