Since beginning his work in city government in October 2020 as the City’s Chief Performance Innovation Officer, Mr. Brady Moore has held three key roles: assistant, interim, and deputy City Manager. Last month, he was unanimously voted in as the new City Manager.
A recent press release highlighted his accomplishments and included several complimentary remarks about his track record. Curious to learn more, I spoke with Mr. Moore about his journey into city government, the role of City Manager, and the projects that matter most to him.
Before this, you owned a design company. How did you make the leap from the business sector into city government?
“That was not in my career path goal, working for the city in any way,” Brady says. “During my senior year, I decided I wanted to go into business for myself and started planning the concept for Stillwater Summit Company–an outdoor gear and apparel shop. We opened our doors just a month after I graduated in June of 2003. We quickly outgrew our original location and moved downtown in 2005.”
In 2019, Brady sold the Stillwater Summit Company to a local family. With things slowing down during COVID-19 in 2020, he began thinking about what was next. That’s when he noticed the city’s innovation officer position was open. “They were looking for someone with a business background who could bring creative problem-solving skills to push the government to think different,” he says. “It really fit my personality and training and the different way I’ve always operated through business, so I went for that position.”
Do you think your background in innovation and design has influenced your work in the city?
“Cities and governments in general move slower, and I think it’s a good thing. There’s a lot of protection in that—you can’t pivot in a moment, so there’s safety in that. But there’s also some frustration,” Brady explains. He sees his role as finding creative solutions within the constraints of laws and ordinances.
“Engineers at their definition are problem solvers. There are always issues in government, and it’s like, okay, how can we start to address these issues? A lot of times, the most successful way to get big, challenging projects done is just taking incremental steps. You can’t be paralyzed by the challenge.”
Brady highlights the city’s progress on water system improvements as an example of this approach. “I’m really proud of our water engineering team and the work we’ve done. We had this massive challenge in front of the city—how do we address our outdated water system? It’s hundreds of millions of dollars, and waiting for grants isn’t always an option. We’ve set a clear plan in place with the council’s guidance—backup water storage, a secondary pipeline to McMurtry, and improvements at the water treatment plant.
Right now, we’re working on a $25 million freshwater pump station project, and we just approved a $25 million chemical package. It’s all about taking the necessary steps. In five to six years, we’ll be able to look back and see how much we’ve accomplished.”
For those who might not be familiar, what exactly does the City Manager do?
“It’s a great question,” Brady begins. “The residents and citizens of Stillwater are at the top of our organizational chart. Below them are five elected officials—the mayor, vice mayor, and three council members—who serve as the policymakers and make major decisions for the city. Then there’s the city manager, along with the city attorney and municipal judge, who are hired and overseen by the council. The city manager oversees all the departments and nearly 575 employees.”
That’s a lot of employees to manage! His responsibilities range from managing essential services like police, fire, and waste management to overseeing a power generation plant and public works projects.
“It’s a very diverse role,” Brady says. “It takes professionals in each department to ensure everything runs smoothly, and I’m grateful for the great leaders we have in place. My job is to understand the challenges, funding gaps, and requirements across all these functions while also meeting with stakeholders and working on creative solutions to accomplish big goals for the city.”
Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing in Stillwater? Do you have any favorite local spots, hobbies, or traditions that make the city feel like home to you?
“I moved here to go to school at OSU in ‘98 and have never left,” says Brady. “My wife and I knew each other in high school, we got married in college, and we just made Stillwater our home. We absolutely love it. We’ve loved raising kids here.”
He enjoys photography, travel, and spending time outdoors. He describes Stillwater as having “such a unique charm” with its mix of small-town feel and the vibrancy of a college town. “It’s got so many great amenities from being a college town, but it still feels close-knit and personal. There’s just nothing like it.”
Is there something that everyday citizens of Stillwater could do to make it a better place?
“Whatever it is you’re passionate about in your community, just get involved or reach out,” Brady says. He shares a personal example from when he owned a business downtown and had ideas for improving trash pickup. “At the time, I felt disconnected and assumed calling the city wouldn’t lead anywhere. But that couldn’t have been further from the truth. I could have called the main number and been connected right away to someone like Matt Faulkner, our waste management director, who loves finding solutions. People are often surprised at how quickly the city responds when they make us aware of an issue.”
Brady emphasizes the importance of participation, whether it’s providing feedback on parks or attending community events. “We’re currently prioritizing our parks and quality of life improvements, and we’ve been gathering input through surveys and QR codes in the parks.
Showing up and sharing your opinion really does make an impact,” he explains. “We can’t fix everything overnight, but we’re listening, and if we can’t do something right away, we’ll tell you why. The key is getting involved and staying connected.”
