LANDIN FIRED AMID CHARGES OF INSUBORDINATION, ARROGANCE

By Juan Montoya

This time, her supervisors put up with her for only a year.

Previously, before she took the job as executive director of the Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau also serving as the city’s public information officer, she had left a similar position at the the office of the Cameron County District Attorney's Office stating she left for "personal advancement."

And before that, when she left the position of administrative assistant for Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos, she left under similar circumstances. Fellow staff members said she had demanded Cascos name her in charge of the office when he left town and that he had refused.

This time, Harlingen City Manager Dan Serna told the Valley Morning Star that Melissa Landin (AKA Zamora) was fired Friday for “insubordination or other disrespectful conduct,” according to the city’s notice of termination. Serna told the paper that details of the firing were confidential and that he didn't "discuss personnel-related matters.”

The newspaper reported that city’s termination notice states Landin “refused to follow (Serna’s) instructions” on Jan. 17 for preparations for Mayor Chris Boswell’s State of the City address on Feb. 3. “You were confrontational and clearly stated your refusal to follow the directions of the city manager,” the notice states. “(T)his type of behavior is unacceptable at any level.”

Landin served as executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, charged with promoting the city for tourism. She also worked as public information officer, serving as the city’s media liaison.

The City of Harlingen administration had preciously allowed her to rescind a previous resignation, and that they had relented after she changed her mind and withdrew it. In the termination notice, Serna refers to Landin’s previous resignation.

“This is not the first time that this kind of behavior has happened,” the notice states. “Previously, you had resigned your position and later changed your mind. The city manager was willing to give you another opportunity to fit into the management team but the incident described above convinces me that this is not going to be possible.”

Landin was hired as PIO at a salary of $47,500 in January, 2016, and boosted her salary to $61,500 when she took the CVB executive director’s job about a month later.

Reporter Fernando del Valle reported that the city was withholding the release of Landin’s response letter to the city, requesting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to determine whether the city was required to release it as a public record.

Landin did not sign the termination notice.

“Because I had never so much as had a warning, I asked administration to specify. They did not and would not,” Landin wrote in a text message. “In fact, I have numerous emails and texts complimenting my work from administration, fellow directors, other staff and community members.”

Although she did not disclose which "community members" endorsed her performance, it probably includes DA Luis V. Saenz and his chief investigator George Delaunay. But it probably does not include any from her immediate supervisors.