As the city of El Paso inches toward selecting a new city manager, the final interviews set by the El Paso City Council are drawing closer, with the procedure having been openly scrutinized from its inception over a year ago. According to KFOX, the community's pressing call has been for transparency and a comprehensive understanding of the candidates who currently hold various key positions within the city’s government.
The candidates include Robert Cortinas, the city's Chief Financial Officer and Deputy City Manager for Internal Services, Mario D’Agostino, Deputy City Manager for Public Health and Safety, Nicole Ferrini, who serves as Director of Community and Human Development, and Dionne Mack, the Deputy City Manager for Quality of Life. Before reaching this stage of the selection process, City Council members received detailed reports on the top 14 contenders, giving them the means to make an informed selection for their top five preferences.
Notably, Mayor Leeser has championed the value of sourcing local talent over conducting a national search, “Back in February I said ‘We ought to look in our backyard. We ought to look at our local talent first.’ And then if we don’t find anybody, if we don’t feel we have anybody qualified, then let’s go out and spend the money to hire a search firm,” Leeser said, per KTSM, emphasizing the efficiency and fiscal responsibility of this approach. Following two prior instances of selecting out-of-town managers, Mayor Leeser remains resolute, stating, "it's time we stay local."
