This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.
4 New Deputy City Managers Appointed; Ellen Smyth to Retire
El Paso City Manager Dionne Mack has appointed four new deputy city managers – all lifelong El Pasoans now in city leadership roles – after a national search.
Richard Bristol, K. Nicole Cote, Araceli Guerra and Yvette Hernandez join Deputy City Managers Robert Cortinas, Mario D’Agostino and Ellen Smyth in the city’s administration effective Feb. 10.
“With their diverse expertise, unwavering commitment to excellence, and deep ties to the community, this talented team will strengthen our ability to achieve our strategic goals and shape the future of El Paso,” Mack said in a statement.
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A former deputy city manager, Mack was appointed city manager in August. The deputy positions do not require City Council approval.
The four new appointees will each be paid an annual base salary of $235,000 a year, a city spokeswoman told El Paso Matters.
An updated organizational chart detailing which departments each will oversee is being developed and will be published on Feb. 10, the spokeswoman said.
The deputy city manager appointments include:
- Richard Bristol: A U.S. Navy veteran with nearly 30 years of experience in infrastructure management, Bristol is director of streets and maintenance and is now paid $192,000 a year.
- K. Nicole Cote: Cote, who has worked for the city for more than 20 years, serves as managing director of management and budget and is now paid $196,700 a year.
- Araceli Guerra: Guerra, now managing director of internal services, has driven operational efficiency and technological advancements for the city. She is now paid about $227,600 a year.
- Yvette Hernandez: A licensed professional engineer, Hernandez serves as city engineer and has managed nearly $1 billion in capital improvement projects for the city. She is now paid $186,500 a year.
Smyth, who oversees the mass transit and environmental services departments, will retire this spring after several decades with the city.
EPCC Trustees Approve $18K Raise for Serrata After Evaluation
The El Paso Community College Board of Trustees voted 6-0 to award EPCC President William Serrata a 4% raise, or $17,710, after his annual performance review Jan. 25 at the college’s Administrative Services Center, 9050 Viscount Blvd. His new salary will be $460,460.
The board also approved $18,000 for his retirement account and a retention incentive bonus. The trustees did not mention the retention amount at the meeting and the college did not provide the amount when asked. Serrata received a $5,000 retention bonus in 2024.
The trustees voted after more than five hours in executive session. Following the vote, Carmen Olivas Graham, the board’s vice chair, acknowledged Serrata’s accomplishments.
Those achievements include a growing student population that reached 25,013 in fall 2024, improved completion trends to include 4,333 graduates last year, ongoing efforts to promote the college locally, regionally and nationally, and the creation of additional degree plans and credentials that will support the state’s workforce needs and higher education goals.
“I want to thank Dr. Serrata for the excellent job that he has done, and commend on behalf of the board, and compliment the staff for exceeding expectations on the outcome space that we received notification on today,” Graham said.
When contacted after the meeting, board Chair Brian Haggerty said that the trustees approved the 4% raise because that is what it gave all eligible employees in its 2024-25 budget, which the board approved last August.
Haggerty added that the college has earned national recognition under Serrata. He referenced how EPCC is ranked among the best, if not the best, in the nation for Hispanic students, who make up about 85% of the college’s enrollment. The Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine rated EPCC No. 1 based on 2022 data.
The board is supposed to evaluate Serrata annually as per his employment agreement. The college hired him as president in August 2012.
30 County Buildings to Receive $25M in Energy Efficiency Upgrades
About 30 county buildings will receive a combined $25 million in efficiency and sustainability upgrades over the next two years under an infrastructure modernization project that kicked off Tuesday.
The work will include countywide LED indoor and outdoor lighting, an upgraded building automation system and mechanical plant upgrades at the courthouse, and water efficiency enhancements at the Jail Annex and Downtown Detention Center. The work is expected to be completed in June 2027.
The El Paso County Commissioners Court in November approved an energy savings performance contract with Schneider Electric, which had previously conducted an energy audit of the county facilities, including ways to save energy, water and operational costs.
About $21.9 million of the project will be paid through the performance contract, where the county leases the equipment through a private bank and is paid by the utility cost savings, the county told El Paso Matters. In the event that the annual estimated savings are not realized, the contract requires that Schneider reimburse the county for the difference.
The remaining $3.4 million of the cost is funded through tax notes, a type of short-term debt backed by property taxes, issued last summer.
With the upgrades, the county is expected to save more than $1 million in energy costs the first year and up to $40 million over a 20-year span, according to a county news release. The county also anticipates a 23% reduction in annual energy consumption and conservation of 48 million gallons of water each year, the release states.
Candidate Filing Open for 3 EPCC Trustee Seats in May Election
People who want to serve on the El Paso County Community College District Board of Trustees have until Feb. 14 to file their intention to run in the May 3 election for districts 4 (Central/South), 5 (East) and 6 (Southeast).
This will be the first election in these districts since the college approved a new district map in early 2023. These elections are nonpartisan, and the trustees do not get paid.
Trustees serve six-year terms. They are responsible to establish college policies, hire, fire and evaluate the president, set the tax rate and approve the budget.
Incumbent trustees for districts 4 and 5, Jesus Mendez and Carmen Olivas Graham, respectively, have filed their paperwork.
Trustees appointed Mendez in June 2024 to fill the position after Christina Sanchez left the board to become county attorney. Mendez is president of Winsupply of West El Paso. Graham, a Socorro Independent School District administrator, is completing her third term representing District 5.
Diana Mooy has submitted an application for the District 6 seat. She is the associate superintendent of technology information for the Ysleta Independent School District. The seat had been held by the late Nina Piña, who represented District 6 and died Jan. 17. She had been on the board since 2019.
Interested residents who live in those districts may pick up an application at the EPCC President’s Office, 9050 Viscount Blvd., or online in English or Spanish. Candidates must be at least 18 years old on their first day in office, must not have been convicted of a felony, and must be a resident of Texas for a year and a resident in their district for six months.
The post El Paso names 4 deputy city managers; EPCC president gets raise appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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