City Council blocks mayor’s plan to make changes at Progreso City Hall

PROGRESO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Progreso City Council rejected a plan to replace the city manager and the city attorney on Thursday, a major setback for Mayor Hugo Gamboa.

Gamboa wanted Progreso to part ways with City Attorney Javier Villalobos and City Manager Alfredo Espinosa.

“I just think Progreso needs a new face,” Gamboa said. “New people in order to start making new changes for the community.”

Gamboa couldn’t convince a majority of the City Council to support him.

City Councilman Raul Martinez, who ran against Gamboa in June, said he understood the push for change.

“But this is not the correct way to do it,” Martinez said. “If you’re bringing your attorney or your city manager, whatever, it’s just the same as we had before — only one person took a decision.”

More than 50 people, including former Mayor Arturo Valdez and school board President Juan J. Ramos Jr., showed up Thursday night.

Progreso holds City Council meetings in a windowless room on the south side of City Hall. For years, few people showed up.

In March, however, Homeland Security Investigations arrested Mayor Gerardo “Jerry” Alanis on federal drug charges.

Alanis resigned. Voters elected Gamboa, a sergeant in the Texas Army National Guard, in June.

A standing-room-only crowd packed the City Council chambers on June 24, when Gamboa took the oath of office. Concerned about safety, Progreso asked the Hidalgo County Fire Marshal’s Office to conduct an inspection.

The county determined the room could hold 38 people, said Progreso Fire Chief Efrain Vasquez.

On Thursday afternoon, Progreso set up 22 chairs for members of the public. The other 16 spots were reserved for the City Council and city employees.

That created a problem on Thursday.

People started showing up at 5 p.m., an hour before the meeting started. By 5:29 p.m., the City Council chambers had reached capacity.

Roughly 25 people remained stuck outside City Hall, where they waited in the rain.

“There’s an upset crowd outside wondering why we can’t come into the meeting,” Melba Rodriguez, 65, of Progreso told the City Council during public comment.

Gamboa accused his opponents of packing the room with supporters to keep the public out.

“It is very disappointing,” Gamboa said in an interview with CBS 4 News. “Especially for the citizens. They want to know what is going on.”

In the future, Gamboa said he wants Progreso to hold meetings in another location whenever the city expects a crowd.

City Councilman Javier Morales, who isn’t aligned with Gamboa, said he didn’t know about the occupancy limit before the meeting.

“I felt bad. We want to make sure that people can come in,” Morales said in an interview with CBS 4 News, adding that he wanted to make sure everyone could share concerns with the City Council. “We definitely want to accommodate everyone.”

While the crowd waited on the sidewalk outside City Hall, the City Council discussed whether Villalobos should remain the city attorney.

Morales and Martinez questioned Gamboa about the agenda, which included both the termination of Villalobos and the selection of a new city attorney.

“I don’t know who you’re trying to bring in,” Martinez said. “I haven’t seen any names. I haven’t seen any resumes. I haven’t seen anything.”

Gamboa, meanwhile, said Martinez had skipped the last meeting and questioned whether he was still a member of the City Council.

“If you don’t know the law, that’s not on me,” Martinez said.

Villalobos, concerned that Progreso could violate the Texas Open Meetings Act by straying off topic, reminded the City Council to focus on the question at hand.

“The question is: Whether you all kick me out or not,” Villalobos said.

Morales said he believed Gamboa had already selected a new attorney.

“It is my belief that the agenda was written by the attorney that you guys are trying to bring in,” Morales said.

Gamboa said he’d written the agenda himself.

The city manager sent him a proposed agenda, Gamboa said. After making changes, Gamboa sent the agenda back.

“Well, by the way that you’re running this meeting, sir, I don’t believe that you typed this up,” Morales said.

Villalobos cautioned the City Council again.

“Guys, we’re really outside of the scope,” Villalobos said. “It’s either you kick me out or you don’t.”

Martinez, Morales and City Councilman Ruben Abundiz voted against terminating Villalobos.

City Councilwoman Sandra V. Estrada, City Councilman Raul Flores and Gamboa opposed the motion.

With the City Council split 3-3, the motion failed. Villalobos remained the city attorney.

The City Council discussed the city manager during executive session, a part of the meeting that isn’t public.

Items on the agenda included “discussion and possible action” on the city manager and “naming an Interim City Manager.”

The City Council, though, adjourned the meeting without taking any action.