IT'S OFFICIAL: CHARLIE CABLER RETIRES AS CITY MANAGER

By Juan Montoya

The City of Brownsville has confirmed that City Manager Charlie Cabler has submitted his letter of resignation (or retirement) today, ending more than 39 years of working for the city. Today, a missive from the city secretary to the mayor and commissioner confirmed the retirement.

Later in the day, city spokeswoman Roxanna Rosas also said Cabler retired.

His retirement was effective immediately after he submitted his letter this morning, the missive says.

An item for the October 17 meeting as a formality will be placed on the agenda to acknowledge/accept the retirement effective today.

The city issued a press releasetlate today.

His retirement comes at a time of controversy when the city is still reeling from the firing of former city attorney Mark Sossi, the demotion and suspension of former Brownsville Fire Dept. Chief Carlos Elizondo and his assistant fire chief Ernie Estrada, and a racial controversy over remarks made by city commissioner Cesar de Leon. De Leon resigned, but later rescinded his resignation before the eight-day grace period had passed.

Before being placed on administrative leave with pay Elizondo had been under pressure to step down from the board of the Brownsville Independent School District, a call he has not heeded despite prohibitions in the city's personnel manual that a city employee cannot serve on an elective office. Cablers' reluctance to take any action on a commission audit ad oversight committee of the fire department had irked some members of the commission.

The audit – and an ongoing audit by the city – found that dispatchers had been told to steer ambulance transfers to Intercity Ambulance Service, a firm with direct links to Elizondo. The audit estimated the transfers had cost the city more than $62,000. The audit found that Elizondo had personally steered at least four of the transfers to the private company.

Cabler has had to deal with a growing dissatisfaction over the delayed $500 million Tansaka power plant project that has raised utility bills by 35 percent over the past four years, the $2.3 million Casa del Nylon purchase for a friend of Mayor Tony Martinez when some appraisers say its value was far below that, and a commission that has felt it has to step in and do his job through the creation of budget, audit and agenda committees.

However, other reports indicate that investigators have found widespread and questionable activity in the city's purchasing department as well as the fire department. Sources say that Elizondo had recorded numerous city and school district officials and was now cooperating with law enforcement authorities who are looking into potential criminal activity.

The controversy surrounding Elizondo's release of electronic a recording targeting remarks by commissioner de Leon citing displeasure with his colleagues on the city commission and racial slurs against black assistant district attorneys had overshadowed his reported retirement.

Last week Cabler went on family leave to take care of his ailing mother. During his absence, asst. city managers Pete Gonzalez and Michael Lopez were placed in charge.

Cabler will not leave without a parachute courtesy of the contract he first signed in 2007 while then-Mayor Eddie Treviño was in office. Under the "Additional accredited leave package," he is guaranteed 260 days of paid leave, – whether he leaves voluntarily or involuntarily – in effect, a whole year with pay ($260,000). (see graphic).

The math in the contract is a bit confusing because it states that the 260 days come from "30 days from City Charter and 130 granted by City Commission." That's only 160, according to our accountants.

OF course, Cabler and the public relations machine spun it this way in the official statement.

“I am eternally grateful to have learned so much from the community that I was afforded the opportunity to serve…” said Cabler. “There is no greater truth in public service than to accept that we must consider and incorporate wisdom and ideas from those whom we took an oath to serve. This is a belief that has guided me and informed me from the very beginning of time.”

“I look forward to continuing to contribute to our community in private life and doing what I can to help build upon our city’s growth and the investment we have made in our greatest asset – our citizens,” Cabler added.

Cabler first worked in the Brownsville Police Department before becoming assistant city manager in 2002, and then served as Acting City Manager before being hired as City Manager on September 1, 2004.

His salary now stands at $220,000 with a $600 monthly car allowance.