La Marque council authorizes mayor to sign city manager separation agreement

The La Marque City Council voted in open session Tuesday to authorize Mayor Heath Bell to sign a separation agreement for City Manager Cesar Garcia, contingent on final review and approval by the city attorney.

The action followed an executive session in which council members discussed personnel matters. Mayor Heath Bell said the council would complete the attorney’s final review before the mayor signs the document. “I will authorize the mayor to sign the separation agreement upon the city attorney’s final approval,” a motion on the record said; a second was recorded and the motion passed on a voice vote of those present.

Why it matters: Garcia served as La Marque’s city manager during a period of active grant-seeking and program launches. At the open-session announcement he thanked staff and volunteers and said he was proud of the accomplishments while in office. “I’m very proud of every one of your efforts,” Garcia said. He described the decision as “bittersweet” and urged staff and the community to keep working toward the city’s goals.

Council discussion and next steps: Council members asked staff to name an acting manager while they set a timeline to select an interim manager. The council directed staff to schedule a special meeting to name an interim manager and to outline a process for filling the vacant city-manager post. Mayor Bell told colleagues he would call a meeting in the coming days to establish next steps and asked members to consider whether to run a national search or a local recruitment process.

The council’s action did not include specific severance terms in the public motion; those are subject to the final city-attorney review referenced in the authorization. The mayor said the goal is to have an interim in place before council’s next regular meeting to ensure continuity of operations.

Council members who spoke in open session thanked Garcia for his service and cited both accomplishments and the difficulty of the decision. Bell said the council must “stop the fighting” and focus on delivering services to residents as it manages the leadership transition.

The council did not announce a date for the mayor’s signature; staff said the mayor would sign after the city attorney’s final approval and that council will meet soon to consider interim arrangements and the recruitment process.