San Juan city manager resigns

SAN JUAN — San Juan city commissioners accepted the resignation of City Manager Tony Garza on Tuesday night.

City officials emerged from a nearly half-hour executive session Tuesday to unanimously approve a recommendation from special attorney Gustavo Acevedo for “an agreement in principle” with Garza for him to step down from his city manager post.

“Legally, he is submitting a letter of resignation,” Acevedo said.

Garza and city officials declined to give a reason for the resignation, saying it was a legal issue.

The city hired Acevedo — the PSJA school district’s attorney — to investigate “whether good cause existed for proposing the termination” of Garza, Acevedo said.

“During the course of the proceedings, I was able to meet with Mr. Garza and his attorney and we were able to reach an amicable resolution of this matter,” Acevedo said. “What could have been expensive litigation was avoided.”

Garza, the former San Juan police chief, was hired in June 2008, two weeks after Mayor Pedro Contreras beat former mayor San Juanita Sanchez in a run-off election.

Contreras and his slate of candidates were able to claim a majority on the city commission following the election and made sweeping changes to city personnel.

The city had renewed Garza’s contract for another year on Sept. 22, Garza said.

He said he reached a settlement with the city on the money owed to him for the remaining balance of the contract, including benefits and vacation time that had accumulated, but he would not disclose the amount. His pension and health benefits, though, were “severed at the time of separation,” he said.

Garza said he still supports Contreras and the city commissioners, but that they had “different philosophies” on which direction the city should take to reach their common goals.

“I want to stay positive. I don’t want to say there was pressure,” Garza said. “Right now, the best thing for the city (and I) was mutual separation.”

Garza said that while stepping down from city manager was an “agreed separation” with the city, he did not know until this week his departure was being discussed.

Contreras referred all questions to Acevedo and City Attorney Jerry Muñoz.

“It’s personal. Obviously, it’s this person’s career,” Contreras said. “The situation obviously needs to be dealt with very carefully.”

Following the approval of Garza’s resignation, the city commission moved to elevate San Juan Fire Chief Tirso Garza to city manager on an interim basis.

Tony Garza said he will not be returning to the police force or to work for the city in any capacity.

“Separation is separation,” he said

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Nick Pipitone covers McAllen, PSJA, the Mid-Valley and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.