Interim City Manager takes responsibility for firing former Police Chief Tony Castaneda
By: Jose G. Landa
An Exclusive Eagle Pass Business Journal News Story/Copyright 2013
City of Eagle Pass Interim City Manager Gloria I. Martinez-Barrientos held a controlled press conference on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at 4:00 p.m. at City Council Chambers at Eagle Pass City Hall to read a prepared written statement taking full responsibility for firing former Police Chief Juan Antonio “Tony” Castaneda on Monday, March 4, 2013.
Interim City Manager Martinez-Barrientos stated that under the City of Eagle Pass City Charter, the City Manager is responsible for the hiring and firing of the Chief of Police. Pursuant to the City Charter’s authority, Martinez-Barrientos took it upon herself to decide to terminate the employment services of Police Chief Tony Castaneda, who had 19 years of service with the City of Eagle Pass Police Department.
Martinez-Barrientos also stated that the City Council, including the Mayor and Council Members, had nothing to do with her termination of former Police Chief Tony Castaneda. Martinez-Barrientos stated that the City Council pursuant to the Eagle Pass City Charter only hire and terminate the employment services of the City Manager, City Attorney, Municipal Court Judge, and Assistant Municipal Court Judge.
Accompanying Martinez-Barrientos at the controlled press conference were City Attorney Catrina Purcell-Longoria of Langley and Banack and two Eagle Pass police officers. Martinez-Barrientos refused to take and answer any questions from the large contingency of press present at her called controlled press conference, including news media from San Antonio. San Antonio television journalist, Jesse Degollado, questioned Martinez-Barrientos to please provide the public her reasons for terminating another public officer, former Police Chief Tony Castaneda. Martinez-Barrientos declined to answer Jesse Degollado’s question nor from any other news media representative present at the press conference. Martinez-Barrientos stormed off the podium refusing to answer any press questions accompanied by the two Eagle Pass police officers and City Attorney Catrina Purcell-Longoria, leaving more questions in the minds of the public and press as to what may have been her real reasons for terminating Castaneda.
Former Police Chief Tony Castaneda was not present at the controlled press conference, but has previously stated that the reasons Martinez-Barrientos gave him for her decision to terminate him were frivolous, arbitrary, and without merit. Castaneda has stated he plans to retain legal counsel to sue the City of Eagle Pass for Interim City Manager’s Gloria I. Martinez-Barrientos’ wrongful termination of him as Chief of Police.
Interim City Manager Gloria I. Martinez-Barrientos interviewed on Tuesday, March 5th, with the Eagle Pass City Council for the vacant City Manager position as one of eight finalists for the position.
