City News Roundup

City manager candidates line up and more trending Dallas news

Dallas city manager A.C. Gonzalez is about to retire.

Photo courtesy of City of Dallas

Dallas is interviewing for a new city manager, and former police Chief David Brown has a new gig. Here's what happened in Dallas city news this week:

City manager candidates
The city of Dallas released the names of five finalists for the vacant city manager position, as follows:

T.C. Broadnax, city manager of Tacoma
Jelynne LeBlanc-Burley, president and CEO of JLB Group
Maura Black Sullivan, COO of Chattanooga, Tennessee
Mark McDaniel, the city of Dallas’ assistant city manager
Jim Twombly, director of administration and city manager of Tulsa

A.C. Gonzalez, the city’s current city manager, is retiring in January. Gonzalez was appointed as interim city manager in 2013, and accepted the position in January 2014 after the city council unanimously approved him.

Mayor Mike Rawlings told CBS-DFW that more than 100 people applied for the job.

The candidates will take a tour of Dallas, hosted by city staff on December 5. On December 6, they will interview with city council members. That evening, the city will hold a meet-and-greet from 6-8 pm on the second-floor atrium of City Hall. It will be open to the public. To attend, enter through the Dallas City Hall main lobby, near the reflecting pool.

The city also launched a survey to gauge the qualities residents would like to see in the new city manager. The survey asks respondents to rank factors such as experience outside of Dallas, previous work with labor negotiations, cultural competence and diversity, experience with multi-modal transportation in cities, planning and economic development, and social issues. You can take the survey here.

Pension fund lawsuit
A lawsuit regarding the Dallas Police and Fire Pension Fund board was filed by five police and firefighters. The pension board is trying to make changes to save the ailing fund. But the plaintiffs say the makeup of the board has too many members and is therefore invalid.

Sam's Club bout
The Sam's Club that was planned for Cityplace in Dallas seems to be kaput. Judge Mike O’Neill ruled that the city did not provide proper notice to residents.

Police Chief rebound
Former Dallas police Chief David Brown will join ABC News to provide commentary on economic inequality, policing, social justice, gun violence, and race relations.

James Goldston of ABC said Brown has a “unique perspective” to lend to those issues. Brown will begin January 1.

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Public transportation news

DART to trim bus routes and change light-rail frequency in Dallas

Photo courtesy of DART

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is implementing service changes that include discontinuing several low-performing bus routes and adjusting weekday rail and bus frequencies. The changes take effect Monday February 2.

"These changes reflect what our riders and communities told us last year: 'Minimize disruption while maintaining access'," says Jeamy Molina, DART’s EVP and Chief Communications Officer in a release. “By focusing service where it’s used most and keeping strong connections to rail, GoLink and key bus corridors, we’re helping move North Texas forward."

Directly from the release, here are the changes being made:

Weekday light-rail frequency: DART’s Red, Blue, Green and Orange lines will operate every 20 minutes during weekday peak periods (previously 15 minutes). Off-peak weekday and weekend frequency will not change.

Convention Center Station: The station closed to riders January 5, 2026, due to construction at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Trains will continue to pass through, but riders cannot board or exit there. Bus bays also closed Jan. 5, and stops have been relocated to nearby streets. Updates are available at DART.org/ConventionCenter.

Discontinued bus routes (7): 209 McKinney/Cole; 225 Nursery; 254 Legacy; 255 Story; 305 Addison Express; 378 Red Bird Express; 383 Lake Ray Hubbard Express. Nearby alternatives include rail, GoLink and connecting bus routes.

Bus frequency reductions: Routes 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 30, 38 and 57 move to 20-minute peak service. Routes 28, 41 and 47 move to 20-minute peak and 30-minute off-peak service and will be renumbered to 128, 141 and 147. Routes 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 108, 109, 114, and 122 move to 20-minute peak and 30-minute off-peak service. Express Route 306 shifts to 20-minute frequency.

Schedule updates: Minor timing adjustments will be made on Routes 1, 218, 233, 235, 237, and 241 to improve connections. Route 883 UTD Comet Cruiser will operate about every 12 minutes on weekdays and 20 minutes on weekends, with no change to destinations.

Bus bay reassignments: Riders should watch for updated boarding locations at Addison Station; CBD West Transfer Center; Dallas College North Lake Campus Station; Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing Station; Forest Lane Station; Lake Ray Hubbard Transit Center; Market Center Station; Northwest Plano Park & Ride; Parker Road Station; Red Bird Transit Center; SMU/Mockingbird Station; Southwestern Medical District/Parkland Station; and University of Dallas Station.

Riders can review new schedules and route details on DART’s service change landing page at www.DART.org/ServiceChange. Updated timetables will also be available through DART’s trip-planning tools and at select locations, and riders can contact DART Customer Service for help planning trips, finding alternate service, and confirming updated boarding locations.

"The changes were informed by a series of public hearings last summer and feedback from member cities and approved by the DART Board of Directors in September 2025," DART says. "In addition to the services scheduled to change on February 2nd, the DART Board also approved fare changes, GoLink expansion, and two potential site-specific shuttle partnerships. Those changes are set to take effect later this year."