Meadowlakes city manager retiring
Published: Fri, 01/19/24
Meadowlakes city manager retiring
Meadowlakes City Manager Johnnie Thompson’s last day with the city is Sept. 30 after serving over 40 years in the community.
Staff photo by Nathan Bush
DailyTrib.com
Nathan Bush
January 18, 2024
Meadowlakes City Manager Johnnie Thompson will retire after serving the community for over 40 years. His last day is Sept. 30, 2024.
“He’s been a godsend for us because he knows every valve, pipe, and electrical box in the entire city,” Mayor Mark Bentley told DailyTrib.com. “We’ll certainly miss him.”
Thompson started working for the gated community as manager of the Municipal Utility District in 1978. He took over as city manager when Meadowlakes incorporated in 2006.
“When I started, Meadowlakes was a retirement community,” he said. “Over the past years, we’ve seen a lot more professional and semi-professional families move in. We still have a lot of retirees who love it here, but it’s different. I think we’ll continue to prosper.”
Stewarding the city’s finances is Thompson’s proudest achievement.
“The city is in extremely good financial shape,” he said. “We accomplished that over the years. When the city dissolved the (Meadowlakes Municipal Utility District), it was not in great financial shape. Over the last 15 years or so, we’ve gotten it into real good shape.”
Thompson is also appreciative of the support he’s received from residents, elected board members, and others during his time with the city.
“In 45 years, I probably haven’t had more than a half-dozen confrontations,” he said. “That’s pretty good if you ask me.”
Wife Robben’s retirement fed into his decision to leave the job.
“I’m just getting to the age where I want to do something else,” Thompson said with a smile.
The Meadowlakes City Council discussed the search for a replacement in executive session during a regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
“We’re going to start working on it really soon,” Mayor Bentley said at the meeting.
Plans include posting an advertisement with a job description crafted by the council.
“I think we still have time, but we don’t want to drag our feet,” Bentley said.
The mayor alluded to several candidates the council already has in mind for the post.
“We had a few names come up in (executive session) that we’d probably like to invite to interview,” he said.
Councilors hope to have a replacement ready to start in just a few months.
“We want to get someone here by May 1 so that they can start right at the beginning of the budget process,” Bentley said.