Martinez out as city manager

Jourdanton Mayor Robert Williams (right) reads the 3-1 motion in favor of City Manager Bobby Martinez’s termination effective immediately.
DANIEL ELIZONDO | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Pleasanton Express
By Pleasanton Express Staff 
August 23, 2023

Jourdanton city council makes a bold move and votes to oust City Manager Bobby Martinez in a 3-1 vote that ended the meeting after two hours and 20 minutes in executive session.

Martinez was hired in November 2022.

The meeting began with 13 Jourdanton citizens, most of which are longtime residents, expressing their disappointment in the city’s hiring of Martinez.

City councilmember Raul Morales made the motion to terminate the employment agreement with Martinez without cause effective immediately. The city will comply with its contractual obligations to Martinez.

Karen Pesek made the second motion and Patsy Tymrak-Daughtrey voted for termination as well. Norma Ortiz voted against it while Mayor Pro-Tem Chester Gonzales abstained from voting.

The city will be considering the process to select an interim/temporary city manager at an upcoming meeting. Various alternatives may be considered by the council.

The move to terminate Martinez also comes when three councilmembers are up for reelection in November. Tymrak- Daughtrey, Pesek and Ortiz have all filed for reelection. Also filing were Alvin Bailey, Pamela Manning and Katrina Wiatrek.

James and Betty Dornak speak to councilmembers during the public speaking portion of Jourdanton’s City Council meeting on Monday.
DANIEL ELIZONDO | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

The city continues to find solutions to street and road issues, audit and budget finalizations and COVID relief funds.

Martinez addressed the COVID relief funds and told council that there is $1,093,064.24 available in two accounts.

Martinez stated that in order to use these funds under government services, recipients should first determine revenue loss, they then may spend up to that amount on general government services.

According to Martinez, the audit has not started because the city continues to perform bank reconciliation.

“If you recall back in December, I suspended the bank reconciliation which is part of the audit with a specific intent to help with the underbilling (of water meters),” Martinez said. “And then when council made a decision to pursue the underbilling in the spring, I continued the suspension of the bank reconciliation which is necessary for the audit in the intent of respecting the council’s spirit and intent to pursue due diligence.”

According to Texas Government, the audit for 2022 should have been completed in 180 days or six months after the close of the fiscal year, which is Sept. 30.

“The city council and city staff will continue to work together on completing the city’s budget and tax rate process in accordance with state law,” said legal counsel Molly Solis.

City council will hold the special called meeting and budget workshop as scheduled on Wed., Aug. 23 at 6 p.m.