AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT: WHO'S THE PRESIDING JUDGE?

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

City of Brownsville manager Noel Bernal has reached out to some city commissioners to let hem know in a not-so-subtle way that – as is his purview – he will install City Attorney Rene de Coss as Municipal Court Presiding Judge. 

Bernal unceremoniously removed former presiding judge Bobby Lerma without notice from one day to another and reportedly told judges during a meeting he would officially take municipal court administration August 2. He then appointed Rigoberto Flores on an interim basis. Up to now, Flores's caretaker performance has been praised by most municipal court observers.

However, some city commissioners say that the appointment of presiding judge is still up in the air and that Bernal is apparently waiting to see how the wind blows before making the appointment official. Almost to a man (or woman), they say they that although the charter calls for the city manager to appoint the presiding judge, there should be a transparent process set up to consider all possible candidates and their qualifications.

The fact that all the municipal jidges are males and that no female candidates have been considered adds another problematic factor to the choice since a group of female attorneys have sued the city to open up the process to female applicants.

Others say that the interim appointment of Assistant City Attorney Victor Flores to city attorney smacks of manipulation by Bernal and that – depending on the outcome – may be enough for them to reassess the city manager's performance during his evaluation.

According to the city's salary schedules, Lerma was earning $109,634 as presiding judge while De Coss is listed at $150,000. If De Coss is officially installed by Bernal, does that mean that he will take a salary cut? And will the city commission take Bernal's machinations lying down?

According to press releases issued from the city manager's office, "Bernal’s focus has been to cultivate an organizational culture of leadership development at all levels of the organization. Through this process, an aspirational aim was developed for the organization to become the model of innovation, inclusion, and empowerment where bold people and ideas thrive."

This sounds fine, but to some it appears that Bernal is attempting to play a shell game with the city commission on the moves at the municipal court and city attorney's office and say that Bernal's idea of Total Realignment lacks inclusion and empowerment, especially since it doesn't allow for the aims and goals of his stated philosophy.

"City manager (Noel) Bernal talks a lot about his Total Alignment," said a mid-level administrator, "but all the benefits seem to go to department heads and his hand-picked staff. Some employees who have been with the city for years get discouraged because there doesn't seem to be any hope for advancement in the future. If Flores is left as city attorney, it will be just one more of Bernal's friends from outside the city being handed a cushy job based on his friendship with the city manager again. Where's the inclusion and empowerment for local professionals?"