This week’s city council agenda includes the introduction of a proposed ordinance that would create the office of the chief financial officer (CFO) of the city.
Why?
We already have a CFO. Why do we need an new ordinance? My belief is that the city manager is setting up our current CFO to be in a better position to be the next city manager. Remember that our CFO has been carrying most of the water when it comes to making presentations to city council. Someone was needed to mislead council. Remember the $33 million dollar move of city hall that is now well over $70 million and the 50 million dollar ballpark?
What?
The proposed ordinance defines the responsibilities “as designated by the City budget Resolution adopted for fiscal year 2014”. This is typical of this administration. The budget resolution has not been passed. We have not even seen it. How can the public comment, as state law allows us to, about an ordinance if we don’t know what it says? If this ordinance passes, the city can then put whatever it wants in the resolution.
We also already have a purchasing department. The ordinance would change it’s name to the purchasing and strategic sourcing department.
If they want to have fancy names for poorly performing departments, let me suggest the following:
Chief Sycopant
Propaganda Minister
Director of Patronage
You might want to send in the names of the city departments that you think most qualify for these potential new names.
More nonsense
The proposed ordinance includes this wording:
The City Manager designates the Chief Financial Officer to oversee the financial and purchasing related services and responsibilities within the City as designated by the City Budget Resolution adopted for Fiscal Year 2014 and thereafter as assigned by the City Manager and as set forth in the El Paso City Charter and City Code to include those functions, powers and duties designated within state law, the City Charter and any existing ordinance belonging to the Comptroller.
Before this I did not know that any city ordinance belonged to the Comptroller.
The proposed ordinance has been approved by an assistant city attorney as well as the current chief financial officer.
Ordinances are laws. They should be worded carefully.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
FYI: El Paso City CFO
Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria is a native New Mexican and graduated from New Mexico State University (NMSU) with a Bachelors Degree in Accounting and a Masters Degree in Business Administration. Since 1993, she has been certified as a Certified Public Accountant in Texas and has worked extensively in the governmental sector throughout her career. She joined the City of El Paso in March 2004 as the City’s Comptroller.
In September 2005, she was appointed as the City’s Chief Financial Officer with the consolidation of the Comptroller’s Office and Purchasing Department.
As of July 1, 2012, Ms. Arrieta-Candelaria oversees the Financial Services Portfolio which includes:
Financial Services
Purchasing
Office of Management and Budget
Consolidated Tax Office
Information Technology Department
Utility Franchise Oversight
In February 2011, Ms. Arrieta-Candelaria was appointed by the Mayor of El Paso to the El Paso Fireman and Policeman’s Pension Board. She also serves as the Treasurer for the local chapter of the Association of Governmental Accountants. She is also a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Government Finance Officers Association.
In addition to her professional achievements, she in engaged in her community and volunteers her time for various causes such as the El Paso Chapter of the YWCA and the Center Against Family Violence. Ms. Arrieta-Candelaria is married to Dennis Candelaria and has three wonderful children, Andrew, Santiago and Xóchitl.
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Created and Paid for by the Bob Paluzi Committee to Hire Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria for City Manager and Authorized by the Arrieta-Candelaria for City Manager Committee. Bob Paluzi and Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria are solely responsible for the content of this advertising. Ms. Arrieta-Candelaria is not responsible or liable for any conflicts of interest in her duties and responsibilities.
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Puleeze, Carmen couldn’t balance my General Ledger. She has always been a public employee and will never be worth a damn because of it. She needed to work in the real world first a little to understand the laziness and stupidity of public employees once she started working in the public sector.
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