City of El Paso hosts final meet-and-greet for city manager candidates

EL PASO, TX (KVIA) -- El Paso residents will have their final opportunity today to meet the four candidates running for city manager.

The City of El Paso is hosting the last meet-and-greet at the Sylvia A. Carreón Recreation Center today from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Residents will be able to meet with the candidates one-on-one.

After meeting the candidates, attendees will be asked to fill out a short bilingual survey to share their thoughts. “The survey goes over every single candidate and allows them to be able to give feedback. What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses for each of the candidates? Who do they think is best qualified for the position that information these surveys are going to be given to the mayor and the city council,” Laura Cruz-Acosta, spokesperson for the City of El Paso told ABC-7.

The feedback collected from these surveys will be presented to the mayor and City Council, who will make the final decision on the city manager appointment. 

The four candidates for the position, all of whom currently work for the city, are:

• Robert Cortinas: Chief Financial Officer and Deputy City Manager for Internal Services, overseeing human resources and information technology.

• Mario D’Angostino: Deputy City Manager for Public Health and Safety, responsible for police, fire, and public health departments.

• Nicole Ferrini: Director of Community and Human Development, managing programs related to housing, homelessness, climate change, and social justice.

• Dionne Mack: Deputy City Manager for Quality of Life, handling museums, libraries, and parks.

The role of city manager is crucial for El Paso, it works similarly to a chief executive officer (CEO) for the city. “The city manager does give advice to the council members based on their knowledge and understanding and education and experience. But at the end of the day, as mayor and city council members who make the decision, the city manager then implements the policies,“ explained Cruz-Acosta.

As for the next steps, the selection process will continue with two citizen panels interviewing the candidates. 

City Council is expected to conduct final interviews on August 19.