Del Rio council votes to dismiss city attorney, accepts city manager separation after executive session

The Del Rio City Council voted on March 10 to move forward with several personnel and property decisions following an executive session that ran from 8:21 p.m. to 11:34 p.m.

In open session the council approved, by a 5–2 vote, a motion to proceed with the dismissal of City Attorney Ana Markowski Smith effective the following day. The motion was moved by Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez and seconded by Councilman James DeReus; Councilman J. P. Sanchez and Councilman Randy Quinones recorded the two opposing votes.

Council also unanimously accepted a Mutual Separation Agreement with City Manager Shawna D. Burkhart, a motion moved by Councilman James DeReus and seconded by Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez. According to city minutes, Burkhart clarified the action was not characterized as a resignation but as a mutually agreed separation.

The council unanimously approved conveying 3.0 acres located on Lewis and Rodriguez to Val Verde County and authorized the City Manager to execute the deed. Councilmembers also directed staff to have the claims department coordinate with a claimant and the Texas Municipal League (TML) regarding an employee insurance claim.

The matters were announced after the meeting reconvened in open session; the minutes show no additional deliberative votes recorded in open session beyond the motions noted above. The city secretary certified the meeting agenda had been properly posted.

What happens next: the dismissal of the city attorney and the mutual separation agreement with the city manager were recorded as effective the next day in the meeting minutes. The council authorized staff to carry out the property conveyance and to work with the claims department on the insurance matter; no further public schedule for follow-up actions was listed in the minutes.

Sources: Council meeting minutes and resolutions read in open session.