By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
Manuel Lara
San Benito Mayor Joe H. Hernandez has called for a special meeting to evaluate City Manager Manuel Lara.
The meeting’s agenda denotes the commission will retire into executive session to discuss item #2, which states: “Executive Session: Under Texas Government Code Section 551.074 to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer.”
“I called it,” said Hernandez of the special meeting slated Tuesday, December 11, for the sole purpose of evaluating Lara. “I requested the evaluation sometime back, and for whatever reason, we had not evaluated the city manager. I think it’s time that we do an evaluation.”
Hernandez said Lara’s contract with the City of San Benito ended almost two years ago. The mayor said, “He is working without a contract.”
“At some point during the year we have to evaluate Mr. Lara’s duties,” said San Benito City Commissioner Joe D. Gonzalez, who further remarked that as far as he is concerned, this evaluation is not to reprimand the city manager nor is Lara’s job in jeopardy.
Gonzalez also said that the commission “may be revising the duties” of Lara’s position.
When asked if calling such a meeting was typical practice for a normal evaluation, Gonzalez explained that this he did not think it was uncommon. Lara said he had not had an evaluation since 2009.
“He’s in his fourth year of working for the city,” said Hernandez. “It’s very important that we evaluate the city manager and move forward.”
Hernandez said such evaluations “should be conducted often.” The mayor also noted, “We haven’t done an evaluation for some time. It’s very important that we know where we stand, or where he stands.”
Lara said on Friday the original contract consisted of a three-year agreement with room for a one-year extension if no objections arose. “That is how it’s written in the contract,” Lara said. “If (the mayor and commissioners) choose not to negotiate the contract, another year will incur. I’m finishing my fourth year and starting my fifth year.”
Regarding his thoughts on the upcoming evaluation, which he referred to as “standard practice,” Lara said he hoped to see priorities set for the next year.
A Mathis native, Lara said he’s grown fond of San Benito and feels there is much potential in the city. He said, “I don’t get involved in all the political (happenings), but in the interest of the people and moving forward, I try to continue improving the quality of life.” The city manager said he hopes to “continue making San Benito my home, to improve the image and reputation of the city.”
Read this story in the Dec. 9 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
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This “special meeting” called by the mayor seems kind of fishy-smelly to me. My gut feeling is the mayor wants to propose a raise for the city manager. My understanding is that Senor Lara was hired because of his ability to obtain financial grants for the city. Supposedly he obtained many grants for the city of Mathis. Also, supposedly he had all this political connections in Austin. However, I have seen diddily squat or nothing in regards to grants to the city. The only grants the city has received have not been because of Senor Lara but because of other individuals. Besides, I am still waiting for all the benefits from the China trip or vacation that the mayor and Senor Lara kept repeating the trip was supposed to bring the city.
You said it best MR.Rodriguez.
This guy is bad news….the previous Commission never did a background check. .He is a fraud, tyrant, and a preditor….Why do they refuse to release his application and degree? Look at Mathis where he comes from…pop.about 5 thousand, compare, no educated police Chief, no Fire Chief, three Assit City Managers, Morality has taken a nose dive….San Benito deserves a compitant person, but he was hired to cover up the corruption.
Nothing like another day with Fred Roger’s “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood”. Make our community a better place to live in if you just arrived or are newly elcected when you leave office look back and make sure you left the city a better place then when you arrived. Then you can look up and say ” I”ve done my best so others can live healthier and better lives” A city can not make it on it’s own it needs goodwelled honest people with forsight to take care of it and prepare it for the future. “Seriously” Stay focused and don’nt fall off the trolly espeally when it switches tracks.! .
Commissioner Joe D. Gonzalez is quoted as saying that the commission “may be revising the duties” of Lara’s position.
FYI to Mayor Joe Hernandez and the rest of the City Commission:
“the Powers and Duties of the City Manager are specifically detailed in the City Charter Article IV CITY MANAGER Section 4.04 Powers and Duties of the City Manager.”
Any changes/revisions to the duties of the City Manager shall be done by amending the City Charter and not thru City Commission action.
You said it best.
So why can’t this evaluation happen during their regular meeting? What is so urgent to do it now? Total lack of planning on the mayor’s part. Have any of these elected people even looked at his evaluation instrument? Only in San Benito!!