Tarrant County Administrator G.K. Maenius announces retirement

Tarrant County Administrator G.K. Maenius, who helped guide Tarrant County into the 21^st Century, announced on Thursday that he will retire on Sept. 30.

Maenius, the longest serving County Administrator in Texas, has held the position since 1988 and is the only County Administrator in Tarrant County history.

Maenius helped define the role of County Administrator as Tarrant County experienced rapid growth with the population nearly doubling from 1.1 million in 1988 to 2.1 million in 2022.

In that time, he has worked with four county judges – Roy English, Tom Vandergriff, Glen Whitley and Tim O’Hare – and overseen a county government that now has more than 4,600 employees and an Operating Budget of approximately $900 million.

“G.K. Maenius is a Tarrant County institution,” O’Hare said. “He is a man of the utmost integrity and is simply irreplaceable. He has faithfully served Tarrant County for over 35 years, leaving a lasting legacy of service to this amazing place we call home.  We celebrate G.K. and his accomplishments. His retirement is well-earned.”

Maenius has often been an impetus for collaboration with Tarrant County cities and businesses, from helping pave the way for Panther Island to playing an instrumental role in the partnership with the City of Fort Worth and Texas A&M in the development of the new downtown Fort Worth campus. He has shaped the County’s role in some of the biggest projects in Tarrant County, including AT&T Stadium, the Alliance corridor, and the expansion of the American Airlines headquarters.

For Tarrant County, he helped modernize the County’s technology, bringing services beyond the downtown campus where residents could conduct county business closer to home or online.  As County Administrator, Maenius helped spearhead three successful bond programs that were overwhelmingly approved by voters.

These programs included numerous transportation projects and the construction of County facilities, including the Family Law Center and the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building.

Throughout his time in Tarrant County, Maenius has run an efficient, fiscally responsible operation. Tarrant County has consistently had one of the lowest property tax rates in the state. When compared to the largest counties in Texas, Tarrant County ranked among the lowest number of employees per capita.

Maenius, a native of Fredericksburg, is a graduate of Texas State University and holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the same institution.

He plans to maintain residence in Tarrant County while working on his ranch near Fredericksburg.  

While this is a retirement from the County, this is not a farewell. Maenius plans to spend time with his family and remain active in the community.

“Everyone in Tarrant County owes G.K. a debt of gratitude for helping shape Tarrant County,” O’Hare said. “His leadership and experience will be missed. On behalf of the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, past and present, thank you G.K. for a job well done.”