Here's how T.C. Broadnax plans to tackle Austin's police contract talks, homelessness

Just a few weeks into his new job, Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax has outlined his top priorities and started the process of hiring a permanent police chief.

Under the council-manager form of government Austin has, Broadnax serves as the city's chief executive — overseeing the daily operations of dozens of city departments, implementing policy changes passed by the mayor and Austin City Council, and overseeing the drafting of Austin's annual budget.

He will be at the forefront of the city's response to ongoing issues Austin is facing, including police contract negotiations and officer shortages, homelessness and housing affordability.

The American-Statesman spoke with Broadnax on Tuesday about how he plans to address some of the key issues the city is facing and more. Here's what he had to say:

Hiring a permanent Austin police chief

The top-most priorities Broadnax laid out on his first day in a news release centered around policing: hiring a permanent police chief and finalizing contract negotiations with the Austin Police Association.

Austin has been without a permanent police chief since Joe Chacon resigned in 2023. Chacon's chief of staff, Robin Henderson, has been serving as the interim police chief since September.

Broadnax has previously said that hiring a permanent police chief is one of his top priorities. He told the Statesman on Tuesday he hopes to have finalists selected or a candidate identified in late July with a start date sometime in September at the latest. The City Council then must approve the appointment of a police chief.

The application for the top law enforcement position opened May 15 and will close June 10.

"I'm hopeful that the process allows me to get an idea of who's probably (the) best fit for the job, whether that's an internal person or an external person," Broadnax told the Statesman in an interview.

Police contract negotiations and enforcing Austin Police Oversight Act

The city is currently in ongoing contract negotiations with the Austin Police Association after more than a year without having a long-term contract.

Broadnax told the Statesman he thinks the city is making progress and hopes to have a contract finalized by July.

A sticking point in negotiations has been the enforcement of the Austin Police Oversight Act, which voters approved last year and, among other things, calls for the Police Department to end its use of a confidential personnel file on each of its officers known as the "G-file."

Broadnax said he is committed to implementing the act, also known as Prop A.

"I think we just need to make sure that the language — particularly as it relates to state law and any conflicts with the agreement — that we work through those things and ensure that we can implement accordingly across the board as it relates to Prop A," Broadnax said.

He said it was his understanding that the city is already implementing parts of Prop A that aren't in conflict with the contract.

"Ultimately, when the contract gets approved, then that will feather right into the things that we're already doing in adherence to Prop A," Broadnax said.

Addressing homelessness

The total number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in Austin has doubled since January 2022, the Statesman has previously reported.

Though progress has been made on the matter, the city is short on shelter beds and permanent supportive housing units.

"I think there needs to be, as I think was previously proposed, an assessment and a cataloging of where and what we're spending resources on to support our homeless ecosystem," Broadnax said.

Prior to Broadnax's arrival, there was an attempt to conduct a joint audit of the city's spending on homeless services. The $2 million audit the City Council approved with the international consulting firm McKinsey & Company was slated to be a joint review with the other area homeless service providers including Central Health, Travis County and Integral Care, each of which would help foot the bill.

But, after Travis County opted not to participate in the review, saying it didn't want to work with McKinsey, the city pulled the plug on the operation.

Read More: Austin kills million dollar McKinsey & Company audit of homelessness contracts, programs

Both Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and interim City Manager Jesús Garza said at the time they still supported conducting such a review with the same agencies.

Projected budget deficits

As city manager, Broadnax will be in charge of overseeing the drafting of the city's annual budget, which last year was approved by the City Council at $5.5 billion. The City Council must approve the annual budget and can amend it.

The city's financial staff has predicted that, over the next five years, Austin is looking at a growing structural imbalance for its general fund, meaning the city's anticipated revenue is lower than expenses.

"The implementation of the tax (cap) really is going to hit this year," Broadnax said, referring to a state-imposed property tax cap that bars the city from adopting an annual rate 3.5% greater than that of the previous year without voter approval.

"You have to line up the things that you just have to do," Broadnax said. "Then we begin to work through, with the various departments, the opportunities for more efficiencies to be realized."

One of the changes he hopes to make this year is a transition to a two-year budgeting framework.

Broadnax said one of his top priorities is "ensuring that our budget and our path forward financially is clear."

Broadnax's exit from Dallas

Broadnax declined to comment Tuesday on Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson's recent assertion that his leaving Dallas might not have been an involuntary separation that would trigger a clause in his employment contract for a lump sum payout equal to his annual base salary, which was around $423,000 at the time of his exit.

Read More: Dallas mayor says Austin manager Broadnax's exit was 'questionable,' opposes severance pay

Johnson made these assertions in a memo sent to Dallas City Attorney Tammy Palomino last week. He cited, in part, the timing of Broadnax's candidacy for the job in Austin and a report by Dallas news station WFAA-TV in which four unnamed Dallas City Council members said Broadnax had sought council members who would ask him to resign.

"I'm focused on the city of Austin," Broadnax said. "Mayor Johnson can say what Mayor Johnson wants to say."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin's new city manager plans to tackle policing, homelessness