By 1808Delaware
Delaware will begin preparing for another city manager search following City Council’s decision not to renew the employment agreement of Paul J. Brake. Council voted 5-2 during a special meeting Monday evening, August 31, to allow Brake’s contract to expire December 31, 2026. The contract was the only item on the meeting agenda.
Councilman Kyle Bogan made the motion not to renew the agreement, with Councilwoman Linsey Griffith providing the second. Councilman Kevin Rider and Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle cast the dissenting votes.
Brake will remain the city’s chief administrative officer through the end of the year, overseeing day-to-day operations while council determines how it will select his successor. “It’s been a privilege to serve this organization,” Brake said following the vote. He thanked the city’s department directors, described the administration’s work as a team effort and said he respected council’s decision.
Weeks of Closed-Door Discussion
Monday’s decision followed several executive sessions during August in which council discussed Brake’s employment. Those included a Saturday morning session on August 15 that lasted more than three hours. Rider said the private deliberations allowed council members to speak candidly while also protecting the dignity of the employee being discussed.
The vote represented a substantial change from less than 11 months earlier. On Oct. 13, 2025, council voted unanimously to renew Brake’s contract for 2026 and approve a 4% salary increase, raising his annual base salary to approximately $200,200.
The current agreement permits additional one-year renewals but requires council to provide at least 60 days’ notice if it chooses not to renew. It also distinguishes nonrenewal from termination, specifying that a decision not to extend the agreement does not constitute termination with or without cause.
Brake’s 2025 evaluations were largely positive, although council and staff members identified concerns involving communication, community visibility, coordination among departments and decisiveness. The city said its 2026 evaluation process remained underway.
A Short Tenure After a Long Search
Brake began serving as Delaware’s city manager on August 1, 2024, succeeding longtime manager Tom Homan. His appointment followed a five-month national search conducted with the assistance of Slavin Management Consultants. Council selected Brake from 17 applicants and four finalists. The process included a community panel representing local government, education, business, cultural and civic organizations.
Brake arrived in Delaware with decades of local government experience. He previously served as city manager in Royal Oak, Michigan, a community of more than 57,000 residents, and held city and county management positions in Michigan and West Virginia. In Delaware, Brake oversees a workforce of nearly 400 employees and an operating budget of approximately $100 million. The city’s operations include police and fire protection, water and wastewater utilities and the Delaware Municipal Airport.
Brake cited the city’s improved credit rating, PPG’s expansion and the hiring of five department directors among the accomplishments of his tenure. He said he intends to remain focused during his final four months, including work on the proposed 2027 budget and efforts to establish ambulance billing as a revenue source for fire and emergency medical services.
The Search Ahead
Riggle said finding Brake’s replacement could take as long as six months, noting that the city still has four months with him in office and that replacing him will not be easy. Under Delaware’s council-manager form of government, City Council establishes policy and appoints the city manager, who serves as the city’s chief executive officer. Council has not yet announced whether it will retain an outside search firm, appoint an interim manager or follow a process similar to the one used in 2024. Additional information is expected as council establishes the timeline and method for choosing Delaware’s next city manager.
