Mayor appoints three MBAs to new Citizens' Budget Council; first meeting to be scheduled

Mayor Angelo Castillo announced on April 2 that he had created a Citizens' Budget Council and named three appointees to the advisory board: Hugo Alvarez, Brandon Carrero and Maguana Jean.

Castillo described the board as a transparency measure and said he wanted residents with financial backgrounds to review the city's books. "This is a city that has never had a financial scandal of any kind whatsoever," the mayor said while explaining his reasons for the council. Castillo said the council will be able to review department presentations and budget documents.

Appointee Hugo Alvarez said he looked forward to learning from city staff and reviewing the budget. "If what we're going to do is going to have any worthwhile outcome, we need to learn from you," Alvarez told the commission. Brandon Carrero, who described a background in mortgage and insurance, said he viewed the appointment as "a mission to ensure that every dollar in our city's budget is carefully and thoughtfully invested." Maguana Jean described a long banking career and thanked commissioners for the appointment.

Castillo noted city ordinance requires only one financial expert on such a panel, but he appointed three and asked the city clerk to organize the council promptly. He also said he intends to attend the council's first organizational meeting. City staff agreed to schedule the council's meeting and to invite the commission to its organizational session as appropriate.

No formal budget authority or funding changes were made at the April 2 meeting; the item was an appointment to a citizen advisory board and was presented as such.