El Paso Approves Override of Mayor’s Veto and Renewal of City Manager’s Contract

EL PASO, TX – The El Paso City Council approved overriding Mayor Oscar Leeser’s veto and authorized extending City Manager Tommy Gonzalez’s contract for five years, through 2029.

“I am humbled by the City Council’s confidence in the leadership team we have developed within our organization. I remain committed to the City of El Paso, our organization and our staff. We have much more to do and we have the team to execute on the priorities for our community,” Gonzalez said.

The City Council highlighted that under Gonzalez’s leadership, El Paso has achieved $227 million in cost savings, in addition to strengthening the city’s financial stability by eliminating a $7.8 million deficit in the General Fund in 2014.

In addition, it was highlighted that the managed has managed to make up a $27 million operating deficit in the mass transit department; and eliminated a $1 million annual shortfall in the City’s golf course and tripled the fund balance by increasing it by more than $73 million.

Also distinguished was the capture of state sales taxes for downtown hotel revitalization; and the City’s double AA financial rating.

In 2022, Mr. Gonzalez received the E. David Spong Lifetime Leadership Achievement Award from the Malcolm Baldrige National Foundation; she has also been presented with the 2019 Baldrige Foundation Excellence in Leadership Award in the government sector by the Malcolm Baldrige Foundation and the 2019 U.S. Chamber of Commerce-Mexico Border City Leadership Award from the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

Gonzalez retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after serving 22 years in the U.S. Army. He holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico. He is certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt by the University of Texas at Austin.

Source: MEXICONOW Staff