The McAllen City Commission appointed commissioner Joaquin “J.J.” Zamora as the new mayor pro tem during its regular meeting Monday, but the vote was not unanimous.
Zamora replaces former McAllen Commissioner Veronica Vela Whitacre, who stepped down from her seat to run an unsuccessful bid for mayor earlier this year.
Commissioner Omar Quintanilla nominated Zamora to the position.
As mayor pro tem, Zamora will be tasked with carrying out the duties of McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos in his absence.
Quintanilla noted that he and Zamora were the longest-serving members on the commission and cited this as one of the reasons he nominated Zamora for the post.
Both were elected to the commission in 2017.
“He’s analytical, astute, he’s fair, and I think he has the best interests of not only the district but the city right now,” Quintanilla said about Zamora. “I trust his judgment.”
District 4 Commissioner Tania Ramirez was the only one who voted against appointing Zamora, citing “personal issues.”
She did not respond to a request for comment after the meeting.
After Zamora’s appointment was approved, Villalobos proposed the possibility of appointing a new mayor pro tem every year.
“So everybody gets the chance to do that,” Villalobos said.
Zamora said during the meeting that he thought it would be a good idea and Quintanilla also said he would be in favor of revisiting the position on a yearly basis.
Later in the meeting, the commissioners unanimously voted to keep Whitacre and former Mayor Jim Darling on the Anzalduas International Bridge Board and the McAllen International Toll Bridge Board.
The appointments to those boards were a point of contention among the commissioners and was the focus of a heated discussion between Zamora and Ramirez during a city workshop.
The other commissioners also seemed divided on the issue, some wanted to maintain continuity while others wanted to appoint individuals who were more knowledgeable in international commerce.
On Monday, continuity won — at least for the time being.
“I think the continuity right now is important and (to) keep, right now, the board as it is,” Commissioner Pepe Cabeza de Vaca said. “And then, of course, in the future make the move to change it to people that are more connected with commercial expertise.”
Villalobos also pointed out that the board terms of both Darling and Whitacre expired at the end of the year.
“Then we can revisit it again,” Villalobos said.
