City of Eagle Pass reappoints Municipal Court Judge Francisco Martinez, III, Assistant Municipal Court Judge Ruben Montemayor, and appoints Tere Melendrez Gomez as Assistant Municipal Court Judge

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

The City of Eagle Pass City Council unanimously approved the reappointment of Municipal Court Judge Francisco Martinez,III, Assistant Municipal Court Judge Ruben Montemayor, and appointed current Maverick County Justice of the Peace of Precinct 4 Tere Melendrez Gomez as a new Assistant Municipal Court Judge at their special meeting held on Tuesday, October 20, 2015. This is the first time in the history of the City of Eagle Pass that there are three Municipal Court Judges serving the City of Eagle Pass, Texas.

During the meeting, Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu read agenda item No. 22 under Executive Session pursuant to Sections 551.071 and 551.074, Chapter 551, Texas Government Code – Discussion of Personnel –Appointment/Reappointment of Municipal Court Judge, and Assistant Municipal Court Judges- and City Council retired into executive session to discuss the agenda item.

Once back in open session, Mayor Cantu opened up the agenda item no. 22 for discussion.

“After reviewing the appointments for consideration for the Municipal Court Judges, we are putting forth resolutions for consideration for the city council. One, reappointing the Municipal Court Judge of the City of Eagle Pass, Francisco Martinez, III, to remain as Municipal Court Judge. There will be modifications made to the initial salary on this position. It’s been a number of years that we have seen a salary increase in the position and we will move that it be considered at $85,000 total,” Mayor Cantu.

Mayor Cantu also stated: “There will also be a change made to it under the administrative and personnel matters that will be addressed through the court administrator to be under the direction and approval of the Municipal Court Judge. Also within Section 3 of this resolution we will make note that we will make a change to the day to day activities and/or scheduling conflicts shall be coordinated by the Municipal Court Judge with notice to the City Manager. This will be for the notice of the Assistant Municipal Court Judges.”

Municipal Court Judge Francisco Martinez, III, is a practicing attorney in Eagle Pass as well as currently serves as the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas (KTTT) Tribal Court Judge at the KTTT Reservation on Lucky Eagle Drive in southern Maverick County.

The City Council unanimously approved the resolution to re-appoint Municipal Court Judge Francisco Martinez, III, at the increased salary of $85,000 per year.

Judge Martinez has served as the Eagle Pass Municipal Court Judge for approximately eight years.

The second resolution that was unanimously approved by the City Council was the re-appointment of current Assistant Municipal Court Judge Ruben Montemayor, who also works full-time with the County of Maverick as the County Court Fine and Fee Collector, with an increased pay rate and scheduling modification.

“”The third and final resolution is to name a new Assistant Municipal Court Judge to the Municipal Court of the City of Eagle Pass as there is a request to name an additional one on an as needed basis and will follow the same pay scale and we are looking at the individual that is being recommended is Judge Teresa Melendrez Gomez to serve as Assistant Municipal Court Judge,” stated Mayor Ramsey English Cantu.

Judge Tere Melendrez Gomez currently serves as the Maverick County Justice of the Peace of Precinct 4.

The Eagle Pass City Council unanimously approved the third resolution appointing Maverick County Justice of the Peace Tere Melendrez Gomez as a new (second) Assistant Municipal Court Judge of the City of Eagle Pass Municipal Court under the same increased pay scale as that of Assistant Municipal Court Judge Ruben Montemayor.

None the three Municipal Court Judges positions were advertised by the City of Eagle Pass in any local newspapers and news media, denying members of the 50 plus attorneys-strong Maverick County Bar Association as well as other local citizens the opportunity to apply and be considered for these three Municipal Court Judges’ positions and accompanying salaries and responsibilities.

Eagle Pass City Council members Luis E. Sifuentes and Gloria E. Hernandez were absent at the October 20, 2015 city council meeting. Only Mayor Ramsey English Cantu, Mayor Pro-Tem Rudy Villalpando, and Councilwoman Yolanda P. Ramon were present at the meeting.