By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com
Zeke Padilla
San Benito Chamber of Commerce President Zeke Padilla announced Monday that he is stepping down from the position he’s held for over 10 years.
According to Padilla, he and executive members of the chamber’s board of directors came to a mutual decision to part ways on July 6. The decision came, Padilla said, after discussing methods of maintaining the chamber’s finances during what he called economically troubling times.
“Recently, much talk has occurred about how to sustain the chamber financially,” Padilla said. “After extensive discussion, the board and I decided it’d be in the chamber’s best interest that I step down.”
Padilla did not, however, disclose how his departure will benefit the chamber.
Still, Padilla, who earned $44,000 annually as chamber president, stressed that he did not retire nor was he terminated from his post.
“I have not resigned, but I have accepted a lay-off in hopes that I can continue my plans of obtaining and completing my degree and that the board can move forward by continuing to provide services to the community,” Padilla said. “It has been a privilege but mainly an honor to have served the chamber and our community for these past 10 years.”
In the meantime, Padilla said that although the decision that led to his departure was made in the beginning of the month, he is still reporting to work, possibly until a replacement is hired.
“I continue to maintain a good relationship with the board; in fact, I’ve been volunteering my time here for the past two weeks and will continue to do so,” Padilla said, noting further that he’s not getting paid for the time he’s “volunteering” at the chamber office, located inside the City of San Benito Annex Building. “My last day has still yet to be determined.”
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