By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
RIO HONDO, TX—The City of Rio Hondo is conducting municipal business without a full-time city administrator for the first time in more than a decade
That’s because Ben Medina, Jr., resigned on Aug. 11 after serving as city administrator, according to a City of Rio Hondo press release issued two days later.
The press release read: “Mr. Medina has served the City of Rio Hondo for many years as city administrator. The city thanks him for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavors.”
The San Benito News reached out to Medina, but he did not respond to questions about his departure.
In his final weeks as city administrator, Medina had communicated with elected leaders on finances, public safety, the library, a senior center, parks, and utilities.
These were items discussed at Rio Hondo City Commission meetings.
The partnerships Medina developed with outside agencies kept him busy and made him the face of Rio Hondo.
He had business dealings with the Rio Hondo Independent School District, the City of Harlingen, Cameron County, and other entities, including development councils and local police, through memoranda of understanding, mutual aid agreements, or as co-applicants.
In fact, according to the same City of Rio Hondo press release, Chief of Police Julian Longoria will serve as interim. He was hired as chief last year.
“To ensure continuity of city operations, the City Commission has appointed Chief Longoria as interim city administrator, effective Aug. 11,” the press release stated. “Chief Longoria will serve in this capacity while the city evaluates next steps regarding the city administrator position.”
The San Benito News asked whether the decision was unanimous, but no response was received.
COMMISSION RELATIONS SOUR?
Earlier this spring, the relationship between Medina and some of the elected leaders seemed to weaken, as documented in the meeting minutes, which are available to the public.
During an April 14 regular meeting, discussion of budgeted city expenditures was questioned by Commissioner Esteban Bocanegra, who had requested that the item be added to the agenda.
Mayor Pro Tem Juan Garza also requested discussion of the item. The dialogue between the three men and other city staff members during and outside the meeting centered on how the city was billed by contractors, and how staff is budgeting for things such as training and the city’s maintenance needs.
Discussion also turned to $24,000 in repairs for the fire department, which Commissioner Bocanegra didn’t feel were being fully used.
Commissioner Bocanegra said he also needed current and historical details about such activities before the upcoming budget process.
Medina said that when preparing the commissioners for the upcoming budget, he always provided them with the previous three years’ data.
When prompted, Medina told Bocanegra he had been city administrator for 14 years.
Some commissioners and Medina weren’t in agreement about whether an elected leader could go directly to an employee and/or a department head to seek answers.
Medina told Bocanegra to come to him with any questions or concerns.
Mayor Gustavo Olivares didn’t agree, and said that if a department head is available, an elected leader could bypass an administrator.
The mayor said at the time he wanted a report by department and that Medina needed to make sure the city’s directors understood the budgets.
According to the meeting minutes, Bocanegra said he didn’t want to hear about any employee being terminated for speaking with him, as that could be seen as retaliation.
Later in the meeting, Medina answered Bocanegra when also prompted about his annual pay — $97,000.
By this time, Medina felt uncomfortable and, according to the minutes, “asked why his salary was being questioned and felt he was being discriminated against because of his age.”
This matter came up during a discussion of general city personnel matters, including job descriptions, duties and responsibilities, organizational and staff considerations, and compensation (salary/hourly pay).
Medina told commissioners that no city employees receive a stipend because, in Rio Hondo, it would be illegal.
Bocanegra asked whether Rio Hondo was competitive with other cities in terms of salaries, and Medina said yes.
However, he added that in small cities, all employees wear different hats, and the City of Rio Hondo couldn’t afford to hire more personnel unless growth and a tax increase occur.
Medina said his workload was full and, as a result of a city project he was working on, he was requesting that commissioners approve canceling a regular April meeting and instead hold a special meeting the following month.
Commissioner Jose Cavazos said no to the request. Instead, Medina was ordered to have a Senior Center and Library report at the May meeting.
On May 2, among those who were elected to unchallenged seats were Mayor Olivares and Place 2 Commissioner Bocanegra; Place 4 Commissioner Esequiel Rios defeated incumbent Olga Gallegos.
The San Benito News reached out to Chief Longoria via email and phone, but he did not respond by press time.