ESCOBARES — The city is expected to hold special elections for mayor and a seat on the city council in April, following the resignations of the previous office-holders earlier this month.
Former Mayor Ruperto B. Escobar and former Mayor Pro-tem Alfredo Escobar resigned from the city on Dec. 14 and Dec. 18, respectively.
Though the remaining council members knew they would have to call a special election to fill the mayor’s position, Mayor Pro-tem Lorena Cantu said during a meeting on Monday that she consulted with the Texas Municipal League about whether they could appoint a member to fill Alfredo Escobar’s seat.
“Because we are a general law city, type A, the requirements by state is we have to have an election,” Cantu told the council. “We cannot appoint anybody.”
TML is an organization that advises municipalities throughout the state and promotes their interests.
It’s unclear when the city will begin accepting candidate applications for a place on the ballot, but the deadline will be Feb. 13 and the election is expected to be held on April 13.
Currently, there are four council members including Cantu and the three newly elected members who ran with the mayor — Artemio Nava, Fernando Garza and Luis Garcia Sr.
The men were sworn into office in November, making it less than a month into his term before Ruperto B. Escobar abruptly resigned from office.
The former mayor has shied away from talking about the reason behind his resignation but said he “couldn’t agree with the new administration.”
