San Benito city manager asks for new goals

SAN BENITO — It’s time to chart the city’s course.

Later today, city commissioners are expected to meet in closed session with City Manager Manuel De La Rosa to set goals he will work to meet.

De La Rosa requested commissioners “create a list of goals and objectives that they would like me to undertake to move the city forward,” he stated yesterday.

Commissioners set goals for De La Rosa every six months, Commissioner Carol Lynn Sanchez said yesterday in a phone call.

Sanchez declined to disclose De La Rosa’s job performance.

Mayor Ben Gomez and Commissioner Rene Villafranco did not respond to messages requesting comment.

Commissioner Tony Gonzales declined comment, citing illness that has prevented him from attending recent meetings.

Setting De La Rosa’s goals is part of his evaluation process.

In January, commissioners gave De La Rosa “above-satisfactory” marks on his job performance.

The evaluation scored De La Rosa’s performance from 1 to 5 on issues including financial stability, assuring the city’s old water plant produces good drinking water, resolution of a lawsuit against companies involved in the construction of the $17 million water plant cited as improperly operating, providing accurate information to the community and commission, streamlining city staff, installation of street lights at San Benito Plaza, maintaining professional work ethic, reducing costs of upgrading the city water plant and launching Southside’s Park’s first phase.

According to De La Rosa’s contract, the city is required to give him annual pay increases of $5,000 when he receives “above-satisfactory” marks.

Yesterday, De La Rosa did not disclose his current salary, only stating his contract renewed Feb. 1, 2017, gave him a salary of $110,000.

In December 2015, De La Rosa was hired at a salary of $95,000.