Eagle Pass City Council fails to hire new City Manager

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

The Eagle Pass, Texas City Council discussed the recruitment and hiring of a new City Manager at their Special Meeting held on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, going into Executive Session to review and evaluate the applicants for the position but failed to hire a new City Manager after returning into Open Session at this meeting. Mayor Ramsey English Cantu announced that the City Council would not take any action upon returning into Open Session and stated the City of Eagle Pass will continue its recruitment and hiring process for a new City Manager.

Prior to going into Executive Session, City Council heard a presentation by Human Resources Director Isabel Perez regarding the City’s recruiting process and efforts in open session.

The Eagle Pass City Council appointed former City Manager and Eagle Pass Water Works System General Manager Roberto Gonzalez as Interim City Manager on April 25, 2016 after former City Manager Hector Chavez, Sr. resigned on April 15, 2016 due to his indictment by a federal grand jury and arrest by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for bribery, forgery, obstruction of justice, and lying to a federal officer in an investigation.

The City Council selected for interview six candidates for the vacant position of City Manager on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 with three candidates interviewed and another three candidates interviewed on Thursday, July 14, 2016. The six candidates selected by the Eagle Pass City Council for interviews are Jesus Sanchez, Rudolph Bowles, Jr.,Manuel De La Rosa, Jr., Monica Martinez, William Arthur DiLibero, and Juan Francisco Zuniga. The City Council has not hired any of these six candidates.

City Council selected Hector Chavez, Sr. as City Manager on February 2, 2016 among 10 candidates without holding any formal interviews of the other candidates. City Council unanimously selected Hector Chavez, Sr. as City Manager after Mayor Cantu made the motion and Mayor Pro-Tem Rudy Villalpando seconded the motion.  Chavez had not initially applied for the permanent City Manager position, but the application period was extended by City Council to allow Chavez to apply.

Although it has been more than four months since former City Manager Hector Chavez, Sr.’s resignation after his arrest, the Eagle Pass City Council has been unable to find a suitable candidate to hire as the City’s new City Manager. Meanwhile, the City of Eagle Pass continues under the helm of Interim City Manager Roberto Gonzalez until a new City Manager is appointed by the City Council. The search, recruitment process, and interviewing continues at City Hall for a new City Manager by the Eagle Pass City Council.

The Eagle Pass City Council is composed of Mayor Ramsey English Cantu, Mayor Pro-Tem Rudy Villalpando, and Council members Gloria E. Hernandez, Yolanda P. Ramon, and Luis E. Sifuentes.