Police Chief James Waters named public safety director at $208,000 a year, Herald reports

Princeton Police Chief James Waters has been appointed the city's public safety director, The Princeton Herald reported Thursday.

Alternate City Manager David Hall announced the appointment, according to the newspaper. The Herald said it learned through a public information request that Waters will be paid $208,000 a year in the new role.

At the council's Oct. 13 meeting, Hall said he had received some questions about the move and that it was "completely legal" under the city charter and existing ordinances, the Herald reported.

"Questions may have revolved around budget considerations, but … administratively, there are offsets," Hall said, according to the paper. "That's not a concern."

The Herald's online summary does not describe the duties of the new position, which departments it oversees or whether Waters keeps the police chief title. The full story runs in the paper's Oct. 22 print edition.

Leadership in flux

The appointment comes while several top posts at City Hall are filled on an interim basis or are changing hands.

The city is still looking for a permanent city manager. The agenda for the council's next regular meeting, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, at the Princeton Municipal Center, 2000 E. Princeton Drive, lists the city manager recruitment for closed-session discussion with the city attorney and again as a personnel matter.

The same agenda shows the fire department led by Interim Fire Chief Steve Gammons, who is listed to present a resolution on the city's application for a federal SAFER firefighter-staffing grant. Council members will also consider the resignation of Place 5 Councilmember Steven Deffibaugh.

The city's notice of the meeting was posted Oct. 20.

Sources

princetonherald.com

princetontx.gov