Eagle Pass City Council hires Hector Chavez as City Manager
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council held their monthly regular meeting on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 and discussed and took action on important city issues such as Agenda Item No. 40 concerning “the discussion of personnel- evaluation of candidate resumes submitted by city manager position and establishing procedures for formal selection and interview process,” hiring Interim City Manager and Public Works Manager Hector Chavez as the new City Manager of Eagle Pass on a unanimous vote (5-0).
Hector Chavez was selected from among at least 10 candidates for City Manager who submitted an application or letter of interest with curriculum vitae, including Rudy Bowles, Jesus Sanchez, Robert A. Eads, Ronald Hixson, Juan Francisco Zuniga, Julio Cesar Martinez, Manuel de la Rosa, Jr., Yarah Mansour, Hector Chavez, and two other candidates.
Initially, Interim City Manger and Public Works Director Hector Chavez had not applied for City Manager but later had a change of heart and submitted his candidacy for consideration in an extension of the application deadline by City Council.
During the Citizens Communication of the agenda prior to the selection of a City Manager, two local citizens addressed the Eagle Pass City Council with their comments and observations regarding the selection of a City Manager.
Eagle Pass High School senior Lynn Balderas addressed the City Council. “I believe that a City Manager, whoever is chosen, should have the capacity to serve the City with all of his or her good intentions and expand our City with more jobs and more services, but most of all a good morale. I believe that we should lay all politics aside. We are all tired of the politics. We are all tired of the “compadre system.” We are all tired of political officials hiring someone with no experience whatsoever and hire them for just a paycheck,” said Balderas. Balderas asked City Council to take into consideration his thoughts and comments and thanked them for their attention.
Mayor Ramsey English Cantu thanked Lynn Balderas for his comments and concerns as a citizen of Eagle Pass. “We appreciate seeing the young people come out and address city council here today,” said Mayor Cantu.
Another citizen, Juanita V. Martinez, addressed City Council concerning their selection of a City Manager. Martinez stated that upon first hearing that a local school board member had applied for City Manager and with three City Council members being employees of the local public school district, this delicate situation had raised many concerns and questions among citizens, which she addressed in social media. Martinez noted that many local public citizens disapproved and frowned upon this situation.
“I want to address the city council and voice my concerns. We as a community are becoming vigilant of the actions taken by our elected and public officials. We as a community don’t have a stellar record and it’s a shameful fact when a person has the authority to hire, fire, promote, discipline and take all types of retaliatory actions against or for the benefit of three city council members. They come and apply for the position of city manager where this same employees of the school district have to make the decision whether he is hired or not. Let’s face the fact that the amount of micro-managing by the school board in recent events is well known and accepted by everybody. This is the type of behavior that we don’t want and will not condone from our public officials. You cannot continue to follow or engage in this type of behavior, it’s wrong for anyone to exert their influence on three members of the council. On the other hand, if they’re not being pressured they must be part of the dirty scheme. I’m hoping that they are being pressured. Again who do we turn to, do we go to the city attorney for an opinion. We need an un-bias and clean legal counsel. We need to hire someone to look at this because if it’s not illegal, it surely is unethical,” said Martinez.
Martinez added that “Therefore three of the members of this city council should recuse themselves when choosing the city manager. The outcome is that this applicant should not be hired due to the lack of a quorum. The pressure will continue like I said. We will no longer tolerate this kind of exchanges,” concluded Martinez.
Martinez’s poignant statements referred to Eagle Pass Independent School District Board of Trustee Rudy Bowles whom applied for the City Manager position and City Council members Rudy Villalpando, Yolanda Ramon, and Luis E. Sifuentes whom are employees of the Eagle Pass Independent School District.
Mayor Cantu thanked Balderas and Martinez for their public comments expressed during the Citizens Communication of the agenda and stated that he wanted to assure all the citizens of Eagle Pass that their concerns are taken into consideration.
“I support my colleagues on the city council and I know that the individuals that are on the council are elected and respected in this community and are given the opportunity to serve. I know that at the end of the day the decision will be made and it will be in the best interest of the city. I know that is what we will see and have seen from my colleagues and that we will continue to move forward as a community and we will be able to put this city as a top city on this border,” said Mayor Cantu to Balderas and Martinez.
After conducting most the public meeting, City Council went into Executive Session to consult with legal counsel, Heriberto Morales of Langley and Banack, regarding the City Manager position as well as other agenda items requiring consultation with legal counsel. and later came back into open session.
Mayor Cantu addressed agenda item No. 40 and proceeded to relinquish his chair as presiding officer of the city council.
Mayor Cantu made a motion for council’s consideration to appoint Interim City Manager Hector Chavez as the lone finalist and the new City Manager of the City of Eagle Pass.
Mayor Pro-Tem Rudy Villalpando seconded Mayor Cantu’s motion to hire Hector Chavez as City Manager.
Councilman Luis E. Sifuentes commented on the motion by stating that the council’s hopes and expectations were clear of the position and vision of the City of Eagle Pass that would benefit the entire community and that it comes to light.
Mayor Cantu stated that Hector Chavez’s expertise and knowledge would be crucial for the City of Eagle Pass due to several important public projects being carried out by the City need to be completed for the benefit of the citizens of Eagle Pass. “Making sure that we have someone who is capable and experienced and knows the community is what I personally feel is in the best interest of the community at this point.” said Mayor Cantu.
Councilwoman Gloria E. Hernandez and Mayor Pro-Tem Rudy Villalpando also commented positively on the motion to hire Hector Chavez as City Manager as being in the best interests of the City of Eagle Pass. The motion was called for a vote and the City Council unanimously approved (5-0) to name Hector Chavez as the new Eagle Pass City Manager.
The City Council also agreed to commence negotiations with Hector Chavez on his contract and terms as City Manager and bring them before the Council at a future meeting. The meeting was adjourned.
