Sullivan City fires city manager

SULLIVAN CITY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Sullivan City Council abruptly fired City Manager Magda “Lisa” Rivera during a meeting on Monday afternoon, less than nine months after she accepted the job.

The City Council discussed Rivera in executive session — a part of the meeting that is not public — and did not explain the decision.

“There was really no negative tenor to the conversation or to the decision that was made,” said City Attorney Jay Peña. “But there’s always a presumption that, when they do make a decision, it’s for the betterment of the city. In this case, they made a decision to move on.”

The City Council voted 4-1 to remove Rivera from her position. Mayor Alma Salinas, the only member of the City Council who opposed the decision, declined to comment.

Rivera, a librarian with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, worked for the city of Mission from 2002 to 2019, according to her resume, which Sullivan City released under the Texas Public Information Act. After she retired, Rivera became the executive director of Texas Citrus Fiesta Inc., a local nonprofit organization.

Sullivan City hired Rivera in November 2023.

“I got a lot of things done that I’m proud of in this little town,” Rivera said. “But it was rough. It was really rough.”

Sullivan City is all about politics and personal connections, Rivera said.

“I come to work. I go straight home. And I think that was one of the issues here,” Rivera said. “Everyone knows each other. Everyone’s family. It runs by favors here.”

Rivera also clashed with members of the City Council.

“I was stopping them from doing things that I did not agree with,” Rivera said.

Rivera declined to provide any details about what happened or identify the members of the City Council she disagreed with.

In another instance, Rivera said a councilman sexually harassed someone.

“And, of course, she’s not going to speak up because, again, official oppression,” Rivera said.

Rivera did not provide any details about the incident or identify the councilman by name.

Sullivan City is also working through issues that involved the prior city administration.

“I found out a lot of things that had happened prior to me starting here,” Rivera said. “And so I was trying to help them and keeping that on a low scale.”

While she declined to provide any details, Rivera said the issues involved “financials.”

“I look forward — and to moving to another city,” Rivera said. “I’m not going to sit down and cry about it, that’s for sure. I am moving on.”

Police Chief Reynaldo “Rey” Cortes will serve as interim city manager.