After holding the office on an interim basis since last October, Toni Fisher is now set to have the interim label removed and officially become the city manager of Willow Park. Following a closed session discussion, council reconvened and voted unanimously to enter into contract negotiations with her.
Once a contract is agreed upon, Fisher will succeed Bryan Grimes, who resigned following months of feuding with Mayor Teresa Palmer following her election win over longtime incumbent Doyle Moss in May of 2025. Grimes had served the city for eight years before his resignation and is now Parker County Director of Strategic Projects.
“I’m honored that I’ve earned their trust and that they believe in me to lead the city and staff,” Fisher said.
Fisher has been with the city in a variety of capacities since coming onboard four years ago. She started as planning and development director and became co-assistant city manager (alongside Michelle Guelker) in October of 2024 before moving into the interim city manager position.
“I’m really excited for Toni as our city manager and for the leadership she has displayed since October,” Place 1 Council Member Eric Contreras said. “Our city’s made a great choice.”
Place 4 Council Member Scott Smith echoed Contreras’ comments, saying, “I think she’s done a fantastic job as the interim. She’s the glue that’s kept us together during this process. I think this was the best decision for the city.”
Palmer expressed her gratitude for the work Fisher has done as well.
“We’re excited we have found a city manager right here,” Palmer said. “It’s a continuation of what she’s been doing, and we don’t have to teach somebody from the ground up.”
Buddy Wright, Smith, and Nate Crummel took the seats in which they've become accustomed to sitting in at Willow Park Council meetings on Tuesday, knowing they will occupy them for at least two more years.
The trio were sworn back into Places 3, 4 and 5 on the council by Parker County Judge Pat Deen. This comes after each won their election on May 2.
Crummel is beginning his fourth term, having first been elected to the council in May of 2020. Wright and Smith joined the council this past summer following the resignations of Leah Young and Greg Runnebaum, who had differences with Palmer.
Later in the meeting, Contreras said, “I want to thank the citizens of Willow Park for exercising their right to vote.”
During the public comments section, one of the candidates, Wingard, took the podium to congratulate the three winners.
Council approved keeping Crummel as mayor pro tem. He has held the position since Young left the council.
Council approved officially naming Quincy Hamilton as interim police chief. This follows the release of Ray Lacy in early May, for which council cited the reason being lack of confidence in leadership.
Council also named officer Brian Good as assistant interim chief.
Council authorized a study of salaries within the Willow Park Police Department by Hamilton. He presented a chart that shows the city’s officers are the lowest paid in the area.
The chart showed that the starting salary for a Willow Park officer is $61,588 per year. Sergeants start at $75,769, commanders make $90,481 and the chief earns $123,825.
Starting pay elsewhere around the area showed:
“We’re going to have to get competitive with pay and we just aren’t,” Hamilton said, noting that the department has become something of a gateway, with officers leaving - and not having to go far - for better pay.
Palmer suggested council give each officer a $10,000 raise now, but several members of the council quickly stated that while they all want to increase salaries, it can be a budget item for the coming fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. It was noted that the police department budget is currently $2.2 million annually and the city raised approximately $1.9 million in property taxes, meaning the rest is being subsidized by sales taxes.
“So development is important to the city,” Contreras said.
“I’m definitely open to all avenues to make that happen,” Crummel said of raises.
Hamilton said the department is currently down to seven law enforcement officials from a staff that has capacity for 17. Two new officers are currently in the Police Academy and are set to join soon, along with another officer.
During the 89th Texas Legislative Session (January 14-June 2, 2025), House Bill 500 was approved, appropriating a one-time $1.038 billion funding in general revenue to the Texas Water Development Board for water supply and infrastructure projects and grants throughout the state.
Funding under this one-time, general revenue grant opportunity will be provided as 100 percent grant assistance and is limited to water supply and infrastructure projects only.
At Tuesday's meeting, council approved applying for a grant and meeting the application deadline of July 30. The funds, if received, will be used for upsizing the water lines in the West Oak home sites area.
“We chose this area because they are well under the state’s median household income,” Public Works Director Chase McBride said, adding that the area is severely underserved and losing around 100,000 gallons of water per year.
McBride said the area currently has one six-inch pipe feeding all other pipes, which are two inches in diameter. They also have only four fire hydrants.
He said money from a grant, if approved, would allow for changing all the pipe to eight inches in diameter, along with increasing the amount of fire hydrants to 52.
Council approved advance funding from the Texas Department of Transportation for sidewalks and bicycle lanes as part of the Meadow Place Drive and Kings Gate Drive Project. In November of 2025, the Texas Transportation Commission authorized the project to receive federal funds from the Statewide Transportation Alternative Program (80 percent), with The City of Willow Park providing a 20 percent match for the rest.
The local match also includes the city taking on 100 percent of any cost overruns, if any, along with any non-reimbursable costs.
After a request from Contreras, council approved a return to moving forward with the Squaw Creek Project and finding funding.
Late last year, council approved issuing certificates of obligation not to exceed $10,110,000 for repairs on the Squaw Creek Road Project. That possibility, however, was squelched following a petition from Galle in early 2026 aimed at forcing a public vote - which Palmer also pushed for in a failed effort.
Council authorized staff to look at funding possibilities, which Contreras said could include a tax rate or a general obligation bond.
The proposed work includes:
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