By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Writer’s note: The writer left at the start of the council’s executive session. This account was written from the city’s Facebook Livestream of the events.
Del Rio City Council members have named Manuel Chavez as the new Del Rio city manager.
Chavez’s appointment came following a lengthy executive session at the end of the council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
When the council returned from its closed-door session, it took up several matters involving municipal court, then Councilman Leno Hernandez said, “Mayor, I’d also like to make a motion to begin negotiations to actively name Mr. Manuel Chavez as our city manager.”
Councilman J.P. Sanchez shouted out the second to the motion.
City Attorney Ana Markowski Smith asked, “Okay, so are we going to negotiate, or?”
Mayor Al Arreola then said, “I think what the statement was, we’re going to offer him the position tonight, and we’re going to negotiate the rest of the benefits and salary.”
“Starting effective today,” Smith added.
Hernandez said, “Let me restate my motion. I would like to make a motion to name Mr. Manuel Chavez as our city manager, effective tonight, pending the contract negotiations.”
The council then voted unanimously to approve Hernandez’s motion, and the mayor leaned over to Chavez and said, “Congratulations, Mr. Chavez,” and shook his hand.
“Well-earned and well-deserved,” Hernandez added.
Smith jokingly said Chavez has served as interim city manager “about a thousand times” in his 26-year tenure with the city.
Chavez, reached by phone after the meeting, had the following comment on his appointment, “First and foremost, I want to thank the city council for their confidence and their support of me as the interim city manager. That meant a lot. I obviously also want to thank them all for their continued support as the full-time city manager. I also want to especially thank my wife, Wendy Chavez, because without her support I would not have entertained this position.”
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
