Longtime city manager, EDC director, voted out of a job
SAN JUAN — There are rumblings inside San Juan City Hall, thanks to a split commission and a longtime city manager just voted out of a job, who also serves as the city’s EDC director, but compared to some of the past city battles, this one stayed relatively low key.
Perhaps the most entertaining meetings, at least in modern times, were those that took place in 2012 and up through May of 2015, which placed City Commissioner Armando Garza on one side of the city aisle, and the mayor, “Janie,” Sanchez on the other.
As a throwback in time, consider this excerpt from a news story published in The Advance May 7, 2014:
“The main fraction (battling Sanchez) is comprised of three men: Mayor Pro Tem Luis Ramos, City Commissioner Bob Garza and City Commissioner Armando Garza.
In this election, which ends Saturday, Sanchez is pitted against Ramos for mayor. Her slate mate Mario Garza is trying to unseat incumbent Commissioner Bob Garza for place 2. And Fred Rodriguez is trying to beat out Jesus “Jesse” Ramirez for place 3.
Slate to slate, it’s Sanchez, (Mario) Garza and Rodriguez vs. Ramos, (Bob) Garza and Ramirez.
Approximately 17 months later, the city hired Ben Arjona as its new city manager.
From a 9/16/15 Advance News story:
During a special meeting this Tuesday, San Juan is expected to approve the terms of the new contract it has offered its new city manager candidate, Benjamin Arjona.
By unanimous vote, 4-0 (Shay Cantu was out of town), the commission chose him over Oscar Cuellar Jr., former Pharr EDC director and Penitas city manager, during last week’s regular meeting.
“The commission is looking forward to having him (Ben Arjona) come on board,” said Mayor San Juanita “Janie” Sanchez. “
There was a special meeting scheduled for this Tuesday to give the commission time to approve the final draft of Arjona’s one-year contract.
If approved, his starting salary will be $95,000 and will include a six-month probationary period.
“I think Mr. Arjona has a lot of potential,” Sanchez said. “And I think he has the ability to take the city in the direction it needs to go.”
Last Week’s Vote
During a special called meeting last October (2024), Arjona almost lost his job, but the two elected officials who wanted Arjona gone, convinced they had enough ammo stacked against him to justify his removal, couldn’t get the other commissioner, “Markie” Villegas, to join their two votes, so Arjona stayed at his job, with the 3-2 vote landing in his favor.
Then came last week, and the third deciding vote made last October, Commissioner Villegas, flipped and voted this time with the mayor, Mario Garza, and Commissioner “Jesse” Ramirez to oust Arjona.
Asked why they voted to terminate Arjona’s employment with the city, both the mayor and Villegas said last week’s vote has to do with an HR matter, personnel, so they can’t discuss it. Also, Villegas said he wasn’t at liberty to explain what changed since making his vote last October to retain Arjona’s services with the city.
But you can tell they want to talk.
For his part, “Neto” Guajardo, who is running for mayor this May against Mario Garza, said, “Only thing I can say is at least give him a chance to defend himself.”
This week, the city is supposed to send Arjona a letter laying out for him the reasons why the city had cause to terminate his employment.
Among his supporters, there is talk of a lawsuit against the city, filed by Arjona, who still remained with the city as its EDC director this week.
A special SJ EDC meeting had been called this Tuesday to terminate Arjona’s employment there as well, but due to weather concerns, the meeting was cancelled.
Another employee with the EDC has reportedly already left her job of her own volition.
Speaking briefly with Ben Arjona by phone last week, he told The Advance that he didn’t think his termination was fair or warranted and is in the process now of sorting out everything before he decides how to proceed.
In the meantime, longtime San Juan Fire Chief Tirso Garza will serve as interim SJ city manager while a search committee gets busy looking for someone to replace Ben Arjona, who also currently serves as a board trustee with Hidalgo ISD.
Next May, the two slates facing each other in the mayoral/two commissioners race include: Mario Garza for mayor, along with candidates for the city commission — Mario Cantu and Gilbert Garza. “Neto” Guajardo for mayor, along with Marta Soliz-Santa Maria and “Dina” Santillan for the city commission seats, places 2 and 3.