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New City Manager Spencer Cronk Says He Was Drawn To Austin's 'Specialness And Weirdness'

Gabriel C. Pérez
/
KUT
As Austin's new city manager, Spencer Cronk is responsible for filling the police chief and fire chief positions.

Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk has been on the job since Feb. 12. He says the city has a track record of growth that most other cities would envy, but needs to work hard to meet the challenges that growth presents.

Cronk recently told KUT's Jennifer Stayton the two issues he has heard the most about since settling here are mobility and affordability. He says improving those two conditions will in turn help improve Austin's troubled racial climate, as will applying what he calls an "equity lens" to much of the work the city does.

Another top priority for Cronk is filling several vacancies in city leadership, including police chief and fire chief. He says he has not yet decided whether to appoint interim Police Chief Brian Manley as the permanent chief.

Listen to the interview for more on Cronk's thought process about making that decision.

Jennifer Stayton is the local host for NPR's "Morning Edition" on KUT. Got a tip? Email her at jstayton@kut.org. Follow her on X @jenstayton.
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