Durant City Council Hires City Manager with local ties to area

The Durant City Council met on January 30, 2024, and voted unanimously to hire Pam Polk as the new City Manager.

Ms. Polk is the daughter of Joel and the late Mary Harmon of Rattan, Oklahoma, where Pam graduated from high school. Polk began her municipal career in 1996 serving as City Clerk for the City of Mangum, Oklahoma, before becoming the City Manager there in 2002. Pam began as city manager in the City of Collinsville in July 2005.

Ms. Polk received the prestigious Gerald Wilkins Award for City Manager of the Year in 2017, making Oklahoma history as the first female recipient. In 2022, she was recognized as Woman of the Year by the Oklahoma Municipal League Women in Municipal Government. In 2019, Pam was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame for City and Town Officials.

Ms. Polk currently serves as President of the Oklahoma Municipal

League. She also serves on the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group Board of Directors.

“I am very excited for Ms. Polk to begin working in Durant and look forward to working with her for the betterment of our wonderful community,” says Mayor Martin Tucker. “She has the professional experience necessary, an excitement about where Durant is going, and I believe Pam will be a wonderful fit for our city.”

“I am excited to be coming home to Durant.” I graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and lived and worked in Durant years ago.” “I have many family members in Durant and the surrounding area.” “I look forward to working with the council, staff, and residents in growing the place that each of us calls home.”

Polk will begin the new position April 5.