Troy Smith is the Town Manager for the Town of Wickenburg, Arizona (appointed in 2025 after serving in the role on an interim basis). He oversees day-to-day municipal operations, budgeting, and strategic initiatives for the council-manager government. Before Wickenburg, Smith served as Town Manager of Payson, AZ (2021–2024), where he led capital planning and community programs. Earlier in his career he worked in Commerce City, Colorado as Deputy City Manager and previously as Chief of Police. He holds a master’s degree in leadership and management and a bachelor’s degree in business.
During his tenure as Commerce City, Colorado Police Chief, officers issued a vote of no confidence, and a department survey reported low morale; soon after, Smith was reassigned from that role. Those are matters of public record.
In our opinion, that history matters here. The documented morale problems in Commerce City are a red flag, and they echo what we’re hearing from many of the Town’s employees: Wickenburg already runs lean, pay hasn’t kept pace, and while we’re a family that loves this town, the combination of lagging compensation and top-down micromanagement breeds turnover and cynicism. (To be clear, these are our impressions and community conversations, not official statistics.)
We’ve also heard from Payson contacts who were relieved when Smith left their Town; while anecdotal, their reactions mirror the concerns above. Again, that is opinion and experience, not a factual claim.
Bottom line: the public record shows a prior no-confidence episode tied to low morale, and many of us see similar warning lights flickering in Wickenburg. We need transparent communication, a credible retention plan, and leadership that builds trust—before the revolving door starts spinning.
Source for verifiable facts:
— CBS Colorado reporting on the FOP no-confidence vote, low-morale survey, and Smith’s reassignment in Commerce City.
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During his tenure as Commerce City, Colorado Police Chief, officers issued a vote of no confidence, and a department survey reported low morale; soon after, Smith was reassigned from that role. Those are matters of public record.
In our opinion, that history matters here. The documented morale problems in Commerce City are a red flag, and they echo what we’re hearing from many of the Town’s employees: Wickenburg already runs lean, pay hasn’t kept pace, and while we’re a family that loves this town, the combination of lagging compensation and top-down micromanagement breeds turnover and cynicism. (To be clear, these are our impressions and community conversations, not official statistics.)
We’ve also heard from Payson contacts who were relieved when Smith left their Town; while anecdotal, their reactions mirror the concerns above. Again, that is opinion and experience, not a factual claim.
Bottom line: the public record shows a prior no-confidence episode tied to low morale, and many of us see similar warning lights flickering in Wickenburg. We need transparent communication, a credible retention plan, and leadership that builds trust—before the revolving door starts spinning.
Source for verifiable facts:
— CBS Colorado reporting on the FOP no-confidence vote, low-morale survey, and Smith’s reassignment in Commerce City.