Interim city manager resigns

During a special meeting Monday, June 27, Breckenridge’s interim city manager, Jim Cox, of Texas First Group, verbally resigned after less than one week in the position. According to a release from the city, Cox’s first day in the position was Monday, June 20 and his last day was Friday, June 24.

Breckenridge City Commission approved an agreement with Texas First Group during a special meeting Monday, June 13. The Austin-based group provides interim management services for Texas municipalities, according to their website.

“The City Commission is in the process of selecting a new Interim City Manager and/ or permanent City Manager. The City Commission takes seriously the task of selecting a suitable City Manager so that the citizens of the City will be adequately served and the business of the City will be efficiently performed,” the release stated.

The search for a replacement was necessitated by the resignation of former City Manager Erika McComis, which was accepted by the commission Monday, June 13.

McComis will return to the city of Argyle after the Town Council accepted an agreement to appoint her as both interim Town Administrator and interim Town Secretary during their Monday, June 20 meeting. She previously served as Argyle’s assistant town administrator, before coming to Breckenridge. Her last day in the Breckenridge city manager position was Tuesday, June 21.

McComis was hired as Breckenridge’s city manager in July 2021, after a 17-month search following Andy McCuistion’s retirement announcement in February 2020. McCuistion served in the position for eight years before retiring in April 2020. The city set up a committee consisting of former and current officials to find a suitable candidate to fill the vacant position.

In May 2020, commissioners appointed Houston Satterwhite, public works director, and Heather Robertson-Caraway, city secretary, as co-interim city managers. They served in those positions until Sept. 2020 when Scott Dixon was appointed as interim city manager.

When Dixon’s time in Breckenridge was up, the committee recommended Robertson-Caraway as his replacement, and commissioners appointed her in February 2021.