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City Secretary and Interim City Manager Steps Down, Police Chief Steps In
- Updated: September 30, 2016
by Martha E. Ibarra/LFN
Interim City Manager, Esmeralda Sanchez, submitted her letter of resignation to the city commission on Wednesday, September 14.
Sanchez had taken on the duties of city manager back in July after the termination of longtime city manager, Sunny K. Philip.
When asked for a statement, Sanchez said, “I have genuinely enjoyed working for the City of La Feria. However the overall changing atmosphere no longer aligns with my professional goals and I have chosen to follow a different path. I wish the community a prosperous future.”
A special city commission meeting was held on Monday, September 19, to formally accept the resignation of Ms. Sanchez and appoint someone in her place.
After following the typical protocol of a city meeting (invocation, pledge of allegiance and determination of quorum), Mayor Maldonado called the meeting to order.
The commission first considered the appropriate action to accept the resignation of Ms. Sanchez. Commissioner Eric Hoff made a motion to accept Sanchez’s resignation and was seconded by Commissioner Esmeralda Lozano.
La Feria Police Chief Cesar R. Diaz was appointed as Interim City Manager during a special meeting of the La Feria City Commission on Tuesday night, September 20th. City Secretary and Interim City Manager Esmeralda Sanchez submitted her letter of resignation on Wednesday, September 14th. Chief Diaz was appointed as La Feria Police Chief in July of this year by then City Manager Sunny K. Philip. Photo: Martha E. Ibarra/LFN
Next, the commission had to consider and take appropriate action to appoint an interim city manager. Commissioner Hoff made the motion to appoint police chief Cesar R. Diaz as the interim city manager, “Mayor, with great support, I’d like to make a motion to appoint Chief Cesar Diaz as our interim city manager.” The motion passed unanimously.
In July, Diaz was appointed chief of police for the city of La Feria by then city manager Sunny K. Philip. When asked about the new duties Diaz is taking on, he said, “I’m committed to keep the city going… There are a lot of projects going on and I’ve got to make sure that things are getting done.”
The commission then went into closed executive session for fifteen minutes to receive legal advice regarding the rights and duties of the commission in connection with the hiring process for a city manager and to consider the applicants for the position.
After deliberation, the commission emerged and Commissioner Lozano then made the motion for a temporary increase in salary to $80,000 annually for Chief Diaz. The commission fully supported the motion. The meeting was then adjourned.
The next regular city meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 27, in the city commission meeting room located at 115 E. Commercial Avenue in La Feria. The public is encouraged to attend.
