Spotlight On: Joe Smolinski, City Manager, City of Mansfield
September 2024 — In an interview with Invest:, Joe Smolinski, city manager of Mansfield, emphasized the development of the new Town Center and substantial investments in public safety, including a new police headquarters, a fire station, a new public safety training track, and a burn tower. Smolinski also discussed efforts to diversify housing options and leverage technology to enhance municipal services, ensuring Mansfield’s resilience and sustainability for the future.
How is Mansfield managing population growth to maintain high living standards?
We always start with what we call noteworthy essential services. We’ve maintained our status as one of the safest cities in Texas and have an ISO 1 rating for the fire department. We’re one of two water purveyors in Texas recognized as superior for the second year in a row. We ensure these basic services are prioritized. Regarding the explosive growth, Texas is growing, and Mansfield is no exception. We’ve seen our share of that growth. Staying ahead of infrastructure needs sets us up for success, especially for new industries looking to locate in a city that can accommodate them. I think we’ve done a great job and will continue to do so.
What are some major projects in Mansfield?
One major project is the Town Center. We’ve been finalizing development plans for this new Town Center in a district we call the Reserve. City hall will be moving to this area, which will feature a system of canals, inspired by places like Bricktown in Oklahoma City and the San Antonio Riverwalk. People love developments around water, and we aim to bring an exciting project to the center of Mansfield. The Reserve is geographically central to our city, making it the perfect location for the Town Center. Ultimately, this project is about so much more than new offices or fancy buildings. The City Council is striving to create an atmosphere where tens of thousands of Mansfield residents may come to meet people from their community that might not otherwise have had the opportunity to do so. The Town Center will belong to all residents of Mansfield and we are excited to deliver this project for them.
The outlook for Mansfield over the next year is very positive. We’ll see dozens of groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings for commercial, industrial, entertainment, and mixed-use developments. I’m eager to deliver these exciting projects to Mansfield residents and stakeholders.
What are the plans to improve public safety and other essential services?
Maintaining our status as one of the safest cities and our ISO 1 rating is step one. Regarding investments in public safety, the answer is a resounding yes. In September, we’ll cut the ribbon on a new police headquarters, consolidating all departments under one roof to create efficiencies. We’re also relocating Fire Station No. 1 out of downtown to improve response times.
We’ve invested in a burn tower and a drive track, allowing for more frequent local training for both the police and fire departments. We also implemented single-assigned police vehicles a couple of years ago, extending the life of the equipment and ensuring better maintenance. This year, we’re adding seven more police officers and six firefighters. Strategic investments in public safety are a priority for us.
One other significant accomplishment for the city is acquiring property for two potential future commuter rail stops and transit-oriented developments. One is in our historic downtown and the other just east of Toll Road 360. The North Central Texas Council of Governments’ 2045 Mobility Plan calls for multiple commuter rail stops in Mansfield. Securing property along the railroad at these critical locations has been a key achievement for us.
How is Mansfield working to keep the average cost of homes low?
We must acknowledge that the market will always drive home costs, and these have been increasing significantly over the last several years. What we’re doing to ensure opportunities for graduating seniors or college students who grew up here to stay in Mansfield is expanding the types of housing we offer. We’re introducing smaller lots, smaller homes, townhomes, and multifamily buildings to provide housing options of different sizes and types. This variety ensures there are options beyond the high-end $700,000 range. We want graduating seniors to return and live in Mansfield, not just go off to college and settle elsewhere. Retaining our residents is as important to us as retaining our businesses.
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How does Mansfield incorporate community feedback into its projects and strategies?
Every two years, Mansfield conducts a community survey. We ask residents what they want the city council to focus on, what they expect from our public safety division, and their thoughts on our customer service. Our highest scores are always in customer service, which we believe reflects our commitment to prioritizing residents and businesses.
One thing that’s been made clear is that residents hate waiting in traffic. In response, we’ve increased the street budget by more than 10% each of the last three years. The Economic Development Corporation is focused on job creation in industries that residents have indicated interest in. Moreover, entertainment options have been a priority. People want to have activities for their families on weekends. Mansfield is a family town with a great school district, so we strive to provide opportunities for families to gather and connect with their neighbors.
How are you maintaining fiscal sustainability for the city?
Our short and long-term strategy is to diversify the city’s tax base and revenue streams, all of which will allow us to continue providing the noteworthy essential services that we’ve already mentioned. Even with changes, Mansfield has continued to increase homestead exemptions, decreased the tax rate, and maintained its status as a safe city. We have increased spending on capital infrastructure and will make several strategic investments that will enhance our ability to continue accomplishing all of our goals for decades to come. Everything that we do focuses on sustainability. We want to make sure that our community is sustainable and resilient, regardless of what challenges may come up, over the next several years and decades to come.
How is the city leveraging technology to improve municipal services?
Over the last two years, we’ve completely upgraded all our personnel management and financial software to ensure we have the most advanced technology available. The police department has made significant strides in technology investment as well. This year, we implemented a traffic management program that anticipates fire truck routes. Instead of just turning lights green when they approach, it prepares the entire light cycle in advance, improving response times and potentially saving lives. In medical emergencies, every second counts, and this technology is a crucial investment that our community not only appreciates but expects from us.
What are your top priorities for Mansfield over the next two to three years?
This past year, we’ve worked tirelessly with the development community, wrapping up their entitlement processes and development plans. A lot happens behind the scenes before a groundbreaking or ribbon cutting. Our city council, management team, Economic Development Corporation, and Planning and Development Services Department have put in a tremendous amount of work to prepare Mansfield for the future.
Our focus over the next couple of years is to ensure that when the markets become more favorable — hopefully in the next six to 18 months — we are ready to move forward with projects. We’re prepared to bring the developments and opportunities that our public has been asking for. Besides those noteworthy essential services — police, fire, streets, water, sewer, and the like — we are concentrating on bringing mixed-use employment opportunities to Mansfield. We’re set and just waiting on the groundbreakings at this point.
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