City of Eagle Pass seeks new City Manager

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

The Eagle Pass City Council began the process of searching for a new City Manager at their monthly meeting held on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 and revised changes the existing City Manager job description at its following meeting held on Thursday, November 12,2015.

During the November 3,2015 meeting, Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu led the City Council into Executive Session under agenda item No. 25 Executive Session pursuant to Section 551.071 & 551.074, Chapter 551, Texas Government Code–Consultation with legal counsel and discussion of personnel matters regarding establishing procedures to begin the process for the City of Eagle Pass City Manager search.

Once Back in Open Session, Mayor Cantu opened up agenda item No.25 and proceeded to state that there has been 2 job descriptions presented to city council for further review and would be discussed during the Thursday November 12, 2015, meeting. Mayor Cantu then asked if there was a motion to table the agenda item.

City Councilman Luis E. Sifuentes moved to table agenda item No.25, seconded by Councilwoman Gloria E. Hernandez.

City Council unanimously approved voted to table the agenda item No. 25 to its next meeting.

Mayor Pro-Tem Rudy Villalpando was not present during the November 3rd meeting.

The City Council has begun the process of finding a new City Manager after City Manager Gloria Barrientos was relieved of her duties by the City Council on August 18, 2015.

The City Council suspended City Manager Gloria Barrientos from employment on Tuesday, August 18, 2015 to allow legal counsel to work out an exit package and named Public Works Director Hector Chavez, Sr. as Interim City Manager after a marathon five and one half hours long Executive Session on a split 4 to 1 vote with Mayor Ramsey English Cantu making the motion and Councilwoman Gloria E. Hernandez seconding the motion with Council members Rudy Villalpando and Yolanda P. Ramon in favor while Councilman Luis E. Sifuentes voted against.

Following Barrientos’ suspension, the City Council unanimously approved a settlement agreement with former City Manager Gloria Barrientos regarding the separation of her employment services with the City of Eagle Pass on August 18, 2015.  The terms of the settlement agreement and release between the City of Eagle Pass and Barrientos were not made public.

Barrientos served as City Manager from September 18, 2012 through August 18, 2015.

Recently, the City of Eagle Pass hired Barrientos back in a lesser role with the City of Eagle Pass Planning Department.

During the November 12, 2015 meeting, the Eagle Pass City Council discussed the City Manager job description in executive session and upon returning into Open session approved to authorize Mayor Cantu to address the changes to the City Manager’s job description with the Human Resources Department and move forward in posting the City Manager position vacancy in several news media and professional employment sites.