For some at last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, impending gloom was a palpable pall over Council chambers as the Mayor and the full Council exited for executive session to determine City manager Horacio De Leon Jr.’s future in City employment.
De Leon, a 26-year City employee, was named City Manager on August 7, 2017.
He may have been more prepared for the outcome of that executive session than the retinue of City employees and the citizen audience in attendance. While waiting to be called in to the meeting, De Leon chatted with City staff and others who have enjoyed De Leon’s accessibility.
When Council members returned to the public meeting, Mayor Pete Saenz Jr. announced that no action had been taken in executive session and then called on De Leon, who announced his retirement and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have served as City manager. He also thanked City staff for helping him do his job.
De Leon listened to each Council member’s version of thanks, which ranged from terse 10-words-or-less “don’t let the door hit you on the way out” (District IV’s Albert Torres and District VIII’s Roberto Balli) to the more genuine comments of District V’s Nelly Vielma and newly elected District III’s Mercurio Martinez III.
Vielma thanked De Leon for his leadership, for being a mentor, and for the transparency he brought to the position.
Mercurio Martinez told De Leon, “I was looking forward to working with you.” He thanked De Leon for opening his doors to orient him during and after the November general election and the December runoff.
De Leon’s leave taking from City government was gracious and more dignified than that of his predecessor Jesus (Chuy) Olivares who exited Council chambers quickly and with a flush of anger.
De Leon left Council chambers to a standing ovation and a swell of well-wishers reaching for a handshake.
He will take with him $586,620, two years salary; accrued leave; and insurance for life.
In a subsequent interview, De Leon said, “I have nothing but positive things to say about the 26 years I have served the City. I came in as a code enforcement officer after graduating from college and came through the system to become City manager. The opportunity to serve as City manager for the last year and a half has been a great one and a challenge I have enjoyed.”
He noted he had worked under five former City managers and four mayors. “I am grateful to have served the citizens of Laredo with integrity and transparency. I wish the City Council the best of luck in their national search for a candidate that is a good fit. This will be challenging in an economy that is strong,” he said.
Vielma said that the national search for good candidates for City manager “has to be a legitimate one.” She said the search might not be an easy proposition “while the cloud of the FBI investigation continues to hang over City Hall.”
In addition to the position of City manager, the City seeks to fill the positions of planner, economic development director, city engineer, and traffic engineer.
Deputy City Manager Cindy Collazo, who has imminent plans to retire after more than four decades with the City, is momentarily at the helm of City business and will remain on board until January 31. City Council will convene February 1 to appoint an interim City Manager.
Monica Flores, executive director of personnel/risk and civil services, said that the directive to begin the national search for city manager candidates comes from the City Council, and she anticipates that will happen at the February 1 meeting. She noted that the search for a city planner and the director of the Economic Development Department has been underway.
Horacio De Leon Jr. had his detractors in and out of City government — some attributable to his October 2017 re-organization of City government under five executive directors, a cost-saving measure that discomfited dead wood in the City ranks — but he also established good working relationships along the way.
“It was a pleasure working with Mr. De Leon in sharing his vision to progress Laredo by recognizing the value of cooperation between entities, both private and public. I also valued him bringing transparency to City Hall and taking the initiative to invite the private sector’s input on issues of the day,” said CPA Ruben Soto Jr., chairman of the Webb County-City of Laredo Regional Mobility Authority.
We worked with Horacio De Leon on the implementation of the Viva Laredo Comprehensive Plan. He was a strong advocate who saw its many possibilities. I wish him the best in his next endeavor,” said architect Frank Rotnofsky.
Tricia Cortez, executive director of the non-profit Río Grande International Study Center, recalled the positives of working with De Leon over the last decade. “He brought a calm, level-headed approach to our discussions. What I remember most is his open door policy and how responsive he was to our questions and requests.”
She continued, “He was sincere and listened closely, and he brought great depth to the position of City manager. More importantly, he understood the value of our work with the river, the environment, and green spaces, and he sought ways to bring us to the table as a key stakeholder on these critical issues.”
Cyclist Arturo Dominguez, president of a Brokerage Firm, LLC and a licensed U.S. Customs broker, recalled De Leon’s accessibility. “He heard us out when we came to him with concerns for the safety of commuters who cycled to work. He was far more approachable than his predecessor. He listened. He made things work and got them done. There was always dialogue, that was a given.”
Dominguez said that De Leon was “all in” when approached for the local Autisim ride. “And when we asked for help for the high school cycling team that was traveling out of town for competitions, he worked with us. The request went before Council, and they helped us. Because this was about our own children, our greatest assets, we were very appreciative of Mr. De Leon’s willingness to work with us.”
A couple of days after the dust has settled a bit over the sudden surprise of De Leon’s departure, City government continues to reverberate with incertidumbre — all that is unknown about who will direct City business, and how.
Council member Vielma spoke with precise caution to a point that had likely gone unsaid in executive session with and without De Leon in the room: “In the future and in our relationship with the new City manager that we hire, we Council members need to remember that we are only policy makers. We cannot be micro-managers.”
Excellent editorial Meg. You are right. The audience did not see it coming, and yes, we, the members of this community, appreciated his accessibility and “Open Door Policy”. This is the only way to truly serve this community. You have to be accessible and listen to the needs of the people, to get the pulse of the community. He was doing his job, probably better than most. I hope that in our search for a new City Manager, we do not revert to the old ways of the patrones.