SLOWLY, THE STORY BEHIND MELLY'S DEPARTURE EMERGES

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Well, we knew someone out there would know more about the sudden departure of former City of Brownsville commissioner Melissa (Zamora) Landin when we posted that she had left her position as city manager of beautiful downtown Falfurrias about three weeks ago.

We knew that her assistant city manager CPA Arvin Tucker had been made acting city manager after Landin had turned in her resignation anticipating to take the reins at Lamesa, Texas, about 60 miles south of Lubbock.

Well, it turned out that the "almost sure thing" that Landin had been promised by the mayor of Lamesa during a municipal conference was derailed after the city's Human Resources performed due diligence on her application turned up some unflattering details on her previous gigs in the gubernamental and public relations fields.

Sensing that her chances at Lamesa were slim to none, Landin than returned to Falfurrias and attempted to rescind her resignation, but - having accepted it and having appointed Tucker to her position - the aldermen were having none of it.

This is not the first time that Landin has pulled the "I'm resigning, no I'm not" act at a job site.

In 2017, while director of the Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau, she was terminated after she “refused to follow (City Manager Dan 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 was executive director of the HCVB, charged with promoting the city for tourism. She also worked as public information officer, serving as the city’s media liaison.

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.”

Sources there say that she, her hubby and kids packed up and let for Pleasanton where he landed a coaching job with the local school district.

But there are still some loose ends from her gig in Falfurrias. There is the appeal by former Falfurrias police Chief Rick Herrera who was given a 'general" instead of an "honorable" discharge by Landin before he resigned for office.

According to insiders, Herrera - a Brownsville native who was asked by Landin to apply for the chief position in Falfurrias - had agreed to part company with the municipality on good terms. Then, when he learned that she was determined to let him go for "misconduct," he found that the recordings made during their meeting where they had reached their agreement to an amicable separation turned up missing.

This didn't sit well with Herrera, who is appealing his departure as chief with a "general" instead of an "honorable" grade, and which he says would make his future appointment as a police chief difficult, to say the least. Herrera feels he was betrayed and is confident that he can present other proof that Landin may have back-stabbed him in the process.

"We're still continuing with the process," he said.