Contender for El Paso interim city manager role named; City Council vote expected Tuesday

Cary Westin
(Credit: City of El Paso)

KFOX 14
by Fallon Fischer
Thu, March 9th 2023, 4:58 PM CST

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser is looking to appoint city employee and retired Army Col. Cary Westin as interim city manager when City Manager Tommy Gonzalez leaves.

Leeser placed an item on Tuesday's City Council meeting agenda to discuss and take action on Col. Westin's appointment.

Col. Westin currently works for the city part-time as a senior operations officer.

He previously served as senior deputy city manager for the city before he retired in 2022.

According to the agenda item, Col. Westin will become full-time and assist Gonzalez up until his last day on June 29.

Col. Westin will assume the interim city manager role on June 30.

Col. Westin previously served 25 years on active duty in the Army.

He earned a Master of Strategic Studies at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 2006. He also holds a BA (English) from the Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Gonzalez's employment contract was terminated without good cause after a tie-breaking vote on Feb. 28.

He was handed a 120-day termination notice that same day.

City Council will also go over another agenda item that seeks to create a defined process with formal input from members of the City Council and the mayor for the selection of both an interim city manager and a permanent city manager.

Count on us to let you know what happens at Tuesday's meeting.