Garza responds to questions from Austin City Council, addresses his own future

Just over a week after a meeting with five members of the Austin City Council regarding the contentious near appointment of Art Acevedo, Interim City Manager Jesús Garza responded to questions from members of the city council and outlined what his priorities are in the coming 60 to 90 days as he prepares to hand the reins of city administration to a permanent chief executive.

In a memo sent to the mayor and City Council on Tuesday that was obtained by the Statesman, Garza did not address Acevedo, but said his overall focus areas remain the same as when he first assumed the role — addressing mayoral, City Council and community priorities with a sense of urgency; positioning the organization for the next city Manager; and bringing stability to the city as a whole, he said.

"Some important examples of these included: homelessness, emergency management, development services/perming and housing/affordability," Garza wrote. "In each of these areas we have made significant organizational and leadership changes. However, the work is not done and will continue to be a priority during my interim management."

One of the questions poised by City Council members and addressed in the memo is what the proper communication with or input from the City Council is on personnel and restructuring decisions.

Garza responded, "While personnel and restructuring decisions are and should be at the discretion of the City Manager as set up by the charter, it in no way means that input is not welcome. As we move to ensure a smooth transition to a new City Manager, it is my sincere hope that this alignment is fully integrated to set us up for success."

Garza was set to hire Acevedo to serve as an interim assistant city manager overseeing policing. The $271,000-a-year role was intended to serve as a liaison between the police department and city manager's office. There are currently four assistant city managers that each oversee various departments, and Bruce Mills currently oversees public safety, including fire, police, EMS and more in his capacity as interim assistant city manager.

More: Exclusive: Art Acevedo taking new $271,000 Austin City Hall position overseeing police

Just days after the news of his return was made public, Acevedo announced he was withdrawing his acceptance of the position.

The decision to appoint Acevedo was not met well by a majority of the Austin City Council, many of whom said shortly following the news of the appointment that they were surprised, particularly given Acevedo's role in overseeing a police department that had a backlog of untested rape kits — something city and Travis County leaders were previously sued over. The city was set to make a formal apology to the plaintiffs just days after the announcement of Acevedo's planned hire.

Garza said in the memo Tuesday that he does not have any plans to sunset any offices departments or programs, but does have a few positions that are actively being recruited for.

"I have already visited with a number of you in regard to filling the Deputy City Manager position. I still have a couple of you to touch base with as it relates to this position and want to do so before any other discussion on moving forward," Garza said. "In addition, I plan to visit with all of you regarding the Aviation Executive Director position and will do so in the coming weeks."

The city is in the process of hiring a new city manager, with a current projection of having a candidate selected by mid-April. He said he also plans to update the City Council on his priorities for the next 90-180 days in the coming weeks.

Garza said in the memo they should be looking for "an individual who can serve as a true leader for the organization operationally and ensure that the best professional recommendations are provided to the Mayor and Council for informed decision-making."

Announced on Friday, quit by Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Jan. 16, city officials in Aurora, Colo., announced that Acevedo was leaving his role as interim police chief. He said he was returning to Texas to be closer to his family.

On Friday, Jan. 19, council members learned Acevedo would be returning to city hall. A formal memo was sent Friday from Garza to the mayor and City Council members outlining the reasoning behind creating the new position to oversee policing and that he was appointing Acevedo.

An outpouring of reactions and backlash from community leaders, council members and other area elected officials, like Travis County District Attorney José Garza, continued into the weekend.

Come Monday evening, Council Member Alison Alter shared that she and four other City Council members (Zohaib "Zo" Qadri, Paige Ellis, Ryan Alter and Natasha Harper-Madison) met with Garza and expressed their concerns about the appointment.

"While we agree with (interim city manager) Garza’s emphasis on the need to improve police recruitment, implement academy reforms, and increase staffing, we do not have confidence that the proposed hire will advance our shared goals," Alter wrote. "The Interim City Manager has heard all of the concerns voiced and will meet with his team on next steps in the coming days."

Tuesday, less than 30 minutes before the planned apology to the plaintiffs who sued the city over the police departments previous handling of sexual assault cases was set to begin at City Hall, Acevedo in a statement on X shared that he had withdrawn his acceptance of the position, citing politics and power struggles.

"While I continue to admire and support these leaders of the Austin community, it is clear that this newly created position has become a distraction from the critical work ahead for our city, the Austin Police Department, and the Austin Police Association," Acevedo wrote.

More: Art Acevedo withdraws from $271K Austin City Hall administrative position after backlash

Garza told the Statesman he did not ask Acevedo to withdraw from the position and that it is still being determined if they will be looking for someone else to fill the role created for Acevedo.

"It was his decision to make, and I respect his decision," Garza said in a statement.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Jesus Garza responds to Austin Council questions about art Acevedo