City manager names temporary replacements
In an email from Gonzalez to the Council, the City Manager stated Westin will sit in for him from December 18th to the 23rd and Crowe will be stepping in for the latter part of the day on the 23rd.
Westin is the City’s Economic Development Managing Director and Crowe is the Quality of Life Managing Director.
City Rep. Claudia Ordaz said the Council will probably have to approve the appointments on Monday during a special meeting.
The Council on Monday directed Gonzalez to appoint a temporary replacement while he’s on vacation next week. The move comes as the City also ordered an independent investigation into Gonzalez’s actions.
Gonzalez and City Rep. Larry Romero have been scrutinized because of the search for a new financial adviser. Gonzalez authorized the search after Romero suggested it in a public meeting but without a vote from council approving the process. Romero has been under the microscope after reports surfaced that he touted the work of financial advising firm Estrada Hinojosa to former City Manager Joyce Wilson without revealing he once worked for the owner of the company.
On Monday, the council requested Romero resign from the Financial Oversight and Audit Committee which he chairs and as alternate Mayor Pro Tempore, plus the Rio Grande Council of Governments. Romero left Monday’s meeting before council dicussed his posts in executive session.
Romero did not return phone calls inquiring if he’d resign from the positions. In a text message, he said he’d have an answer after the holidays.
Though other city representatives have said it may not be up to him. “You really don’t have an option because it’s an appointment by the Mayor so the Mayor can take you off or put you back on,” City Rep. Emma Acosta said on Monday.
Though he was not required to vote on the issue, Mayor Oscar Leeser seemed to agree with the council. “Having someone in there (in the financial oversight and audit committee) that the community has a lot of trust in is very important,” he said.
