During a special meeting on July 2, the Paris City Council unanimously selected Deputy City Manager Robert Vine as Interim City Manager.
Vine will assume interim city manager duties at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 12, following City Manager Grayson Path’s final day in his position. Path is leaving Paris to become the City Manager of Amarillo.
“I am honored and humbled to have the confidence and backing of the City Council to serve in this role. While Grayson will certainly be missed, he created a structure where the continuity of service can be maintained during this transition. We are also fortunate to have a staff dedicated to meeting the needs and expectations of all our citizens and employees,” Vine said.
Vine is a graduate of the Texas Certified Public Manager Program through Stephen F. Austin State University and was hired as the Assistant City Manager of Paris in January 2022 and promoted to Deputy City Manager in October 2023. Vine served in various leadership positions with the Texas cities of Mt. Pleasant, Gladewater, and Dayton before joining the City of Paris.
“Having served Paris as part of the administrative team for the past two and half years, I have worked with and built relationships with various City departments, the Paris Economic Development Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, City Boards, consultants, and many community stakeholder groups which I believe will help make this transition a smooth one,” Vine continued. “My daily goal for the City is to do the right thing at the right time for the right reasons for all of our citizens, our employees and for the future of this wonderful city that we call home.”
Mayor Mihir Pankaj shared about Vine’s selection, “After discussing the available options during our closed session Tuesday, I believe it was clear to the council that Mr. Vine is very capable and well prepared for this assignment. The unanimous vote for Robert to serve as our Interim City Manager is a testament to his abilities and the respect all the council members have for him.”
During the July special meeting, the city council also directed staff to arrange for presentations by executive search firms SGR and Baker-Tilley at their July 22 regular meeting. The city has contracted with both firms for previous city manager searches.
Selecting a new city manager is expected to take 6 to 12 months after contracting with a search firm