A Dallas City Council member says they will conduct a thorough review of a contract following a mistake made by a consultant that included the incorrect city skyline in a draft brochure for Dallas' next city manager.
On Tuesday, Dallas City Council members learned for the first time how a photograph of Houston's skyline found its way onto the cover of a widely circulated draft brochure last week.
Art Davis, with the Kansas-based advisory firm Baker Tilly, addressed the Ad Hoc Committee on Administrative Affairs via video conference.
“Unfortunately, it was tagged incorrectly,” Davis said.
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In an email sent Monday to committee chair Tennell Atkins and obtained by NBC 5, Davis said the photo was sourced from Getty Images.
The same committee widely criticized the draft photo on Aug. 26, correctly pointing out the selection didn’t represent Dallas.
After the meeting, NBC 5 informed committee members the photo depicted the Houston skyline.
“I didn’t know it was Houston, but that’s kind of disturbing,” councilmember Cara Mendelsohn replied.
Davis told committee members that the firm had acted quickly to correct the error.
“We had zoomed in closely and we had not recognized that,” Davis said Tuesday. “So, [we] apologize for that unfortunate error.”
Baker Tilly was hired in May on a contract exceeding $134,000, which was to be paid out in three phases during the search process.
Even as representatives presented five potential replacement cover photos Tuesday, councilmember Jesse Moreno acknowledged the challenge of moving forward.
“I appreciate them recognizing that they made an error,” Moreno said. “It’s one thing to get a picture wrong, which says a thousand words, but also now worried about what’s inside that document.”
In a statement to NBC 5, a spokesperson for Baker Tilly said that the firm will persist in its efforts to secure a cover image that the council will support.
“We understand that each council member has a distinct vision for this project, and we are committed to collaborating closely with them until we reach a consensus that meets their expectations,” Nicole Berkeland said. “The process of refining the cover is ongoing, and we see this as an important part of ensuring the final product truly represents the city’s character and aspirations.”
The brochure is supposed to attract top national talent for the city’s highest-paid position.
T.C. Broadnax resigned in May and took the same job in Austin. Current interim city manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, while not officially indicated yet, is expected by many to apply for the permanent position.
Atkins mentioned Tuesday that he believes the brochure's approval process can be completed by next week, ensuring that the intended timeline for hiring a new city manager is maintained by the end of the year.
“My deal is get it right to hire the city manager because we got to get this done,” Atkins said.
Moreno said the “couple of pauses” created by the incorrect skyline cover photo provided him extra time, too.
“I knew something was missing, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt, and that just goes to show me that we always need to go back and verify,” Moreno said. “Gives us an opportunity to reevaluate and to look at that contract.”
