By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Members of the Del Rio City Council on June 27 said goodbye to Mayor Bruno “Ralphy” Lozano.
Mayor Pro-Tem Jim DeReus led the council as each member said his or her farewell during a special meeting at which Lozano and District I Councilman Alfredo “Fred” Carranza Jr. relinquished their seats to newly-elected members.
Councilwoman Alexandra Falcon Calderon began by saying the pandemic had cut into the current council’s time together.
Calderon said although she and the mayor sometimes butted heads, “I do wish you very well for whatever comes your way. And thank you for the four years.”
During his earlier remarks to council, Carranza said he, Lozano, DeReus and former Councilman Raul C. Ojeda had come on the council together.
“We came in with a bunch of ideas and yeah, yeah, we’re going to get things done, move forward and change the city. Well, we all know it’s not quite that easy, because we all have different opinions on things, so for me, things moved very slow, government moves very slow, but you just keep pushing forward,” Carranza said.
“We did great. We brought you in like a family member . . . You got to know all of my children. We pushed hard, didn’t always agree, but that didn’t matter . . . It doesn’t matter. We moved forward. You can’t hold hard feelings when you sit up here in this chair. Thank you, and I hope I served you well, and I appreciate our friendship also,” Carranza added.
He finished by saying, “Thank you for who you are and standing tall for the city of Del Rio.”
Councilman J.P. Sanchez said, “Mayor Lozano, I thought you were awesome, I really did. It was a little slow getting started in your tenure, but you really took off. You took off, and when I came in, two years later, you were rocking and rolling, and there was no stopping you.
“And you had a passion for the city. You loved the city, and I saw that in you, and I thought that was great. I’d sit there and I’d be watching, and I was just amazed at the way you ran the council. It was great. I thought it was awesome. . . The passion that you have for this position, nobody can come close to what you have. So I want to thank you, and I’ve enjoyed the year-and-a-half that I’ve been here. I hope I will make you proud with the rest of my tenure here,” Sanchez said.
Councilman Steven Webb began by saying he’d hadn’t known Lozano before being elected to the council.
“I had no idea who you were, but over the last year-and-a-half, I think we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well. You’re one of the brightest people I know. You’re one of the most compassionate people I know when it comes to this city. Del Rio was nothing out there in the world, until you stepped forward and made Del Rio known everywhere.
“And one of the things I like best about Bruno is the fact that he is who he is, and you learn to love who he is based on his attitude, his compassion, his love for people and this city. Everything he’s done has been about Del Rio. It’s not about him. It’s about Del Rio, and I’m very fortunate because I’ve met his mother through him, and it turns out my wife went to school with her,” Webb said.
“I just love you for who you are, man. You’ve brought joy to me. I think you’re one of the greatest people I know, and it’s been a privilege to get to know you, and we will continue to keep that friendship growing,” Webb added.
Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez said, “We worked together for just a couple of meetings, but of course I know your family, and it’s a fine family, your father, your mom and everybody else; your aunts, I know them, we’re neighbors.
“Like I was telling you earlier, I’m very proud to be part of this council here. As you all know, this is my second time around. I served eight years the first time, and I served under three mayors, and you’re number four,” Martinez said.
“Thank you, and God bless you and be with you in whatever endeavors you decide to take,” she added.
DeReus said he met Lozano while campaigning for the council seat.
“The thing that I appreciate the most about the past four years working with you here is the passion. And just like I said to Fred (Carranza), we didn’t always agree, but it was never because you didn’t care. You put your heart and soul into so much, and I just want to say thank you. I really appreciate it,” DeReus said.
City Manager John Sheedy said, “I also want to thank the mayor. I remember when I was on council at the end of my term, you hovering around that window (dividing the council chambers from the hallway), and I remember talking to him, and he was all excited, ‘I’m going to run for mayor. I’m going to be the next mayor,’ and I was like, ‘Sure you are,’ but that commitment from the first day he wanted to be mayor, and he was convinced he was going to be mayor.
“We saw it then, and he’s never stopped since then. I thank you for your support. I do think it’s worth acknowledging as a couple of council members have mentioned, this council, they were hobbled with COVID, with the winter storm, with the migrant crisis, and for those folks who don’t understand how much time and attention that took, what a distraction that was, all I can tell you is that it was huge, because everything stopped, the projects that the council had, the projects that the administration is working on, everything just stops, and it’s very hard to pick these things back up, so this council was really under some hardships, but they still did some phenomenal work,” Sheedy said.
Sheedy also thanked the mayor for putting his career on hold while he led the city.
“I’m so excited that you’re now able to get back out there and focus on your career, and I absolutely wish you the greatest. I think we all know great things are in store for you. Thank you for helping us here,” Sheedy added.
City Secretary Mari Acosta also added her thanks and praise.
“I think you’ve done a phenomenal job. I hope other young individuals out there in Del Rio will step up to the plate as well. It’s inspiring to see a young individual take on such a big responsibility, and you did a great job,” Acosta said.
Lozano thanked everyone for being present, and congratulated incoming mayor, Al Arreola, and the new council
member, Jesus Lopez Jr.
Lozano said he will continue to be involved and encouraged the council to call on him if they needed to.
“I will continue to be a voice and an advocate for the community,” Lozano said.
Lozano also thanked Val Verde County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. for being present at the meeting and thanked the judge for his help over the past four years.
He thanked the youth of the community for voting for him and putting him into office.
Lozano thanked Arreola for employing him while his airline “went through turbulent times.”
Lozano grew emotional when he thanked his mother and his late father.
“I want to thank you for your support and your unconditional love,” Lozano said, adding he also wanted to thank his tias, his aunts, for supporting him and his mother.
He also thanked his late father “for my unapologetic personality,” and he also thanked his two brothers and sister, as well as his cousins.
Lozano said he spent the day driving around the city, thanking city employees.
“Without you, and all of the things you do behind the scenes, there would be no city of Del Rio and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Lozano said.
Lozano also thanked Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for his response to the migrant crisis and President Joe Biden for inviting him to the White House for a recent reception.
“Lastly, I want to thank the community of Del Rio, for your support, for getting me through the last four years. Those words of encouragement you’ve given me, at Walmart, at H-E-B, that’s what got me through it all. I will never stop being myself. I was always me true authentic self before. I never hid who I was, and I never will, and I really want to thank you for embracing this mayor, who wanted to carry the community and make sure you had a voice, no matter how small we are, we’re known, just not in the region and the state, but we’re known nationally and internationally. Del Rio is a gem,” Lozano said.
After the mayor finished speaking, the council and audience members gave him a standing ovation.
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Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
