The public got a chance to see and hear from a potential new Marfa city administrator at the council’s October 23 meeting, but the council took no action on hiring the candidate, and officials said Wednesday the situation remains the same with no changes in his status.
The candidate, Fabio Angell, is the director of Community and Economic Development in the city of Marshall, with a population of 24,000 in East Texas. Angell previously spent several years as the planner for Pharr on the Lower Rio Grande border, where he launched a 25-year “action plan” to rejuvenate the city’s downtown.
He joined the council meeting remotely, and the public heard council members ask him a variety of questions on his experience and what he felt were priorities for Marfa.
Angell said he has extensive experience managing employees and helping create effective budgets. A question that should be foremost in budget planning is: “Does it reflect our values and comprehensive plan and action plans?” he said.
Angell also summed up his career by saying he has been known as a “fixer and troubleshooter.” He said he could be ready to steward Marfa in as soon as a month if hired. The city initially had three finalist candidates, but two withdrew their interest in the position.
The city has been without an administrator since April after it terminated Andrea Walter, who served a little more than a month on the job. Council members named City Secretary Kelly Perez as interim administrator, but she resigned on September 1. With two key positions empty, the council has contracted former Marfa City Attorney Teresa Todd to assist with administrative duties.