Mayor Randy Garza will take on supervisory duties

The Kenedy City council voted once more on July 27 to amend an ordinance that will transfer job duties from the city secretary-administrator to the mayor, but this time they said how the ordinance would change before taking the vote.

In their July 20 meeting, the council voted to change the ordinance "as discussed in executive session" without publicly stating how the ordinance would change.

Garza said that the changes in the ordinance would allow him to assume some of the duties and responsibilities previously carried out by Secretary-Administrator Loretta Thiele. He said those duties would include acting as supervisor over city department heads and employees, working directly with Veolia Water overseeing the management of the city’s water and wastewater systems, supervising the city facility manager and personnel in the parks department as well as management of city contracts.

Thiele said she resigned when she learned that the proposed change in the ordinance would mean the mayor would take over some of her administrative job duties.

In her letter of resignation, Thiele said that when her position was redefined in 2003 to include the administrative duties, "…if things were not going well according to the council, that I would be able to resume my duties of the city secretary."

"According to the item that was placed on the agenda… whereby the supervisory of all departments would not be the administrator but the mayor and the mayor-pro-tem, I now feel that some council are not pleased with the job being done," the letter stated.

"I want only for the citizens to be proud of this city," the letter continued, "and the work that is being done to make it a better place to live."

Mayor Randy Garza told the council that a pay adjustment for the city secretary-administrator was necessary because her job responsibilities were being downgraded.

Councilman Bob Patton, who was not at the July 20 meeting, asked for more information on the pay adjustment.

After some discussion, Patton said he felt the pay issue and reassignment should be acted on separately from the change in the city ordinance.

Patton also voiced his opposition to the changes in city leadership.

"I really have a problem with this," Patton said. "I really feel that this city needs a city manager. One that is trained as a city manager. One that has experience as a city manager."

"We’re in this situation we’re in because of the ‘good ole boy’ hay-days back in the 60s and 70s. Really, we need to hire a qualified – one with experience – city manager."

Councilman Ken Reiley agreed with Patton regarding the city’s need for a trained professional acting on behalf of the city as manager or administrator.

"At the very best, I see this as temporary – not a permanent situation," Reiley said.

The mayor said that Loretta Thiele, in the position of city secretary will continue to run the city business on a day-to-day basis.

After some questions from Patton, Garza noted that the revised ordinance would require the consent of the city council for the appointment and removal of city employees.

Reiley made the motion to revise the ordinance so that it would state that the mayor would appoint and remove all city employees with the consent of the council and that the mayor would exercise supervision and control over all city departments.

Councilman Felipe Leal seconded the motion and it passed 4-1 with Joseph Castillo, Felipe Leal, Ken Reiley and Randy Garza voting in favor while Councilman Bob Patton voted against the motion.

In other business under public comments, Israel Hernandez, project manager with Veolia Water announced to the council that he would be leaving his position in the near future. Hernandez said he was leaving for medical reasons.

"We’ll make this transition as smooth as possible," Hernandez said.

The council voted in favor of a resolution authorizing the application for a Texas Community Development Block Grant for $250,000 in water line improvements. The city will contribute $37,500 in matching funds toward the project that would replace about 3,500 feet of water pipeline along St. Mary’s Street between Nueces Street and State Highway 72.

The council talked with representatives from El Oso Water Supply about the possibility of the city purchasing water at a rate of $4.50 per thousand gallons for use in its water system. Councilman Ken Reiley said he felt a workshop should be scheduled in the near future for further discussion.