SOME LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR

By Juan Montoya

With the abrupt departure of former Cameron County Administrator David Garcia and the appointment of his former boss and current chief executive officer of the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority Pete Sepulveda as interim director, the search is on  now for a permanent replacement.

The selection of Sepulveda - coming as it did after he accepted a pre-trail diversion program plea to defer a prosecution on of abuse of official capacity, theft by a public servant and misapplication of fiduciary property - aroused outrage in some quarters, but gives the county commissioners time to make a permanent solution with someone who knows the job intimately for the while.

Sepulveda said he will not apply for the position.

Now, as the court commissioners start receiving applications for Garcia's replacement, the names of a few potential  candidates are been thrown around.

It's not a position to sneeze at.

The administrator serves as the Chief operating and staff officer for the Commissioners’ Court. He directs and supervises the day-to-day operations of all non-elected county departments and agencies which are under the direct control of the Commissioners’ Court, pursuant to County ordinances and regulations.

The Office also provides administrative support to Commissioners’ Court and implements its directives,  meeting agendas, meetings, resolutions and constituent services. The Administrator also provides management, coordination, and communication to all elected officials on legislative, intergovernmental and operational needs of the county.

The officer oversees all non-elected County Departments including Facilities Maintenance, Information Technology, Health and Human Services, International Bridge System, Human Resources, Parks, Planning and Development, and Transportation.

One of the candidates which first comes to mind is Remi Garza, the current Cameron County Elections Administrator. Garza, however,  carries some old baggage that might discourage some county commissioners from tapping him for the post. The baggage goes back to his relationship with his staff and some complaints about untoward behavior toward subordinates.  In fact, some say, he is fortunate he still has his position at elections.

The other is Xavier Villarreal, Garcia's administrative assistant who basically handles the annual budgets. But many feel that Villarreal is happy just where he is at and will probably not vie for the position.

Yet another is current former Port Isabel Interim city manager (and later appointed city manager) Jared Hockema. After that He was city administrator for Santa Rosa, and before that Emergency Management Asst. for Cameron County.

Garza and Hockema both share having been in the Gilbert Hinojosa administration, although they parted and went their separate ways in public service. Hinojosa is currently the Texas State Democratic chair while Hockema is the Cameron County Democratic Party chairman.

But there is a crucial difference here. Of all the recent county Democratic chairs, only Hockema was able to deliver the prize of electing the county judge (Eddie Trevino) to the Democratic Party in a stretch of time spanning almost two decades that started with Tony Garza and ended with Carlos Cascos.

Neither Gilbert (with John Wood) Amber Medina Wilkins (Joe Rivera) or any other county chair can make that claim. In each case, their candidate was beaten by a Republican and to the shame of the party, the county in deepest South Texas went blue.

Depending on how many qualified candidates may come out of the woodwork, Hockema seems to have the strongest hand at the table.

Will the commissioners be able to weigh the obvious administrated skills that Hokema brings to the table and recognize his contributions to their party and make him county administrator?