W. Jarrett Atkinson is the Lubbock city manager, appointed in November 2016 to serve as the top administrative officer running day-to-day operations for a West Texas city of roughly 329,000 residents.1U.S. Census Bureau. Lubbock County, Texas QuickFacts2City of Lubbock. City Manager Under Lubbock’s council-manager form of government, the elected City Council sets policy and the city manager carries it out across every city department, from police and fire to water utilities and street maintenance.
Who Is W. Jarrett Atkinson
Atkinson has held the position since November 2016, making him one of the longer-tenured managers in Lubbock’s recent history.2City of Lubbock. City Manager He holds a master’s degree in public administration from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, and his connection to the city goes back to his student years, when he worked as a part-time administrative intern for the city while attending Tech.
Before taking the top job, Atkinson built more than two decades of municipal management experience in Texas. He spent six years as an assistant and then deputy city manager, served as city manager of Amarillo from 2010 to 2015, and previously worked as director of local government services for the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission.
What the City Manager Does
The city manager is Lubbock’s chief executive officer, implementing council policies and directing city staff. The city manager’s office provides oversight for all city departments.2City of Lubbock. City Manager When residents have complaints about potholes, water pressure, or code enforcement, those issues ultimately route through the manager’s office rather than through individual council members.
Budget work is one of the most consequential responsibilities. The manager develops the annual budget proposal, presents it to the council, and then ensures departments operate within the funding the council approves. Regular financial reporting keeps the council informed about the city’s fiscal position, capital needs, and long-term debt.
Personnel authority is equally significant. The council directly hires only three positions: the city manager, the city attorney, and the city secretary. Every other city employee reports through one of those three officials.3City of Lubbock. City Council and Mayor That means the manager appoints and removes the department heads running police, fire, public works, parks and recreation, water utilities, and planning.
During council meetings, the manager serves as a technical advisor, providing data and professional recommendations on property tax rates, utility fees, infrastructure investments, and economic development. Monitoring economic trends and forecasting revenue helps the council plan rather than react.
How the Position Is Filled and Held
Lubbock’s City Charter requires the council to select the city manager based on executive and administrative qualifications rather than political connections. The manager serves at the pleasure of the council with no fixed term, so the position continues indefinitely as long as the working relationship holds. The council can terminate the manager through a majority vote.
Because the job has no contract term to anchor reviews, annual evaluations do a lot of the work. Councils typically set yearly goals and then assess the manager against them on budget management, responsiveness to council direction, staff development, community engagement, and progress on strategic initiatives.
Compensation
As of 2019, Atkinson’s annual salary was approximately $300,851. City managers overseeing municipalities with populations near 250,000 to 350,000 typically earn between $245,000 and $400,000 in base salary, with total packages that usually include retirement contributions, vehicle allowances, and deferred compensation.
Ethical Standards
City managers who belong to the International City/County Management Association follow a 12-tenet code of ethics built around transparency, political neutrality, integrity, and stewardship of public resources.4ICMA. ICMA Code of Ethics The code requires managers to stay out of local elections for the council that employs them, serve all community members rather than favoring particular groups, handle personnel decisions with fairness, and never use the position for personal gain. Municipal ethics rules separately require disclosure of financial interests and abstention from official decisions involving personal conflicts.