Two years after being sworn-in as Police Chief of the City of Southmayd, Jeff Laughlin has expanded his title to include City Administrator for the community he serves.
At a special-called meeting on April 2, the City Council approved the decision to hire Laughlin as City Administrator and set Laughlin’s official start date as April 21. Laughlin will continue to serve as Police Chief.
“With a growing city comes the need for additional assistance,” Laughlin said. “The mayor does an excellent job keeping up with everything, but as we grow, things arise.”
Southmayd has not previously had a City Administrator – most of the city’s oversight has been done by the mayor and City Council. But as Laughlin pointed out, a council that changes every year can lead to inconsistencies. By having a City Administrator, employees have a constant they can rely on.
Hiring one person to take on the roles of Police Chief and City Administrator is not only more cost-efficient, but it also makes logistical sense.
“As Police Chief, I’m the guy that’s here every day,” Laughlin said. “I’m the guy in the office, so I’m already fielding the phone calls from citizens and doing more than the role of a police chief. The City Council felt Southmayd was in need of a City Administrator, and I agreed. I just didn’t know they were considering me.”
But as some in the police department pointed out, Laughlin is a great choice for the position. Primarily, he has experience in leading and management. Not only did he spend nine years as a leader in the United States Marine Corps, but he also served 20 years in the Denton Police Department leading in several roles before moving over to Southmayd in 2024. Asking him to step in as City Administrator made sense.
“People recognize I’m invested in the city,” Laughlin said. “I relocated here, built a house here, attend all the meetings and care about who our City Council candidates are. I’m already an established leader in town – I’m just taking on some more responsibilities.”
As Police Chief, Laughlin’s focus has been building the police department to the standards he felt it needed to be, including the department’s core values, image, direction and earning respect throughout the county. He’s also proud that the department has attracted and brought in the right people to serve the community.
“For a small agency, we have a ton of experience, which is excellent news for our citizens,” he said of the police department.
In his new role, Laughlin will continue to office at the Police Department Monday through Friday. While he will still focus on the police department, he will also assist the mayor in city operations and be another set of eyes on the day-to-day running of the city. He will oversee city employees and serve as the go-between among the city’s departments.
“Decisions will still go through the mayor and City Council, as they should, but I’ll be following up on all the great things passed at City Hall,” Laughlin said. “The Council meets once a month. I’m here every day.”
Laughlin realizes his roles demand long hours that keep him at work until the job is done. However, he doesn’t see what he does as a job, but rather as a career and calling.
“Between the military, police and the community, I’ve lived a life of service,” he said. “I love being a person that’s involved, always thinking about what we could do better.”
Among his first goals in his new role is to meet with all the city employees and learn what could be done better, from work schedules to what they wear. But his first few days on the job have been spent assessing the water situation in town. He is helping the city explore a grant for water infrastructure as well as a comprehensive plan for the city that would help guide the city’s next moves. It’s a lot to learn, but Laughlin is looking forward to being able to further help his community.
“The mayor and City Council have been doing a great job leading our city,” he said. “I’m excited to maintain the relationships they’ve built and to keep us moving forward.”
