HARLINGEN — The commission’s majority is clearing a roadblock that might be standing in the way of landing a new city attorney.
On Wednesday, commissioners are expected to scrap a provision requiring the city attorney live within the city limits.
“It would open up the opportunity for more firms to apply for the position,” City Commissioner Frank Puente said Tuesday.
So far, seven law firms have applied for the city attorney’s job since members of the commission’s majority fired attorney Ricardo Navarro’s firm in September, Efrain Fernandez, the city’s human services director, said.
“We’re still in the process of looking at people,” City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez said.
Considering Sossi for job
Meanwhile, commissioners are considering picking interim City Attorney Mark Sossi, who doesn’t live in town, for the job, Puente said.
“We’re considering him because he’s doing a good job,” Puente said, adding, “He’s saving the city money.”
In September, commissioners appointed Sossi interim city attorney, hiring him at an hourly rate of $200, while officials launched a search to replace Navarro.
Sossi, a Brownsville-based attorney with the firm Troiani & Sossi, serves as San Benito’s city attorney after a 15-year stint as Brownsville’s legal counsel.
“He doesn’t play politics,” Puente said, referring to Sossi. “He gives (legal opinions) to us straight.”
Proposal to remove residency requirement
Last month, Puente and Mayor Pro Tem Richard Uribe requested commissioners pass the first reading of an ordinance scrapping the provision requiring the city attorney live in town.
“I felt that it was important that we remove that requirement,” Uribe said during the Dec. 15 meeting. “I understand the requirement for a city manager and directors but for professional services I don’t think it’s necessary — and I don’t know of any other city that requires that.”
Qualifications
Since September, the city has been advertising with the Texas Municipal League and Indeed for an “in-house” city attorney with at least three years of experience.
The job requires serving as legal counsel on Civil Service and collective bargaining matters as well as prosecuting Municipal Court cases.
The position’s salary is negotiable, Fernandez said.
Background
In September, the commission’s majority fired Navarro, with the law firm Denton, Navarro, Rocha, Bernal, Hyde & Zech.
At the time, Commissioner Rene Perez said he was voting to fire Navarro because he believed some of his legal advice wasn’t made in the best interest of the city.
However, during a name-clearing hearing, Navarro vehemently denied the accusation, telling the four-member majority he and his legal team worked for the city’s best interests since he took the job, adding he believed commissioners fired his firm because they didn’t “like” a legal recommendation.
In late 2016, Navarro was hired at an hourly rate of $195 an hour, replacing Rick Bilbie, an in-house attorney who was drawing an annual salary of $130,687.
This year, based on Navarro’s previous billings, officials budgeted $513,531 for legal expenses.
