By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Former Del Rio City Councilwoman Elizabeth “Liz” Elizalde is eligible to seek another term on the city council.
Elizalde was first elected to the Del Rio City Council in 2012 and was re-elected to her second term in 2016, serving a total of eight years on the city’s governing body.
Elizalde, who is employed as the executive director of Val Verde Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Del Rio, filed her application for a place on the May 7 city council election ballot on Jan. 19. She is seeking election to the At-Large, Place C, seat on the council.
Questions about Elizalde’s eligibility to run began almost immediately after she filed her applications, but those questions are unfounded, city officials said last week.
City Manager John Sheedy issued a statement regarding the former councilwoman’s eligibility to seek election this year.
“The Charter is specific that an individual cannot serve more than two consecutive terms in the office of councilmember. The word consecutive is defined as following one after the other in order, successive,” Sheedy said in a statement emailed to the 830 Times.
“The Charter only prohibits serving more than two consecutive terms. There is no language in the Charter on prohibiting a councilperson from running again at all after serving two consecutive terms. Being out of office for two years means there is a break in service, and the prior terms served are not consecutive/successive if (the former council person) wins a new term this year for councilperson,” Sheedy added.
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