Manuel “Sonny ” Mello named Eagle Pass Fire Chief

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015

Eagle Pass Interim City Manager Hector Chavez announced that he had named current Interim Fire Chief Manuel ‘Sonny ” Mello as the new Eagle Pass Fire Chief on Friday, September 18, 2015.

Chavez stated that the City Manager has the authority to name the Fire Chief and not the City Council. As Interim City Manager, Chavez stated he decided to name Mello as the new Fire Chief.

The City of Eagle Pass had announced the Fire Chief job opening in various publications and received numerous applicants under former City Manager Gloria Barrientos administration.  The applicants were narrowed to three finalists including two from out of town and Mello.

Former City Manager Gloria Barrientos requested City Council to pay customary travel and hotel expenses of the two out of town candidates for interviews, but City Council declined to pay for the travel expenses of the out of town finalist candidates, sealing the fate of the out of town finalists while increasing Mello’s probabilities of being named Fire Chief.

Chavez’s announcement comes as no surprise to City Hall observers.