Tyler

By MALENA OGLES
Staff Writer

He's in the same office, in the same building and in a familiar job, but now Mark McDaniel has a new title -- Tyler city manager.

Since February, McDaniel has acted as the city manager designate, promoted after four years of serving as deputy city manager under Bob Turner, who announced his intention to retire in 2009.

"I couldn't ask for a better organization to serve," McDaniel said. "I feel honored and blessed that the council has placed this kind of confidence in me."

Thursday, McDaniel officially took the reins, becoming the 24th city manager in Tyler's history and bringing more than 23 years of experience in local government management to the position.

While serving as deputy city manager, McDaniel monitored business plans, periodically served as city manager and fielded questions from the council. He also acted as the project manager for the Tyler 21 plan, started the Neighborhood Empowerment Works program, overhauled the Development Services operations and made enhancements to the city's financial planning process, officials said.

McDaniel said Turner allowed him to be part of all major decisions and planning efforts undertaken by the city during the last four years.

"He (Turner) thought of it as more of a four year transition period," McDaniel said. "He already had plans put together about his retirement . I think he was grooming me during that time."

Prior to coming to Tyler, McDaniel was assistant city manager for Corpus Christi acted in a dual capacity as the City's economic development director. He also has held the positions of city manager for the city of Woodway, assistant city manager for the city of Lake Jackson and budget director for the city of Denton.

Before deciding to pursue a career in local government, McDaniel considered religious ministry and law school.

"For me, public service is a calling, just like to be a pastor is a calling, McDaniel said. "This has become my way of serving others."

McDaniel holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Texas, and has completed the Senior Executive in Local Government Program at Harvard University. He is also a past president of the Texas City Management Association, and in 2007 was selected as the University of North Texas Master of Public Administration alumnus of the year.

He and his wife Cindy have three children: Megan, 19, who attends Texas A&M University Jim, 16, and Will, 14, who attend Robert E. Lee High School.

"We could do a national search for a city manager and not find someone as eminently suited as Mark McDaniel," Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass said in a prepared statement. "We are very fortunate that he has chosen to continue his career in Tyler."

The Tyler City Council approved a contract in September for McDaniel to take over the position in 2009 following his appointment as city manager designate in February and Turner's retirement. The contract approved by the City Council provides for an annual base salary of $175,000, authorization of payment of a $10,000 performance-based bonus, and additional health and retirement benefits. Turner continues to serve the city on special assignment until June 2009.

As Tyler city manager, McDaniel will develop plans and annual budgets for city services as well as manage the city's 25 departments.

He said his goal is to continue placing the highest priority on responsiveness to the citizens of Tyler.

"So much of what I came into was in great shape. This organization has a culture of continuous improvement so it is easy to introduce change and something that may take us to the next level," McDaniel said.

McDaniel said he doesn't look to one particular city as a model for Tyler, and instead looks at the best practices from all over the nation.

"Not any one city is the best at everything," he said. "We also do a lot of self evaluation,"

Part of that self evaluation was outlined in the 2005 Business Plan, which established five organizational goals that include: streamline, Empower, Respond, Venture and Evaluate. Yearly, individual employees are given performance evaluations on how the Tyler Blueprint goals are implemented into their job.

McDaniel said that in 2009 the city will launch the next evolution of the Tyler Blueprint.

The city will look to Lean Six Sigma techniques and strategies that are typically used in the private sector.

According to information from the city, the Lean practices will focus on process speed and the Six Sigma practices will focus on process quality.

"Immediately and in the short-term, the city will focus on providing quality services and pursuing Tyler 21 goals while maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in the state," McDaniel said. "Thinking in terms of the bigger picture, I see our challenge as staying the course to maintain our economic diversity while becoming an economic powerhouse for the greater region and a nationally recognized major market - particularly in the areas of retail, health care and higher education. Our planning, business friendly environment and quality of life position us to realize this vision."