Odessa mayor considers contract with consulting firm, potentially costing $338,000

CBS7
By Alexandra Macia
Published: Jan. 3, 2023 at 9:05 PM GMT-7

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - The Odessa City Council held a work session earlier this afternoon, one item discussed was amending the 2022-23 budget and appropriate funds for a $338,000 agreement with T2 Professional Consulting.

The firm would advise and consult Interim City Manager Agapito Bernal, provide training and serve as a liaison with vendors hired to complete tasks.

A contract in which District 2 Councilmember Steven Thompson says he and District 3 Councilmember Gilbert Vasquez were never consulted on.

“I think that contract has been signed and executed illegally committing the city to that $338,000 contract,” said Thompson.

Thompson says this is not the first time he was not consulted on an agenda item, recalling when Bernal was called to fill in for Ex-City Manager Michael Marrero after he was fired from his position Mid-December with no explanation.

After that meeting Attorney Gaven Norris filed a lawsuit against the city for not allowing public comment before the firings, saying it violated his statutory rights under the Texas government code.

Thompson says Mayor Javier Joven’s relationship with the consulting firm began the day after Marrero was suddenly fired.

“I know you’ve been in communication with him surely because it all happened too fast that he was on the premises the day after Mr. Marrero was fired and that contract was signed considering that the City of Odessa was obligated by this council against our authority,” said Thompson.

According to our partners at the Odessa American Linkedin shows, T2 was founded 15 months ago by Michael Wilson, a former Keller police chief.

A search of T2′s address comes back to a house in Fort Worth, according to the OA.

Thompson says they do have another offer on the table, which is being seemingly overlooked

“A company that’s contacted us has 40 years of experience has the credentials costs $20,000 we don’t need a $338,000 contract and its basically to train Mr. Bernal. He came out from billing and collections and he has no manager experience at all,” said Thompson.

Next week the budget amendment will be on the council agenda for approval.

Mayor Joven declined an interview, but during the session pointed the finger at city staff in the room.

“I think there was a discussion amongst staff that have been leaking this information working in cahoots with the media and has gotten all the facts wrong and created their own narrative including someone of the new people in this room have gone around creating narratives and false statements when they could have just picked up the phone and gave me a call,” said Mayor Joven.

This morning the Ector County District Court granted a temporary injunction suspending the city’s firing of City Manager Michael Marrero and City Attorney Natasha Brooks.

This means that the city will have to wait until the first court hearing which is scheduled for Jan 10th before taking any action on the positions Brooks and Marrero held.