The city of Mission will be starting the new year with a new fire chief.
Mission Fire Chief Gilbert Sanchez will be departing the city at the end of the month, retiring as the head of the fire department after more than five years in the role.
Previously the city’s fire marshal, Sanchez was officially sworn in as fire chief in April 2017. He replaced Chief Rene Lopez Jr. who retired amid clashes with the fire fighters’ union, the Mission Fire Fighters Association.
Sanchez, too, faced disagreements with the union which led the Mission FFA to issue a vote of no confidence against Sanchez and Assistant Fire Chief Rene Alvarez.
The association members cited “persistent leadership failures and indifference” for their vote and accused them of lacking transparency, failing to follow the direction of the city council and staff, and alleged an overall toxic and hostile workplace environment.
However, those issues were eventually resolved, according to Lt. Michael Silva, the president of the fire fighters association.
“A majority of the issues were resolved by the strong leadership of our current mayor and city council,” Silva said, “and we’re very pleased to see that a lot of the issues were resolved.”
He said that as an association, they have to advocate for their members and there are still issues on the table that they hope to bring forward and be able to resolve.
Though there are times, Silva said, when issues are a difference of opinion.
“(The chief) has a boss to answer to and as the president of the association, I have to answer to the members and we’re always trying to do what we can for the safety of our own men and women and the safety of our community,” Silva said, “so definitely, if there’s any concerns, we will bring them up.”
With Sanchez’s pending retirement, the Mission city council is now expected to approve the appointment of an interim fire chief during a special city council meeting on Wednesday.
From a members’ standpoint, Silva said he hopes that whoever is selected to lead the department will uphold transparency, communication, strong leadership and a direction that will take the department to the next level.
“We appreciate all the chiefs that have been with us and they have had a certain strength in how they do their leadership,” Silva said, “but we are looking for any chief who comes in with Mission fire department (to come) with a new direction, with strong leadership, strong will.”
“And fight for and advocate for the men and women of the fire department and, of course, the community that we serve,” Silva added.
Mission Mayor Norie Gonzalez Garza said she was thankful for Sanchez’s service and his leadership.
“I’m thankful for all the years that he’s been with the city,” she said. “I wish him the best and, of course, we’ll always be there for him and I’m sure he’ll always be there for us,” Gonzalez Garza said.
Sanchez is leaving the department as it’s in its first year of offering in-house emergency medical services.
While still contracting with a private company, Med-Care EMS, to serve as its primary provider of 911 emergency service, the city now provides secondary service and began responding to calls in June.
“We’re in the middle of a lot of betterments in the city of Mission,” Gonzalez Garza said. “I’m sure I’ll probably reach out to him for his opinion.”
