Assistant City Managers Named to Fill Vacant Positions

City Manager Don Magner announced the appointment of two assistant city managers today, concluding a search that attracted more than 170 applicants from across the nation. The new appointees are Michaela Dollar from the City of Georgetown, in the Austin area, and Charles Goff from the Town of Sunnyvale, located in North Texas. Their appointment to the two vacant assistant city manager positions completes the makeup of the City Manager’s Office leadership team and is the first time the office has been fully staffed since before COVID impacted municipal staffing levels in early 2020.

“I am very excited about adding Michaela and Charles to our team” said Magner. “Each possesses a unique set of skills and experience that will help further our economic development strategic plan, enhance our efforts in special redevelopment areas, and bring creativity to our master planning initiatives. These are all goals outlined by the City Council’s vision for the community and I am confident their contributions will position our team to better execute on those goals.”

Dollar’s first day with the City will be Monday, July 11, and Goff’s first day is set for Monday, June 13. 

Michaela Dollar – Background
Dollar serves as the Economic Development Director for the City of Georgetown, one of the top ten fastest-growing cities in the United States for the last six years in a row. She manages the City’s economic development program, which encompasses business retention, business recruitment, workforce development, downtown development, small business development, tourism, and arts and culture.

Before joining Georgetown in 2016, Dollar held positions in economic development for the Round Rock Economic Development Partnership, the City of Dallas, the Cedar Hill (TX) Economic Development Corporation, and the Bay County (FL) Economic Development Alliance. In her nearly 17 years of economic development experience, she has worked on projects totaling approximately 7,250 jobs and over $2 billion in capital investment with companies including Holt Caterpillar, Kalahari Resorts, Costco, CelLink and Titan Development.

In addition to economic development, Dollar also has experience in downtown redevelopment, tourism, and arts and culture in multiple communities across Texas and Florida. She currently oversees these areas in Georgetown, which includes an award-winning Main Street initiative, an active public art and events program, and the annual Red Poppy Festival that brings approximately 75,000 people to downtown Georgetown each year.

“I am extremely honored and excited to join the City of Richardson’s leadership team,” Dollar said. “Richardson is an incredible city with a ton of momentum. My family and I are really looking forward to becoming part of the community and its bright future.”

Dollar currently serves as the president of the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership, as vice president of the Foreign Trade Zone of Central Texas and as a member of Opportunity Austin. She holds a master’s degree from The University of Texas at Arlington and a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University.

Charles Goff – Background
Charles Goff has been the Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Sunnyvale since 2020. In this position he is responsible for the Town’s Development Services Department as well as Economic Development, Parks and Recreation, and Public Works. His notable projects include a review of Sunnyvale’s development regulations and processes, creation of a comprehensive road maintenance program, completion of a Parks Master Plan and the design and construction of a new fire station.

Prior to joining Sunnyvale, Goff spent nine years with the Town of Addison in a variety of positions. Most recently, he served as Director of Development Services and Planning. In this position, he managed zoning and development, oversaw the Town’s long-range land use planning and supervised department functions including building inspections, environmental health and property standards.  Other positions he held with Addison include Assistant Director of Development Services, Assistant to the City Manager, Management Analyst in the Economic Development Department and intern in the City Manager’s Office.

While in Addison, Goff coordinated the Town’s efforts to advance DART’s Silver Line Regional Rail Project and worked closely with DART staff and their partners during design and initial construction phases. He also led the Town’s planning for transit-oriented development along the rail line, including collaborating in the establishment of the solicitation process that resulted in the recently announced 18-acre, $472M mixed-use development to be built adjacent to the Silver Line station.

“It is an honor to have been selected to serve in this capacity,” said Goff. “I look forward to joining Richardson’s outstanding team and continuing the organization’s legacy of high-quality service to the community.”

Goff earned bachelor’s degrees in political science, economics and international studies from Baylor University. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from The University of North Texas and a master’s certificate in planning from The University of Texas at Arlington. He is currently a member of the American Planning Association, the Texas City Management Association and the International City/County Management Association. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Recruitment Process
The City of Richardson contracted with Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to assist in recruitment for the open positions. SGR provides a comprehensive scope of executive search services that includes a preliminary review process, electronic data gathering, background checks and other information designed to find quality applicants who could best make a good organizational fit.