This article was updated on July 12, 2023 to report that appointment of Tommy Gonzalez by the Midland City Council.
The Midland Reporter-Telegram published an editorial by Midland Mayor, Lori Blong, and city council members Dan Corrales and Robin Poole. According to the editorial, Tommy Gonzalez is the “final candidate for consideration” by the Midland City Council to be Midland’s next city manager. Midland’s previous city manager, Robert Patrick retired in April.
Tommy Gonzalez was fired by El Paso’s city council on February 28 in a tie vote with mayor Oscar Leeser breaking the tie. Gonzalez was appointed El Paso’s second city manager in 2014.
According to the city manager recruitment brochure issued by the City of Midland on May 15, the city with a population of 138,936 operates on a budget of $380 million. The city is staffed by 1,186 employees. The salary for the city manager’s position is between $245,000 and $367,500. Gonzalez was making over $400,000 when he was fired earlier this year. The City of El Paso paid him almost $900,000 in severance after ending his contract.
According to the three city officials’ editorial to the Midland Reporter-Telegram, the city council will discuss taking action on the appointment of Gonzalez as the next city manager on Tuesday.
In 2003, Gonzalez was named Lubbock’s assistant city manager. Later that year, the Lubbock city council appointed him its interim city manager. However, Gonzalez resigned months later after allegations of sexual and age discrimination were raised. In 2004, the City of Harlingen appointed Gonzalez as its city manager. In 2005, Gonzalez resigned as Harlingen’s city manager. As part of his resignation, Gonzalez is prohibited from working for the City of Harlingen in the future. Details about his resignation have not been released. In 2005, Gonzalez became Dallas’ assistant city manager. The next year Gonzalez left Dallas to become Irving’s city manager.
We need your support to keep delivering the news and information that is important to you. We are seeking to raise $5,000 to cover our costs through the end of the year. We would not be asking if we did not need your support.
By 2009, Gonzalez had become one of the highest paid city managers in Texas after the Irving city council updated his employment contract without community input. After controversies about Gonzalez’ involvement in the redevelopment efforts in downtown Irving and other issues arose, in early 2013 the Irving city council moved to block Gonzalez’ automatic contract renewal. The El Paso city council hired Gonzalez in 2014 as its second city manager. Nine years later, Gonzalez was fired by El Paso’s city council.
Cary Westin currently serves as El Paso’s interim city manager while the city conducts a search for a new city manager.
Update:
On July 11, 2023, the Midland City Council voted 7-0 to appoint Tommy Gonzalez as the next city manager for Midland. No contract details have been released yet.
