Four finalists named for Gatesville city manager post

The Gatesville City Council, working in consultation with Strategic Government Resources, have named the four finalists for the Gatesville city manager position, announcing them in a March 14 news release.

The finalists were selected from an original pool of 31 candidates. Members of the community will have an opportunity to meet the city manager finalists during a special meet and greet event from 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, in the Gatesville City Council Chamber. City Council members will interview the candidates on March 23.

The finalists include:

* David Harris, who has served for 23 years in city management. His experience most recently includes eight years as city administrator in Balcones Heights, Texas, as well as serving as assistant city manager in Schertz, Texas from 2006 to 2014, and as city administrator for Hill Country Village, Texas from 2000 to 2006.

Harris holds a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, and a master’s degree in urban administration from Trinity University in San Antonio. He has held numerous leadership roles in both the Texas City Management Association and the Texas Municipal League.

* James Fisher, who has more than 30 years of experience in city management for local government in Texas – including the cities of Brenham, Forney, Murphy, Bee Cave, Muleshoe, Castroville — and as assistant city manager in Port Aransas. Fisher holds a master’s degree in public affairs from the University Texas at Dallas, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration-management from West Texas A&M University in Canyon. He earned his Texas Certified Public Manager designation from Texas State University and has served in leadership roles in the Texas City Management Association and the International City/County Management Association.

* Neal Wendele, who currently serves as city manager for Todd Mission, Texas, and previously served as a local-government consultant to the city of Navasota, where he began as a city manager intern in 2017. His prior employment includes working as indigent defense coordinator for a law office, as well as other positions in the private sector for almost 15 years.

Wendele holds a master’s degree in public service and administration from Texas A&M University in College Station, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen. He currently serves as city manager in residence at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

* Scott Albert, who has almost 30 years of experience in Texas-based city and town management, serving in Hondo (currently), Angleton, Celina, Fairview and Springtown. He began his public sector career with the city of Plano, where he served as management assistant for multiple departments. He served in multiple subject-matter-expert and advisory roles in local government development and infrastructure in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of his USAID deployments from 2008-2011.

Albert holds a master’s degree in public affairs and bachelor’s degree in public administration-economics & finance, both from University of Texas at Dallas.