Less than a year after the City of Falfurrias in Brooks County named her city administrator, Melissa Landin (formerly Zamora) has left the position and her replacement is none other than former City of Brownsville and Brownsville Independent School District auditor Arvin Tucker.
The shakeup, according to Tucker, ame about when Landin notified him that she had a job offer somewhere in "West Texas," and that she had handed in her letter of resignation about two weeks ago.
Tucker, who had been contacted by Landin to apply for the position of city finance director was hired and about three months later was made assistant city manager under her. When she handed in her resignation, the city aldermen board accepted it appointed him as interim city manager.It is unknown where in West Texas Landin was offered a job, or if she accepted it to leave Falfurrias.
Landin was hired as a city administrator on July 2019 and got her Certificate in Public Management from UTRGV-Edinburg in December.
As city manager, her duties included supervising the city of Falfurrias departments, supporting maintenance of the city budget and representing the municipality vis-a-vis community groups and state and federal governments.
That might have been seen as a comedown from her previous positions as elected official (commissioner for the City of Brownsville), PIO for the Cameron County District Attorney's Office, public relations and marketing for the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville, administrator of marketing and communications for the RGV MultiBank, and before that Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director, and Communications Director for the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Before that - and something she doesn't mention in her Linkedin resume - she was also a reporter for the Brownsville Herald.
Falfurrias is hardly a metropolis.
It had all of 6,200 souls in the llano of Brooks County as of 2010. It is about as far away from modern civilization as one would want to get. It is also the site where bodies of dead migrants are routinely found as they seek to avoid the Border Patrol checkpoint on US 281. It is 81 miles southwest of Corpus Christi, 90 miles southeast of Laredo, and 36 miles south of Alice.
Brownsville is 117 miles south as urraca flies.
As city administrator, she was - and now Tucker is - responsible for overseeing nearly six (6) department and division managers, who supervise 50 employees. She is also responsible for the development of program and policy alternatives for consideration by the mayor and council, as well as the implementation of those policies and programs adopted by them.
Other responsibilities include meeting with private citizens, community groups, and public/private entities regarding city policies and programs.
The city budget for 2020 totaled $2.5 million.
When she left her position at the the office of the Cameron County District Attorney's Office she stated left for "personal advancement." Fellow staff members said she had demanded Cascos name her in charge of the office when he left town and that he had refused.
And she was at the Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau for only about a year before she was involved in a full-blown controversy. When she left the position of administrative assistant for then-
Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos, she left under similar circumstances.
Harlingen City Manager Dan Serna told the Valley Morning Star that Melissa Landin was fired 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."
Tucker - who says he has been commuting to Brownsville - every weekend, says that if his wife, a BISD teacher, has an opportunity to hire on the local school district they might consider moving there.
But for now, he is taking on the new responsibility to see where it will lead.
"Remember that our current city manager in Brownsville (Noel Bernal) used to be the city manager of Falfurrias," he quipped.
22 comments:
She's an ambitious gal, a trait not readily found in Brownsville.
Who cares? Esa vieja no vale. It's not a slow news day, Montoya.
So, Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz flies from Houston to Dallas to get a haircut. My goodness, you would think he would have carved out time in that schedule to visit frontline health care workers or those hospitalized for COVID-19. Maybe I missed that in the story. If only individuals like my son, treated for a serious mental illness, uninsured and unemployed, waiting on his check like thousands of other Texans, could garner such attention.
PUB and BND is next to head up north for greener oops beter jobs.
Ambitious has nothing to do with it? This woman is looking for the score of a life time besides spreading her legs to gain favoritism! Give it time, she'll be charged with something! Oh, she can and is a real C@#$!
A federal judge is signaling that he may pursue perjury or contempt charges against former national security adviser Michael Flynn over his effort to abandon an earlier guilty plea to a charge of lying to the FBI.
The Justice Department moved last week to drop the prosecution of Flynn launched by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, but U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan threw a major stumbling block in front of that effort by announcing that he is appointing a former federal judge to advise the court on how to respond to the government’s motion.
Sullivan said he’s also asking the retired judge, John Gleeson, to recommend whether Flynn should face a criminal contempt charge for perjury—apparently for declaring under oath at two different court proceedings that he was guilty of lying to the FBI, before he reversed course an January and claimed he had never lied.
Ambitious yea right an opportunist trouble maker!!
Nice lady.
In God's good side.
Bless her.
not being able to hold a job is not ambitious.
EDITORIAL: Flying high: Increased activity suggests big days ahead for SpaceX
They're probably going to Hidalgo these bozos here can't do shit...self serving idiotas
Who cares about people who have left Brownsville - adios, good riddance!
What we need to know it an update on what the hell is going on with the FBI
investigation and indictment of one of school board members. Her trial keeps being pushed up and up and up and who knows when and if she will ever be brought to trial and punished - of course, after she is totally proven guilty.
Just as important, what ever happened to a trial for the Honorable Judge
Robert Garza? That is also being hush-hush!
When are they going to open the cantinas I have a 1200 dollar check in my back pocket that's itching to be spend WHEN WHEN? Juanito do you know? Please tell us
It's difficult for a Hispanic woman to be in a position of power in south Texas full of macho men who make BS comments like above. Comments are either sexual in nature or attack. How dare a woman here want to move up the ladder while these men sit on the sidelines lodging anonymous, defamatory insults against anyone who does better than them. If your follow up argument is that you are better than this individual, the content of your comments shows otherwise.
Whatever happened to this at BISD? I've not heard good things about Arvin Tucker. Did he leave the city under similar circumstances?
https://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2019/03/arvin-tucker-bisd-lead-auditor-placed.html
Onta el cheque Pat?
Arvin Tucker will do an amazing job! BISD wrong by getting rid of him. Best wishes to Melissa and her family.
@El Run Run Why are you harassing Mr. Tucker’s wife? She has been one of the outstanding teachers at BISD. She has shown loyalty and dedication to the students of BISD since 2001. Keep your politics out of education and those who dedicate their lives to ensuring the best for the future community of Brownsville!
BROWNSVILLE GIRL...
Queen Jane
This blog is for crazy people that will comment things that they have no idea of the truth. This is nothing but a gossip blog that trashy people use. Why does this blog allow mis-information to be listed. People will comment negative things all the time but will never list the positive things that people do and what they have done for their community and the excellent leadership and accomplishes. I'm done with this negative opinionated site.
TUCKER is out, he is a worthless guy with that doesnt know how to manage or treat people. Hes only for himself, he will step on any bodies toes to get what he wants. Mel did so much in a small amount of time that she was here. When she confronted the Mayer about doing illegal stuff he didnt appreciated and decided to let Mel go. What a big mistake for the future of Falfurries. This city will never grow with this under mining Mayer we need him out . Hes a druggie.
TUCKER is out, he is a worthless guy with that doesnt know how to manage or treat people. Hes only for himself, he will step on any bodies toes to get what he wants. Mel did so much in a small amount of time that she was here. When she confronted the Mayer about doing illegal stuff he didnt appreciated and decided to let Mel go. What a big mistake for the future of Falfurries. This city will never grow with this under mining Mayer we need him out . Hes a druggie.
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