ONE HAND WASHES THE OTHER: RAMIREZ A FINALIST FOR WACO CITY MANAGER

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Guess who surfaced in the search for manager of the City of Waco?

Would you believe our own "One City" sloganeer Helen Ramirez, who resigned from her position and told the city commission – and the city's administration and residents – that she was leaving public service at the end of the year "to spend more time with family due to medical circumstances" related her husband's health.

She made her announcement at the end of October that her last day was December 19, 2025. The City Commission proclaimed December 9, 2025, as "Helen Ramirez Day" in her honor.

There has been, apparently, a miraculous recovery at the Ramirez household.

The City of Waco announcement Monday said that it had partnered with Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to conduct a nationwide executive search. SGR is a Texas-based executive recruitment firm specializing in the recruitment, assessment, and development of innovative, collaborative, and authentic local government leaders.

For the uninitiated, SGR was a favorite municipal consulting firm handed contracts totaling $10,000s by Ramirez and her predecessor Noel Bernal. Bernal, by the way, left his position as Adams County, Colo. Manager to open his own consultant firm  – Strategic Partnerships – and is now Deputy City Manager for the City of Abilene. His slogan was "Total Alignment."

There is, apparently, a revolving door between city administrators and municipal consulting firms across the sate. You scratch my back...  

It is interesting that SGR chose Ramirez from among 70 candidates. Did they disclose that she had hired them to screen potential municipal employees when she was city manager of Brownsville? One hand washes the other?

 

Among the other finalists are : 

Deidra Emerson has served the City of Waco in several senior leadership roles, including Deputy City Manager since August 2020 and Assistant City Manager from 2015 to 2020. 

Ryan Holt, who currently serves as Assistant City Manager for the City of Waco, a position he has held since 2020. Prior to that role, he served as Waco’s Chief of Police from 2017 to 2020 and as Assistant Chief of Police in various capacities from 2008 to 2017. 

Jared Miller currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Texas Division of Emergency Management in Austin, Texas. Prior to this role, he served as City Manager for the City of Amarillo, Texas, from 2017 to 2023, and as City Manager for the City of San Marcos, Texas, from 2014 to 2017.

The finalists will participate in an extensive on-site interview process from January 6 – 8, which will include community tours, employee and stakeholder engagement sessions, meetings with elected and appointed officials, and interviews with the Mayor and City Council.

Following this process, the Mayor and City Council will select the City of Waco’s next City Manager.