17 Months Later, Eagle Pass City Council Has Yet to Select a New City Manager
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2023
Seventeen (17) months after former Eagle Pass City Manager George Antuna resigned at an Eagle Pass City Council meeting on August 9, 2022, the City Council has yet to select a permanent City Manager despite having publicized the position, conducted a national search, and received at least 42 applicants for the vacant position.
The City Council remains advertising for the vacant position as of the publication of this article on December 15, 2023. The City Manager position remains unfilled by City Council.
Upon former City Manager George Antuna’s resignation on August 9, 2022, the City Council appointed Assistant City Manager Ivan Morua as the Interim City Manager until a permanent City Manager is hired.
Morua has completed 17 months as Interim City Manager and is now going into his 18th month on the job. This is Morua’s second stint as Interim City Manager for the City of Eagle Pass. Previously, he served as Acting City Manager from January 2, 2018 to March 4, 2019, a period of 15 months. In the past six years, Morua has worked as Interim City Manager almost three years, a total of 32 months. Morua has accepted the Interim City Manager appointment expressly stating that he does not want to be permanent City Manager, but is gladly willing to help the City Council in managing the city’s $57 million plus annual fiscal budget and services.
Of the 42 individuals who have applied for the vacant City Manager position, Morua is not among them. City managers tenure at the City of Eagle Pass has a history of being short-lived due to the politics of the community and city council. There is more job security as an Assistant City Manager than as a permanent City Manager. Morua has served as Interim City Manager for 32 months out of the past 72 months, tackling key issues during these 32 months of service.
Among the 42 applicants for the City Manager position, 14 are women and 28 are men. The individuals who have submitted an application or letter of interest for City Manager include Paloma M. Alejos, Homero Balderas, Isaac Banda, Joshua Barron, Sonya Bishop, Judith A. Canales, Natalie Camarillo, Edgar Omar Canamar Noriega, Arnulfo Cardenas, Rodolfo Chavarria-Losoya, Leroy Correa, Cedric W. Davis, Sr., Ana De La Garza, Michael Heeden, Lisa De La Garza, Rafael Diaz-Larios, Nestor D. Dovalina, Robert Alexander Eads, Uche Raymond Echeozo, Linda R. Estrada, Francisco J. Flores, Kendal Francis, Yissel A. Gonzlez, David J. Harris, Jonathan A. Kirksey, Andy L. Joslin, Patrick Marsh, Anabell Moen, Yarah Aiza Mansour, Adam Niolet, Amanda Rees, Carlos E. Rodriguez, Hector Rodriguez, Jr., Michael T. Rogers, Rogelio Roque, III, Ismael Sagredo, Esmeralda Sanchez-Silva, Megan Sowell, Amanda K. Tienda, Adalberto Valdes, Abelardo Vara, Pablo R. Vasquez, Fred F. Ventresco, and Felipe Zuniga.
Local citizens have raised concerns regarding the City Council’s failure to select a permanent City Manager during the past 17 months among a strong pool of applicants, questioning whether the inaction is by design, political, or a lack of qualified candidates. The longer the selection process goes on, the City of Eagle Pass looks weak, lacks seriousness, and its credibility suffers. The citizens of Eagle Pass request and demand City Council to fulfill their City Charter obligation and fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers to select and appoint a permanent City Manager.
The City Council is composed of Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr., Mayor Pro-Tem William “Billy” Davis, and Council members Monica J. Cruz, Mario E. Garcia, and Elias Diaz.
