Lamesa, Texas City Manager PositionCast™
Recruiting Lamesa’s Next City Manager
Episode Summary
Episode 32 of The Clear Voice features a PositionCast™ conversation focused on the City Manager recruitment for Lamesa, Texas. This episode gives candidates a direct look at the community, the leadership expectations, the opportunities ahead, and the type of professional manager who can help guide Lamesa into its next chapter.
In this conversation, James Groom is joined by Michael Boese, President of Clear Career Professionals, and Mayor Hayden Davis. They discuss Lamesa’s West Texas identity, its agricultural roots, its connection to the Permian Basin, the future of Interstate 27, economic development opportunities, housing needs, infrastructure priorities, and the importance of a City Manager who can build relationships and strengthen customer service.
This opportunity is especially relevant for City Managers, Assistant City Managers, and municipal executives who want to lead in a West Texas community with strong local identity, regional opportunity, and a desire to grow while preserving its small town character.
Why This Matters for City Manager Recruitment
The City Manager role in Lamesa is a high impact executive leadership opportunity. The city is positioned between Lubbock and Midland, rooted in agriculture, connected to the growing energy economy, and preparing for future changes tied to transportation, housing, economic development, and regional growth.
Mayor Davis describes Lamesa as a community that is already good, but potentially on the edge of becoming something bigger. The next City Manager will need to understand that moment and help the Mayor, City Council, staff, local organizations, and regional partners align around a shared vision.
For candidates, this is not simply a maintenance role. It is a chance to lead a full service city, strengthen relationships, improve systems, build community trust, and help Lamesa take advantage of opportunities that may shape its future for decades.
A West Texas Community Between Lubbock and Midland
Lamesa is a community of roughly 8,500 to 9,000 residents located about 50 to 55 miles south of Lubbock and a similar distance north of Midland. That location gives residents access to larger city amenities while preserving a small town quality of life.
The community has deep agricultural roots, but it is also increasingly connected to oil field activity and broader Permian Basin growth. Mayor Davis explains that Lamesa has long been agriculture based, but changing economic forces are creating new opportunities for service companies, trucking companies, manufacturing, and other businesses.
Lamesa can also serve as a bedroom community for people working in larger regional employment centers, including Lubbock and Midland. For candidates and families, that means small town living with practical access to larger job markets, medical care, shopping, and regional amenities.
Economic Development, Housing, and Interstate 27
One of the biggest themes in the episode is economic development. Lamesa is preparing for future opportunities tied to Interstate 27 and the Ports to Plains corridor. Mayor Davis notes that the question is no longer whether Interstate 27 is coming, but where and how it will come through the area.
That matters because future transportation alignment can influence industrial growth, commercial development, truck stops, convenience stores, RV centers, and other businesses that may want to locate near the corridor. The next City Manager will need to work with the Mayor and Council, Economic Development Corporation, Chamber of Commerce, TxDOT, regional partners, and property owners as those opportunities develop.
Housing is another major issue. Lamesa has lower income housing and higher income housing, but the city needs more middle market housing for families, workers, and people who want to establish roots in the community. That affects not only residents, but also economic development recruitment when businesses ask where employees will live.
Building a Shared Identity for Lamesa
The episode also explores the importance of citywide branding and identity. Mayor Davis explains that the city, Economic Development Corporation, and Chamber of Commerce have historically operated with different brands, slogans, and messages.
As Lamesa prepares for future growth, he sees value in creating a more cohesive identity that communicates who the community is and why it matters. A shared brand can help the city present itself more clearly to businesses, residents, visitors, regional partners, and state agencies.
The next City Manager will play an important role in that work. This is not just a marketing project. It is part of building alignment between the city, EDC, Chamber, council, staff, and community around a common direction.
Infrastructure, Streets, and Quality of Life
Lamesa is a full service city with police, fire, streets, water, wastewater, parks, and other core municipal services. Mayor Davis identifies streets, infrastructure, and quality of life as major priorities for the next City Manager.
The city has invested significant resources in underground infrastructure, including water and sewer lines. The next phase includes a stronger focus on streets, potholes, parks, facilities, and visible improvements that residents experience every day.
