Edinburg appoints new full-time city attorney

EDINBURG — The city here officially appointed a new face as its full-time attorney.

During a City Council meeting on May 21, council members officially tapped Ben Alonzo as Edinburg’s full-time City Attorney.

According to a release by the city, Alonzo has dedicated years of service to the public, has legal expertise experience, and is also a native of the four-time “All-American City.”

Alonzo started his legal career as an assistant district attorney for the county’s District Attorney’s Office. In which he represented the state in respective criminal proceedings. After his time there, he served as an assistant city attorney for McAllen.

The Edinburg High school graduate then joined Edinburg as Deputy City attorney.

Him serving as the deputy city attorney then led to his appointment as interim city attorney.

Edinburg Mayor Omar Ochoa said that Alonzo is the right person for the job for a city that continues to grow on the daily.

“Ben has demonstrated exceptional professionalism, integrity, and dedication to the City of Edinburg throughout his service,” Ochoa said in a release. “His deep understanding of municipal law, combined with his commitment to our community, makes him the right leader to serve as our City Attorney. We are proud to officially welcome him into this role.”

In this role, Alonzo will serve as principal legal advisor to the council, city manager, municipal departments and more.

Alonzo’s education includes him getting his Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Texas at Austin. After that, he earned his Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University.

He said that he was “grateful” for the opportunity after being appointed as the full-time city attorney.

“It is an incredible honor to serve the community that helped shape who I am,” Alonzo said in a release. “I am grateful to the Mayor and City Council for their confidence and support, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside City leadership and staff to serve the residents of Edinburg with integrity, professionalism, and dedication.”