Maybe we should be thankful.
But putting all our professional jealousies aside, it can't be argued that a municipality the size of Brownsville that does business with all types of vendors, professional outfits and corporations needs a city manager and a city attorney to make sure everything runs smoothly and is on the up-and-up.
Ever since former city manager Charlie Cabler resigned last October and took home his $250,000 golden parachute, and former city attorney Mark Sossi was unceremoniously terminated in an open meeting in August 2016, the city has done without someone at the head of these departments. Commissioners appointed Michael L. Lopez, then assistant city manager, as interim city manager.Cabler has not been replaced, and judging by the search committee headed by city commissioner At-Large "B" Rose Gowen with the assistance of some community residents, including PUB and GBIC member Nurith Galonsky.
In June, Gowen told the local daily that: “We’re on schedule, and we’re definitely making progress.” she said.
But then something went wrong.More than 30 applicants filed for the job and then, as the committee narrowed the search, some of the employers of the top candidates lure them away from the search offering them cash inducements to stay put.
Gowen said McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez and Savannah City Manager Roberto Hernandez withdrew their names from consideration. The Monitor reported that McAllen city commissioners offered Rodriguez a $25,000 raise to take his name off the finalist list.
The two candidates interviewed were Harlingen Assistant City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez – a former Brownsville community development coordinator – and Ruth Osuna, a former assistant city manager in California and Brownsville.
“We were not able to find someone who would meet all of our goals,” Gowen said. “They were candidates with many skills, but we want to look a little further.”
She said Ralph Andersen and Associates, the outside search firm hired to head hunt, would post a call for applicants soon, though perhaps after the July 4 holiday. For the meantime, however, Lopez, is assisted by two assistant city managers who used to be department heads under Cabler. They are Pete Gonzalez, formerly the city's Finance Department director, and Arturo Rodriguez, formerly head of the Health Department.
We don't know what Gowen is searching for, but we are willing to make a small wager that if a candidate appears in a bicycle outfit and parks his Steven Sovereign Bike, a Specialized Sequoia, a Kona Sutra, or Van Nichols Pioneer Titanium, he'd pedal right into her heart. That would be especially true if he lauded the city on its multi-million dollar plans for her active hike and bike trial.
And we are all hoping that Galonsky is happy with the final outcome because if her performance in the selection of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation CEO is any indication of what's to come, if her selection isn't chosen the city could end up in court.
Which would leave the city in the lurch since ever since last weekend, when Asst. City Attorney Timothy Sampeck left for greener pastures, there is no city attorney. Sossi was fired August 16, 2017, almost a year ago. Deputy City Attorney Allison Bastain flew the coop earlier this year, and now only part-time prosecutor Javier Aguirre is left holding down Fort Brown.
It's not as if the city's department can do without an attorney indefinitely. Almost every purchasing contract has to undergo a legal review to make sure all the "i"s are dotted and the "t"s are crossed.
Other sources say that the city commission is moving toward hiring no permanent city attorney and using legal assistance on a contract basis.
Before Sossi talked the city commission into hiring him as a full-time city attorney to pay his child's health insurance, he was hired on a contract basis.
Meanwhile, without an attorney, decisions may be left by default to Da Mayor Tony Martinez, a prospect that is too horrible for most city residents to contemplate.
"Tony has shown that he loves chaos," said a city staffer. "When there's chaos, there's profit to be made."
Which would leave the city in the lurch since ever since last weekend, when Asst. City Attorney Timothy Sampeck left for greener pastures, there is no city attorney. Sossi was fired August 16, 2017, almost a year ago. Deputy City Attorney Allison Bastain flew the coop earlier this year, and now only part-time prosecutor Javier Aguirre is left holding down Fort Brown.
It's not as if the city's department can do without an attorney indefinitely. Almost every purchasing contract has to undergo a legal review to make sure all the "i"s are dotted and the "t"s are crossed.Other sources say that the city commission is moving toward hiring no permanent city attorney and using legal assistance on a contract basis.
Before Sossi talked the city commission into hiring him as a full-time city attorney to pay his child's health insurance, he was hired on a contract basis.
Meanwhile, without an attorney, decisions may be left by default to Da Mayor Tony Martinez, a prospect that is too horrible for most city residents to contemplate.
"Tony has shown that he loves chaos," said a city staffer. "When there's chaos, there's profit to be made."
20 comments:
I'm pro-Tony. Let's give us a voice too, Montoya.
Juan. Why haven't they hired an attorney? Who is in charge of that committee? Would you have preferred having Mr. Sossi?
The candidate must be corupt and be able to lie through his teeth and look you straight in the eye. He must be a two faced Scumbag that has at least five years of Black book, and either a bum or cocain addict or a drunken bum or both. We have narrowed it down to 500 so we will have an answer soon.
That shows those positions are useless and they should not be filled again, save the city their big salaries and move on.
We just as well give Cabler his job back, there is nobody more corrupt than him, sorry I forgot that they are waiting for the audit, then he will sing rather than go to jail.
Tony Martinez is a lawyer and lawyers like to play "kick the can" and want to put everything off. For them, time is money in their pockets. For this city, in the absence of leadership and management, this city commission will keep kicking things down the road. That's the way Tony Martinez does business. In the meantime, the city will continue to more rapidly swirl down the toilet. We will have lots of hike and bike trails, but no leadership.
They're also advertising in the black web
who would want to be city manager here??!! they would be crazy to consider coming to this corrupt city!
We're the yakidiyak but don't talk back syndrome city (The Coasters).
If you can say yes to coruption if you can sit when told, stand when told and bend over and take in the ass and look the other way when told to then my friend you got the job.
cuanto tiempo mas va a pasar para que encierren al gordo de la corbata azul
You are correct, who in their right mind would even consider applying as Brownsville city manager. He or she could be the most qualified person to get the job done, but with a divided city commission, that person wouldn't last a year.
No city manager, no city attorney , no Traffic Director, no health director and no HR director. What the heck is going on with city leadership? We wonder if the city commission cares about what's going on with city departments lack of leadersh.
Need to get rid of Tony Martinez!!
But they have a bunch of deputies all making over 100k one of them has been there 50 years...
You’d think they’d ask themselves why these people are all clearing out.
Caos is about to be unleash on the city, no leadership, no guidance and zero accountability.
Nobody cares as long as the city keeps building useless bike trails and lines. Forget about street maintenance or drainage issues or building bus shelters. The top priority has been and will be to pleased the elite and keep building what is not needed (useleess bike trails and lines).
@12:48...The root of the problem is that Acting City Manager Michael Lopez is being allowed by commissioners to make big bad decisions. He is making so many changes and hiring employees on minor violations. Right now, there's many lawsuits against the city because of the he has handled things. Hipefully, the commsioners wake up and do something before he starts firing and denoting more employees.
The city should do away with ill attended Cyclobias that only affects downtown business and incurr overtime for city employees. It is high time for city commissioners to put a stop to this nonsense and waste of resources and tax payers monies.
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