July 5, 2007
The El Paso Housing Authority Board is back in the business of finding a new leader for the agency. The agenda for its meeting today shows discussion and possible action on hiring a CEO, and at least one commissioner indicated that a choice – at least for an interim director – could come at the meeting.
Meanwhile, the former director may be getting ready to sue the agency, and Vince Dodds, who has been interim director since last fall, announced his retirement.
In it, Dodds notes the Housing Authority’s high ranking among large authorities nationwide. “We were once again rated as a high performer by HUD, our chief funder and regulator,” Dodds said. “We were rated the No. 3 large Housing Authority, out of the 24 largest in the nation.”
The ranking comes despite turmoil at the top on a consistent basis for several years. Two years ago the issue erupted into an angry struggle between members of City Council and members of the board over naming a new executive director. [background]
The board then ended up hiring Pablo Salcido, who was offered a contract in December, 2005. [background] The contract was finalized in January, 2006. [contract]
Commissioner Jaime Rubenstein said anything might happen at the meeting, including hiring an interim CEO.
“My personal feeling is to bring someone on board as quickly as possible while Vince is still in El Paso,” Rubenstein said. “I’m not speaking for the rest of the board … It’s my personal statement basically if we feel there is a candidate and that candidate chooses to step in right away as an interim I would not object to allowing him or her to throw their name in the hat for overall permanent selection.”
Rubenstein said several people can inquired about the job, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has offered assistance. Also, one of the 2005 finalists, Jorge Salazar, also is under consideration, said Rubenstein. [salazar 2005 application]
Salazar’s candidacy was promoted by then-Commissioner Larry Medina, who said he preferred Salazar to Salcido and fought against Salcido’s nomination. Medina has been reappointed to the board for a second round. Medina was not immediately available for comment.
Salcido was fired by the board in November, 2006, and now is the executive director of the Paso del Norte Group, a civic organization that is laying the groundwork for major change in El Paso. [pdng background]
The board listed a number of reasons for firing Salcido, from allegedly hanging up on Commissioner Kenna Ramirez, the chairwoman of the board, to allegedly allowing an employee to manipulate hiring processes so the employee could get a promotion. The board also claimed that Salcido attempted to threaten a commissioner by releasing damaging information, and then trying to have the mayor remove the commissioner.
“Certain Commissioners are unable to communicate with you. The breakdown in Communications, which you have publicly acknowledged, is causing harm to the agency and its operations,” stated the board document listing the reasons. [see document at bottom of story]
When the board fired Salcido, it entered into an agreement Nov. 21, 2006, which states that he was due a lump sum equal to 15 months pay and his accrued time off benefits within five days of the Separation Date, which was set at March 1, 2007. He was to receive his regular monthly salary and benefits until then. [see agreement at bottom of story]
He was not paid March 1, and on March 30 filed a petition to force testimony from Board Chairwoman Ramirez and Ike Monty, a developer of low-income housing. The move is a potential first step toward a lawsuit, an issue that also is to be discussed at today’s Housing Authority meeting. [see petition at bottom of story]
Salcido could not be reached for comment. Neither could his lawyer, John Wenke. Frank Ainsa, Monty’s lawyer, could not be reached for comment.
Salcido’s petition claims that a commissioner illegally gave Monty internal documents. It also claims that HACEP was essentially looking for an excuse to back out of its separation agreement and has claimed that Salcido did not live up to the agreement in order to create such an excuse.
“We never wanted it to get to this point,” Rubenstein said. “Unfortunately, things have gone in a different direction that we hope to finalize in an amicable way as quickly as we can.”
“Steve James (HACEP lawyer) and John Wenke (Salcido’s lawyer), the respective attorneys, have been and continue to have discussions to resolve the matter.”