No one has filed to run for a seat on the Donna City Council, at least as of Friday afternoon.
Councilwoman Cathy Alvarado, who was appointed in 2014 and elected to a full-term that year, indicated she will likely not seek re-election for the Place 4 seat.
“As of today, I’m not planning on filing,” Alvarado said.
Eloy Avila, a current Donna ISD school board member, plans to file for the seat on Monday. A former city commissioner, Avila at one time worked for the Donna school district, according to Monitor archives.
Most recently, Avila sought the county treasurer seat during the Democratic primary held in March, but did not make the runoff election.
Avila suspects someone else will throw their hat in the ring by 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, the deadline to file for a place on the ballot.
“We’ll see what Monday brings,” Alvarado said.
In 2017, the election was much more heated with 11 candidates filing for three seats on the City Council.
The power on the Donna City Council then shifted during a runoff election in December when voters elected Mayor Rick Morales and Councilman Art Castillo, who ran alongside Councilman Oscar Gonzales.
Avila has since been frequenting city council meetings as a citizen, and councilmen appointed him to the city’s bridge board.
Councilman Joey Garza, a teacher in Donna, filed the paperwork for a place on the ballot, but has not drawn an opponent. He could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.
The city council election will be held Nov. 6.
