Ott's City Manager Naming Under Way (Updated)

So in case there was any doubt, Marc Ott is sitting on the front row of the seating in council chambers, with his family, in some seats marked "Reserved."

Council will be naming Ott city manager in a moment. We'll bring you details as they happen.

Before things got under way, political gadfly Gus Pena stopped by to shit on the picnic. He delivered an angry, rambling diatribe, riddled with ad hominems against the selection process, speaking to his veteran status, and condescendingly calling the mayor and council members by their first names. Classy!

Council has officially named Ott as your next city manager, by a 6-0 vote, with Jennifer Kim abstaining due to a lack of "adequate public input." We'll bring you her full statement, as well as reaction from the rest of the council, later today.

UPDATE: Kim's statement after the jump.

Council Member Jennifer Kim's Comments on City Manager and Search Process - 1/17/08

I have great respect fro my colleagues and I appreciate all the hard work they have done in this selection process. I am extremely excited about bringing Mr. Ott on board.

He has done a tremendous job in Fort Worth and I am sure he will do a tremendous job for us here in Austin.

Mr. Ott is extremely talented, and I am thrilled about having an African-American city manager. The time for this is long overdue. And I will not vote no against such a fine candidate.

However, I certainly do not believe that there has been adequate public input in the process. The public deserves too have the opportunity to be more involved in a decision that will have such a major impact on the city. It is because of this lack of process that I must in good conscience abstain from today's vote.