Taft City Council swears in new City Manager

The Taft City Council has officially appointed Interim City Manager Ryan Smith to the role full-time following a vote on Tuesday.

Smith will be the first permanent City Manager for Taft since William Linn vacated the position in October 2023.

Smith has been the volunteer fire chief for the City of Taft since October 2021. During his time with the fire department, Smith faced a legal battle with the City of Taft in 2022 when the volunteer fire department opposed the city's attempt to create a new fire chief position. Smith later joined the city council as an assistant to then-temporary City Manager Kandi Hubert.

Hubert resigned in June amid an ongoing investigation by 6 Investigates regarding excessive overtime paid to city employees, including Taft City Secretary Andrea Gomez. Smith has served as interim city manager since Hubert's resignation.

The council voted 3-2 in favor of Smith taking over the position. Councilmen Rolando Rodriguez, Alonso Molina, and Chris Keeney voted yes, while Mayor Leonard Vasquez and Councilman Isaiah Garza voted no. Speaking with Garza after Tuesday's meeting, he said he voted no because he wanted a candidate with "more experience" but noted he will support the council's decision to move forward with Smith.

Smith is now the fourth person to hold the city manager position for the City of Taft since the start of 2023.

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