PRESIDIO COUNTY — On Monday in a special Commissioners Court meeting, County Judge Joe Portillo criticized commissioners for picking a new county treasurer that he said was not as qualified as another candidate and that the retiring treasurer had rallied courthouse employees to support the chosen candidate.
That candidate is current County Clerk Florcita Zubia. Commissioners Brenda Bentley, Jose Cabezuela and David Beebe — precincts 1, 3 and 4 respectively — voted to appoint Zubia as treasurer effective January 1. Voting no on the appointment were Portillo and Precinct 2 Commissioner Margarito Hernandez.
“This doesn’t pass the smell test,” Portillo told the court. “If we’re obligated to do this, we should consider all the options on the table. We have the opportunity to hire someone who has huge experience in finance. Wouldn’t that better serve us?” Officials supporting Zubia said they already considered the other candidate in a previous executive session and that an appointment now is important to have continuity in the office without a vacancy and with someone who knows courthouse operations well.
At the November 13 Commissioners Court meeting, Presidio County Treasurer Frances Garcia announced her retirement from her position at the end of the year, just halfway through her third term in office. The county treasurer is an elected position in charge of collection of revenue and managing payables as well as dispersing money to departments. In general terms, they do the county’s books.
Zubia openly expressed interest in the treasurer position, as did another candidate — Ethel Barriga, a vice president at 1st Presidio Bank in Presidio. Portillo said Garcia had aligned with County Auditor Alicia Sanchez and several other courthouse employees in favor of appointing Zubia. The judge said Zubia is trained and certified in her clerk position and has no accounting experience. Portillo also said Garcia could change her mind and revoke her resignation, which is not effective until December 31.
Garcia said she is confident that Zubia can do the job and that she had already started training her on filing reports required of her office. “I don’t see why people are uncomfortable with this,” she told the court. “She’s very capable of doing this job.” Garcia also assured the court she wouldn’t change her mind. “I do intend to retire,” she said. “I’m not going to change my mind. There’s no way.”
Zubia told The Big Bend Sentinel previously that she was certain she could handle the position and she no longer wanted to be taken away from her family with numerous responsibilities required of the county clerk, like elections. She told the court Monday that she was offended by the notion that she wasn’t capable of being treasurer. “Pretty much you’re saying I’m not capable without saying it.” she said. “I feel like I’m being degraded without the words.” Zubia reminded the court that she has handled financials for the business she runs and that the accounting world is not foreign to her.
Portillo also told the court that Zubia leaving as clerk would leave a hole in that critical department and he objected to an elected official spending so much time acquiring the skill and certifications needed as a clerk — sometimes paid for by the county — to then jump to a completely different position. Zubia countered that appointment of a new clerk would be up to the court, but that she had committed staff in her office ready to fill the role.