Fort Worth

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker will split time with new job at Cook Children’s

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker (center) speaks to recording artist Leon Bridges (right) and another man at an event.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said she was thrilled to join Cook Children’s team in her new part-time role. FortWorth

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker is starting a new job next month.

Parker informed the city council on Friday she will be working part time as the chief of staff for the Cook Children’s hospital network.

“As Mayor, I have been proud to work with Cook Children’s on efforts to improve infant and maternal health outcomes, and personally I entrusted the health of my own family with their care many times,” Parker said in a statement to the Star-Telegram.

She went on to highlight the hospital system’s long history of working to improve children’s healthcare, adding she was thrilled to join its mission as the hospital system’s new chief of staff.

She starts her new job July 17.

Parker is neither the first mayor nor the only member of the Fort Worth city council to have a second job. Fort Worth pays its mayor $29,000 a year, while council members get $25,000.

It’s not clear whether Parker will have to recuse herself from any city business involving Cook Children’s. District 6 councilmember Jared Williams works as vice president of advocacy for the Tarrant Area Food Bank, and regularly removes himself from discussions involving his other employer.

This story was originally published June 23, 2023 at 5:40 PM.

Harrison Mantas
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Harrison Mantas has covered Fort Worth city government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.
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