After an early attempt to delay the hiring of a new city manager, the city council went into executive session to interview the four candidates vying for the position. Voting to continue with the process were Chris Canales, Art Fierro, Brian Kennedy and Joe Molinar. Josh Acevedo, Cassandra Hernandez, Henry Rivera and Isabel Salcido wanted to delay the process until the next city council is seated after the November elections. Oscar Leeser broke the tie vote in favor of continuing with the process to select the city’s third city manager.
The marathon executive session where the candidates were interviewed by the city council lasted over nine hours. The city council had allocated 1:45 minutes for them to interview each candidate in the executive session.
The city council emerged from executive session at 5:56 pm. Dione Mack, was the highest scoring candidate, according to the public comments made by Chris Canales when the discussion began. Canales moved to appoint Mack as the city’s next city manager.
Art Fierro moved to appoint Robert Cortinas. Cortinas and Mack were the two candidates that were mentioned as the top contenders during the deliberations.
Cassandra Hernandez seconded Canales’ motion to appoint Mack. Cortinas did not receive a second although both Fierro and Molinar supported him during the public discussion. Fierro and Molinar voted against the appointment of Mack. Both preferred Cortinas.
After voting, the city council selected Dione Mack El Paso’s next city manager.
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Voting against the appointment of Mack as the city’s next city manager were Art Fierro and Joe Molinar. Both preferred Robert Cortinas.
As we reported this morning, there were four names under consideration. They are all city employees. The four candidates the city council evaluated today were Robert Cortinas, Mario D’Agostino, Nicole Ferrini and Dionne Mack.
Robert Cortinas is a Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer at the city. Cortinas has been with the city since 2007. In 2018, he was promoted to CFO.
Mario D’Agostino is a Deputy City Manager in the city. Prior to joining the city’s leadership team, he was a firefighter and Fire Chief of the El Paso Fire Department. In 2022, D’Agostino was promoted to the city’s executive team.
Dionne Mack is also a Deputy City Manager. Mack 2017, Mack was appointed a Deputy City Manager. Prior to that appointment, Mack headed the Brooklyn Public Library.
Nicole Ferrini is the only candidate that is not a Deputy City Manager. Ferrini was appointed the city’s Chief Resilience Officer in 2014. In 2017, she was also appointed the city’s first Climate and Sustainability Officer after the city launched its Office of Climate and Sustainability. Ferrini continue to serve in both capacities today.
On Friday, the El Paso Times reported that there is some controversy over Ferrini’s credentials. According to the Times report, a draft letter that was never sent alleges that Ferrini illegally used the term, “architect” multiple times.
Although Acevedo and Salcido continued to argue that the selection of the city’s next city manager until January, they cast their votes for Mack.
This article was updated on August 20, 2024 at 6:50am to clarify who voted against the appointment and why.