INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT 2024: AN INTERVIEW WITH OPAL MAULDIN-JONES, CITY MANAGER OF LANCASTER, TX
By Katherine Barrett, Greenebarrett.com and Liz Steward, Envisio
Lancaster, Texas City Manager, Opal Mauldin-Jones
Opal Mauldin-Jones has been city manager of Lancaster, Texas, a community in the Dallas/Fort Worth region, since Februaty 14, 2011. She has been with Lancaster city government since 2003, having gotten her start as community relations coordinator. She is a life-long learner, devoted to faith and family, a seminary student, and an enthusiastic mentor to other aspiring women, both on her staff and through the Texas City Management Association (TCMA) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Under her leadership, the city population has grown by more than 25% and its bond rating has dramatically improved to an AA rating from Standard & Poor’s. Lancaster was recognized as an All-America City by the National Civic League in 2019.
The next two honorees will be profiled on the following two Thursdays of this month. The introduction of the Women’s History Month series is available here. The first profile in the series is available here.
What are you reading right now? And is there a book that you’ve read in the past that was particularly meaningful to you?
I’m usually reading two books. I try to read something that is helping me grow professionally and then something that is fun. So, “Canoeing the Mountains” by Tod Bolsinger is my professional read, full of good tools and very helpful. And the book that I’m reading for fun is “Feeding the Soul” by Tabitha Brown. It’s a hilarious, fun book that I’m enjoying.
The Bible would have to be the book that has truly changed my life in just so many ways. In times of difficulty, there’s always something that is there for comfort. My values are rooted and grounded in the Bible, faith and family. I grew up in the home of a Baptist minister — my grandfather — and now I’m a student in seminary, working on a degree in theology.
My faith is very much connected to my family and my family really is my foundation: My parents, my six siblings, my husband, my three children, and I’m a grandma for the first time. My grandson just turned a year old.
Tell us a little about your community and your role?
I’ve been with the city of Lancaster for 21 years. I started out as the Community Relations Coordinator and Public Information Officer and worked my way up. I became the first woman city manager for Lancaster on Valentine’s Day of 2011.
We’re in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, a first-ring suburb of Dallas, with world class amenities literally 20 minutes away, but with the great feel of a suburban community. Lancaster is a full-service city, with police, fire, water, wastewater, streets and parks. The city has 300 employees; 42,000 in population; 33 square miles and is only 50% developed. I love this community and even more so because I get to do redevelopment and new construction in the area that’s not developed.
