Lawrence’s new city manager, Majed Al-Ghafry, has officially moved to town and started his job. He attended his first city commission meeting Tuesday evening.
During the city manager’s report, Al-Ghafry said he was honored to be a part of the fabric of the community and that he’s enjoyed his first week living in the city.
“We have plenty of incredible opportunities for us, so we’re going to get to work,” he said.
City Commissioner Kristine Polian thanked Casey Toomay, assistant city manager, for stepping in as acting city manager throughout the transition and hiring process. Polian also welcomed Al-Ghafry.
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“I think you’re going to be pivotal for the future of this city, and I look forward to seeing what you do,” she said.
City commissioners on June 9 announced Al-Ghafry as the next city manager.
Per his contract with Lawrence, Al-Ghafry had to move to Lawrence within six months of winning the contract. He was previously the city manager in DeSoto, Texas, where his contract required him to tender a 60-day notice.
A few days after the position announcement, Al-Ghafry sat down with this publication to talk about his one-year plan and longer-term goals for the city. He shared reflections on the city’s budget, its culture of inclusivity, town and gown partnerships and opportunities for business and development growth.
Read the full article at this link.
See this link for more coverage of the city manager hiring process.
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Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at [email protected].
Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.
Nathan Kramer (he/him), a multimedia student journalist for The Lawrence Times since August 2024, is a recent graduate of Free State High School. He also served as a news photo editor for Free State’s student publication, where he worked as a videographer, photographer and motion designer. See more of his work for the Times here.
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