The city of El Paso's five-month search for a new city manager was narrowed down to four finalists, but the list is already being questioned because of a lack of transparency at City Hall.
While Mayor Oscar Lesser was taking a
victory lap over the "four exceptional finalists," city Rep. Josh Acevedo was challenging the transparency and timing of the release of the names of four current, top City Hall leaders for the city manager job.
The finalists were announced Friday, July 12. The four finalists, who are all currently working for the city, are:
- Robert Cortinas, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy City Manager for Internal Services
- Mario
D’Agostino, Deputy City Manager for Public Safety
- Nicole Ferrini, Community and Human Development Director
- Dionne Mack, Deputy City Manager for Quality of Life
“We are pleased to announce the selection by the City Council of four exceptional finalists for the City Manager position, each bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to El Paso,” Mayor Oscar Leeser said in a statement. “These four candidates have
risen above more than 80 qualified applicants from across the nation in a rigorous selection process."
Acevedo, the newest member of the City Council, immediately challenged the “transparency goals” related to the search for a new city manager.
He said news that four finalists would be announced was a “major surprise” to him.
“The effort to select the next City Manager is one of our largest goals as a major Texas city, yet we were largely kept in the dark on selecting finalists to interview,” Acevedo said. “I was only notified about the list of finalists through a draft press release I received hours before the press conference.”
Top (left to right)
Robert Cortinas and Mario D'Agostino; bottom (left to right) Nicole Ferrini and Dionne Mack
Acevedo claimed the selection of the finalists during a "lame duck period" when six of nine City Council seats are up for election in November violates the City Charter. The "lame duck period" begins on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, and runs through the first week of January when the new Council will be sworn in, Acevedo said.
The nationwide search for a new city manager began in March. The search was led by Baker Tilly, a national recruitment firm. The firm conducted "an extensive search that resulted in an impressive candidate pool of more than 80 applications," officials said.
The search process included two community meetings, a bilingual online community survey, and feedback sessions with the mayor, city council representatives, and key stakeholders, officials said.
There were 14 semifinalists who were selected "based on the community’s criteria, and each council
member submitted their top four candidates and one alternate. Based on the Mayor and Council’s independent responses, the top four candidates (in no order) were identified as finalists," officials said.
The four candidates will now participate in an interview process on Aug. 7 and 8. The process includes multiple interview panels and a public reception, officials said.
The
interview process will include:
Mayor and City Council interviewing the candidates
Citizen Advisory Committee Panel focusing on public perception, transparency, and the candidate’s vision for community improvement.
Community Leaders/Stakeholders Panel focusing on community engagement, responsiveness to public needs,
and the ability to build strong community relationships.
Current interim City Manager Cary Westin did not apply to retain the position. Westin was named
interim city manager after the City Council decided to terminate the contract of former City Manager Tommy Gonzalez in February 2023.
City Rep. Josh Acevedo: El Paso 'deserves better'
Acevedo called the selection process "egregious" and called into question transparency in the search process.
The timing of the search, given the pending political turnover on the council, is troublesome, he said.
“This fact alone may have influenced candidates not to apply for the position because the potential for a new City Council may not bring continuity to their job security,” Acevedo said. "From the very start, I’ve had concerns with Baker Tilly. That’s why I voted against awarding them the contract.”
He said he worries that El Pasoans will lose trust in the search process.
“I certainly did not expect this egregious process to come from this search firm, which highlights my point that even search firms require diligence in their selection, so that these processes are transparent," Acevedo said. "As local representatives, we were given little to no information in this critical step of the search process about making this important decision that will have long-term implications for the future of our city.
“This lack of transparency with this search firm and process will ultimately lead to residents losing trust in the City of El Paso. The way this has been handled is unacceptable and inadequate for the community. The taxpayers of El Paso and constituents deserve better.”
City officials will host a community meet-and-greet with all four candidates from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, at the El Paso convention
center.
