With the Brownsville Fire Department in turmoil over the on-again, off-again departure of chief Carlos Elizondo and the city administration's apparent inability to come to terms with its own city charter and demand he either resign his seat on the board of Brownsville Independent School District or give up his job, people are wondering who is running this city.
The city's personnel policy manual clearly states that he cannot serve on both. Yet, city manager Charlie Cabler and a majority of the city commission have allowed that sore to fester and suppurate by their inaction.
The city's personnel policy manual's Section 702: Political Activity states that:
"B. Specifically, City Employees may not engage in the following activities:
4. Hold an elective City office or hold an elective or appointive office in any other jurisdiction where service would constitute a direct conflict of interest with City employment, with or without remuneration. Upon assuming such office, an Employee shall resign or shall be dismissed for cause upon failure to do so."
Yesterday both the city and the BISD had their monthly meeting. And where was Elizondo? Was he at his employer's meeting as is required of department heads?
No. He was at the BISD board meeting casting his vote on any number of issues that affect both the city and the district. Does the term "conflict of interest" ring a bell?
In other words, he was thumbing his nose at the city commission and the city manager and telling them he will do as he pleases, city rules notwithstanding.
As it is, he is under investigation by the Cameron County Attorney's Office on a complaint of Theft by a Public Official of the Brownsville Firefighters Association #970 Political Action Committee to the tune of $8,000 or more.
Before that, he was named in a lawsuit by another firefighter for cheating on a civil service exam for captain and adding two more points to his 69 score that placed him over the other firefighter.
Someone accused of stealing and cheating cannot be the poster child for this city's administration. Or can he?
In any other city, a city manager would have stepped in and corrected the situation. But no one has stepped forward to do the right thing. Complaints against other administrators under Cabler abound. Yet, he lets the sores fester rather than acting to stanch the pus.
Since the Tony Martinez administration has failed to deliver on the code of ethics he promised since he first took office six years ago, perhaps we should have the city manager recommend to the city commission to just rescind the personnel policy manual and be done with the charade that the city operates under any kind of rules.
The latest is that before the day is up today (Wednesday, Sept. 6) Elizondo and his gopher deputy chief Ernesto Estrada will get their disciplinary letters demoting them to their previous positions and ordering Elizondo to decide between the BISD board and his fire department job.
It has been reported that Cabler has had the letters but has hesitated to pull the trigger for two days now.
Perhaps, as a growing number of people are saying, we are firing the wrong guy.