CHICKASHA – For the eighth time in nine years, the City of Chickasha is looking for a new city manager.
Keith Johnson, the city’s chief executive officer for almost two years, announced his resignation last week. He is moving back to Washington state for personal and professional reasons, he said.
Johnson said he will work in the Office of Public Defense for Benton County, Washington. The mission of that office is “to provide quality, cost-effective, legal representation to indigent and other qualified persons charged with criminal offenses, or otherwise facing incarceration or loss of liberty interest,” its website relates.
Johnson said he begins his new duties “after the first of the year.”
He and his wife “like Chickasha, but this opportunity came along,” he said. “They contacted me earlier this year. It was a difficult decision and I couldn’t turn it down.” He has offered to remain in town until the end of the year to “get the new person up to speed” on city issues and procedures, he said.
The City Council inked an employment contract with Johnson in September 2022 , but he didn’t assume his duties with the City of Chickasha until two months later, the city’s website relates.
Previously Johnson was the County Administrator of Franklin County, Washington. Prior to that he served as Oklahoma’s State Comptroller and as director of the Idaho Department of Administration and Idaho State Controller. He also has worked in the private sector as director of state and local government for the software company Oracle. Johnson is a Certified Public Accountant and an attorney.
He succeeded Tyler Brooks, who resigned as Chickasha’s city manager on June 20, 2022. Preceding him were Stewart Fairburn, who retired in 2015; Alan Guard, who served as city manager from April 2015 until he was fired in October 2016; and John Noblitt. In addition, then-mayors Chris Mosley and Hank Ross both served interim terms as city manager.