WILL BROWNSVILLE SOON BE NEEDING A NEW CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR?

City Manager Noel Bernal

It appears the Noel Bernal "Total Alignment" era  with the City of Brownsville may soon end.

A reliable source tells us Bernal is "out" as City Manager and is actively seeking employment elsewhere.

Bernal, a nice  young man with a head full of management theory, never seemed to make our city function like it should, despite a small army of high-paid assistants and huge consultant fees.

In the most recent fiscal year, the City Manager's office employed 5 assistants at a salary of $857,648.  That same year Bernal also spent $976,420 on consultant fees.

Why in the Hell would a competent City Manager need that much backup support?

The Brownsville Observer speculated in October 2, 2018, two months before he took the job, that Bernal might not be on the job long based on his work history:

"Yet, Bernal has held five different jobs in eight years, an average of 1.6 years on each job.  

He served in the Pharr Economic Corporation for 8 months in 2010-2011. Since then he’s worked in La Villa (1 year, 8 months), Falfurias (2 years, 5 months), and Taylor, Texas (2 years, 5 months). He now works Coppell, Texas. He’s been there since August 2017.

If hired for something close to $250,000 per annum plus benefits, will he stay long term, long enough to right Brownsville's governmental ship and steady the progress toward job growth, development and asset management?

Considering his employment history, that's the big question about Bernal."

Bernal's original contract with the City of Brownsville was extended on September 15, 2020 extended for two more years, effective October 1, 2020 at a salary or $225,000 with added deferred annual compensation of $19,500.  That contract ends September 30, 2022.

These are turbulent times for the City of Brownsville with long-time city official Ramiro Gonzalez retiring after a self-serving use of his city office for personal enrichment was revealed.

Mayor Trey Mendez

Mayor Trey Mendez, it was also discovered, was attempting to personally claim $280,000 of BCIC funding for use on his own downtown properties.

When Mendez' attempted money grab became known, he withdrew the requests.

So, it appears the city will soon be seeking a new City Manager and when his term runs out in 2023, likely a new mayor as well.