March 25, 2008
The current board of the Housing Authority for the City of El Paso meets for the last time tomorrow, with a not-inconsequential list of agenda items.
Among those are financial issues, electing a new board chairperson, and settling a lawsuit by former chief executive Pablo Salcido. [agenda]
The item to select a board chairperson was placed on the agenda by Commissioner Jaime Rubenstein, who along with Commissioner Larry Medina is serving his last scheduled meeting.
Mayor John Cook announced March 14 that he was going to replace the two commissioners, and the unfilled position left by the resignation of Kenna Ramirez, with three new members. [march 14, 2008 npt article]
Ramirez had left the board at the beginning of the year, citing infighting, and questionable conduct and decision-making. [jan. 4, 2008 ramirez resignation letter]
Medina and Rubenstein were the main actors, fighting over the hiring of executive director Gerry Cichon. Ramirez took Medina's side, but were outvoted by Rubenstein and the other two commissioners, Kevin Quinn and Reyna Brantner. Cichon was hired in November. [nov. 29, 2007 npt article]
Rubenstein could not be reached for comment regarding the agenda item to pick a new board chair. Medina said the item summarized the ongoing battle on the board.
"That's just another example of Rubenstein manipulating the system," Medina said. "It is also lack of common sense, logic, courtesy and respect to the new commissioners."
In regards to the litigation with Salcido, Medina said, "I think we're there on the settlement."
He declined to say what he thought the settlement might involve, but did say he was not going to vote on it.
In 2005, the board duked it out over whether to hire Pablo Salcido as CEO. They did, barely, with Medina opposing. [dec. 26, 2005 npt background]
"The gentleman is a good guy, very smart … very personable, but I just didn’t think he would be a good match for duties and responsibilities of housing authority president and CEO," Medina said. "My prediction at that time in December 2005 was that Pablo Salcido would be in housing not longer than 12-18 months."
Pablo Salcido didn't stay long. The board fired him in November, 2006. In July, 2007, the board still didn't have a CEO, Salcido filed a lawsuit, and the board responded. Then the board hired Arturo Huerta as interim executive director.
"The reason I have not voted publicly in anything to do with Pablo Salcido is because I feel like if they had heeded my words we wouldn’t be in the predicament," Medina said.
More Background
-- Dec. 12, 2008: HACEP Board Hammers Out, But Delays, ED Contract; Terms of the contract for Gerald Cichon were reached, but the vote to ratify and execute the contract was delayed until next week. The meeting started with statements against any action by Chairwoman Ramirez; for more than an hour, Cichon, his lawyer and the HACEP attorney negotiated terms (pictured), and the meeting ended with HACEP one step closer to having a new executive director.
-- Dec. 5, 2008: HACEP Under HUD Review; Cichon Contract Meeting Scheduled for Dec. 12; HUD is in El Paso reviewing HACEP "operations, procurement, governance and other issues." Meanwhile, the meeting to ratify a contract offered to Gerry Cichon has been scheduled for Dec. 12.
-- Nov. 29, 2008: Kenna Ramirez Responds, Angrily, to Vote for HACEP ED; A reaction by HACEP board Chairwoman Ramirez to Thursday night's vote to hire Gerry Cichon as executive director, and HUD comments on the Aliviane contract.
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In November, HACEP considered a new technology manager and CEO. [Nov. 28, 2007 HACEP agenda] One of the finalists for technology manager was Fernando Parra. [nov. 16, 2007 npt background] [nov. 28, 2007 el paso times background] Parra was arrested by the FBI in February. [feb. 6, 2008 npt coverage of parra hearing]
-- In 2003, the Suncrest tax-credit housing controversy was all the rage. Read one side of the story in this Aug. 30, 2003 interview with Al Velarde.