Quality of life is also a major theme. Lamesa has parks, a baseball and softball complex, community centers, a pool, a golf course, hunting, fishing, outdoor recreation, school sports, a rodeo, and the Chicken Fried Steak Festival. The next City Manager will need to understand how these assets contribute to community pride, economic development, and resident retention.
Public Safety and Organizational Leadership
Lamesa has strong public safety departments, including police and fire. Mayor Davis specifically notes progress in the police department, including improved training, a small SWAT unit, and growing recognition for the department’s work.
The city also created funding for a full time training officer, reflecting a desire to position Lamesa as a more significant training location in the region. Because Lamesa sits between larger training centers in Lubbock and Midland, public safety training could become an important strength for the organization.
The next City Manager will need to support department heads, build accountability, develop staff, and strengthen morale across City Hall. Mayor Davis describes the need for a family type atmosphere within the organization, where employees are held to consistent standards while also feeling part of a team.
Council Manager Relationships and Community Focus
Mayor Davis emphasizes the importance of a strong relationship between the City Council and City Manager. The council relies on the City Manager for information, professional guidance, risk analysis, and fact based recommendations.
The next City Manager should be prepared to build a personal and professional relationship with council members while also serving the broader community. The role requires a leader who can communicate clearly, explain options, support decision making, and maintain credibility even when issues are complicated.
Community visibility also matters. Mayor Davis wants a City Manager who is present in the community, involved in local life, and recognized as part of Lamesa. The right person does not have to attend everything, but they need to be seen, engaged, and connected.
Customer Service and Culture Change
One of the clearest expectations for the next City Manager is improving the city’s customer service mindset. Mayor Davis describes city government as being in the service industry. The city collects taxes and provides essential services, including water, sewer, streets, police, fire, parks, and other public services.
That means the next City Manager should bring a customer service orientation while also having the judgment to stand firm when necessary. Residents may not always get the answer they want, but they should feel heard, respected, and treated professionally.
This is an important leadership opportunity because customer service, organizational culture, staff morale, and public trust are connected. A City Manager who can strengthen internal accountability and external service can make a visible difference in how residents experience city government.
What Success Looks Like in the Role
A successful City Manager in Lamesa will help the city align around its future. That includes building stronger relationships with the EDC, Chamber of Commerce, TxDOT, regional partners, state agencies, local businesses, staff, and community members.
The right leader will help Lamesa prepare for Interstate 27, strengthen housing opportunities, improve infrastructure, support public safety, invest in parks and quality of life, and create a more unified city identity.
Success will also require steady communication with council, consistent accountability inside City Hall, and an open minded approach to the community’s future. Mayor Davis wants a City Manager who can help finish the painting, not someone who arrives with every answer already decided.
What Candidates Can Learn from This PositionCast™
This PositionCast™ gives candidates a clearer understanding of the Lamesa City Manager opportunity than a job posting alone can provide. The episode explains the community, the council’s expectations, the Mayor’s leadership perspective, the city’s economic development potential, and the practical challenges facing the next executive leader.
For City Managers, Assistant City Managers, and municipal executives considering a Texas City Manager recruitment opportunity, this conversation offers valuable insight into the human side of the search. It helps candidates understand whether they are aligned with Lamesa’s needs, values, and future direction.
The right candidate will be a strong municipal leader, a relationship builder, a customer service focused executive, and a strategic thinker who can help Lamesa grow while honoring its West Texas roots.
More Information
For more information about the City Manager position in Lamesa, Texas, including job details and application materials, visit the Career Opportunities section at Clear Career Professionals.
About The Clear Voice Podcast
The Clear Voice is a dedicated platform for transparency and expert led dialogue within the professional and public sectors. The show serves as a vital resource for leaders who want to move past surface level discussions and dive into the real world mechanics of governance, management, and organizational growth. James Groom is the host of the program. As the Vice President of Clear Career Professionals and a retired Police Chief, James brings a unique, high stakes perspective to every conversation. His background in public service and executive leadership allows him to extract practical, actionable insights from industry experts that help modern organizations function with total clarity.
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About Clear Career Professionals
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