Corpus Christi City Manager Margie Rose Resigns

Corpus Christi City Manager Margie Rose resigned her position effective Wednesday, May 16. The official resignation came one day earlier after a lengthy executive session during City Council’s regular Tuesday meeting. The first black person and first woman ever to hold the position, Rose served two years as city manager after working 14 years in various positions in Corpus Christi government. Assistant City Manager Keith Selman was appointed interim city manager.
Rose has no job lined up and hinted at a possible change of profession.
“I always like to look at situations like this as an opportunity to look for either another position in this area, but I have been in the profession for 30 years,” she said. “I might be ready to try something different.”
Selman told the council he would be assisted in the interim by Assistant City Managers Mark Van Vleck and Sylvia C. Trevino. The trio will also begin a nationwide search for a new city manager.
"We have a lot of work to do, but we have a great team here at the city and a great organization," Selman said. "First order of business will be to get you a full-time city manager. So, we will be moving on that tomorrow."
The work ahead will be arduous. The city faces a $10 million budget deficit that must be solved by the end of the budget cycle in late August.
Before becoming city manager, Rose served two years as assistant city manager under Ron Olson, who resigned June 23, 2016, in the midst of a water crisis. Six months later, as interim city manager, Rose faced another, even worse water crisis when the city banned the use of tap water throughout the area for several days, just two weeks before Christmas. The ban made national news. At the time, the city had a new mayor, Dan McQueen, who resigned 37 days after being sworn in.
Rose then served under a series of mayor pro-tems until voters chose at-large City Council member Joe McComb during a special election earlier this year. Also during her tenure, the council underwent several upheavals with resigning members followed by council appointments.
The agenda for the Tuesday, May 15, meeting hinted at a possible change in command. The council met in executive session to "deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of the city manager." 
Her resignation during that meeting was approved unanimously in open session. She met with members of the media after the meeting.
“As a professional, you reach a point when you know it’s time to make a transition, and I feel that now is the time,” she told reporters. “I don’t want anyone to think I have not thoroughly enjoyed my tenure here. After 16 years, it’s been a great journey, and I love the citizens of Corpus Christi. They have treated me very well and kind. I’ll always remember them.”