Broken Arrow City Council Approves City Manager's Resignation

The all too familiar search for a city manager is on once again in Broken Arrow. City council accepted City Manager Thom Moton's resignation Monday night.

Less than two years in, before his contract was up, Moton put in his resignation. Now, the change in leadership could cost Broken Arrow more than a hundred thousand dollars.

With a 3-2 vote, Moton, known as the "agent of change," is out.

In a statement, he said while his time in BA had been "rewarding and enriching," he will "pursue other employment opportunities and spend more time with [his] family."

Monday’s two naysayers said, for a city moving forward, this is a step back.

Councilor Johnnie Parks said "This is definitely a loss and it's an expensive loss. It costs a lot of money."

Parks said the search for a city manager can cost $100,000 - about the same amount the city will pay Moton in severance, benefits and retirement, totaling about $105,000.

"This is an expensive proposition. Money that could've been used in other places," Parks said.

Councilor Jill Norman, who also voted against Moton's resignation, was seething.

She said she would like him to stay but said Moton has made big changes, like revitalizing BA's Rose District and bringing a state-of-the-art water plant online - and change isn't always easy nor welcomed.

"He did make some changes that were hard and I appreciate the work that he did," Norman said.

Both councilors expressed concern that the next city manager will be BA's fourth in about ten years’ time.

"I think it hurts a city growing, like BA, when we have a high city manager turnover like we do," Parks said.

In a statement, Mayor Craig Thurmond wished Moton well.

Now, the city's longtime HR Director Russell Gale will manage the city until a new city manager is hired. Parks said that process can take about six to eight months.