WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Waco City Manager Bradley Ford announced his resignation after eight years of leading the city. Ford submitted his six-month notice to the city and will step down in February 2026.
"It's a 24/7 job, lot of weight and it's time to put that weight on the table and let someone else pick it up," Ford said.
Watch our conversation with Bradley Ford here:
Ford has served for the City of Waco since August 2017, and as its city manager since 2020, guiding the city through some of its most challenging periods. His tenure included navigating the city's response to the global pandemic and the February 2021 winter storm that left millions of Texans without power.
When asked whether community criticism about his salary influenced his decision to resign, Ford was clear in his response.
"No, no," Ford said. "The decisions I make are based on what's right for the community, and so I stand really proud of the record and the work and want to be Waco's cheerleader in the future."
Ford explained that he has been considering this decision since experiencing a significant medical event last year.
"I spent about a month away from my role, and came back and made some commitment to myself and the council about pulling the stress down a little bit, and it's just not something I've been able to do," Ford said.
When 25 News' Dominique Leh sat down with Ford to talk about his resignation, she asked whether it was at all tied to our recent report showing Ford is among the highest-paid city managers in the state of Texas.
Here's his response:
And when we asked if the community's criticism on his salary was an influence on his decision to resign, here's what Ford said:
The city manager emphasized that his priority now is his family and personal well-being.
"Our church home is here, all our relationships are here, and so the next steps for me, um, be a great dad, be a great husband, and figure out a way to support my family in a way that doesn't require me to bear the weight 24/7," Ford said.
When asked if Ford had any other comments on his time serving Waco, responded with a thank you to his wife:
The city has not yet announced plans for selecting Ford's replacement or an interim city manager.
A full list of City of Waco employee salaries can be found here.
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