San Benito city manager asked to resign

SAN BENITO - City Manager Victor Treviño said Wednesday that he was asked to submit a letter of resignation, but given no reasons as to why he should vacate the post he has held for seven years.

Treviño said City Attorney Jesus "Chuy" Ramirez contacted him Wednesday and told him the City Commission was asking him to leave.

Additionally, Ramirez asked for a letter explaining what Treviño intended to do, he said.

The resignation would come with a severance package of six-months pay, Treviño said. He said he was unsure of what that amount would be, but speculated that his annual pay is about $80,000.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Treviño said he hadn't yet made a decision on the request.

"I really have not had any time," to think of how to respond, he said.

Treviño said he is expected to respond today.

No information was provided as far as the commission's request for his resignation, Treviño said, and city commissioners offered no insight.

Ramirez could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Mayor Joe H. Hernandez, Mayor Pro Tem Victor Garza and commissioners Celeste Sanchez and Rene Farias said they had no comment on the issue, saying they could not discuss personnel matters.

Commissioner Jack Garcia could not be reached for comment.

Sanchez said she was shocked to hear the matter had been made public.

"His decision to announce this is surprising to me," she said of Treviño.

At Tuesday's City Commission meeting, the commission met in executive session to discuss city personnel, but Hernandez said no action was taken on any issues or staff members discussed behind closed doors.

"I cannot discuss those matters," he said. "But I will say that I have always supported the city manager."

Before becoming city manager, Treviño was executive director of the Public Housing Authority for 12 years and also served as a community development director for two years, previous reports state.

Alfonso Benavides, who calls himself a community activist, called the request a "social vision come true."

"That was long overdue," Benavides said. "The community could sense that this would happen."