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The Houston Chronicle June 09, 2005, Thursday

Copyright 2005 The Houston Chronicle Publishing Company  
The Houston Chronicle

June 09, 2005, Thursday 2 STAR EDITION

SECTION: THISWEEK; Pg. 01

South Houston gets new faces on council;
Billy Kelly wins appointment to Position 2, mayor pro tem

SOURCE: Staff

CAROL CHRISTIAN


What took Baytown six months to do, South Houston did in 10 minutes.

At its June 1 meeting, the South Houston City Council filled a vacancy in Position 2, which was created when then-Councilman Joe Soto was elected mayor on May 7.

Within 10 minutes of Soto calling the June 1 meeting to order, the council had nominated, unanimously approved, and sworn in Billy Kelly as the new council member for Position 2. Moreover, Kelly, who was selected to serve the year remaining on Soto's two-year term in Position 2, was named mayor pro tem.

Kelly, 55, previously served on the South Houston council from 1998 to 2000 in Position 3. South Houston council members are elected at-large.

A native of Fort Worth, Kelly has lived in South Houston 29 years and works as an analyzer technician at a petrochemical plant. He also served 10 years as a South Houston volunteer firefighter.

In Baytown last year, when a council vacancy arose with the election of former Councilman Calvin Mundinger as mayor, it took the council from June until December to select a new representative for District 3.

Kelly's selection in South Houston was just the start to a swiftly moving meeting that included the appointments of a new city secretary, city attorney, municipal judge, associate municipal judge, city prosecutor, city engineer, fire chief, fire marshal and assistant fire marshal.

Soto, who was elected with 61 percent of the vote against two opponents May 7, said he made the personnel changes because he wanted a different management style at City Hall.

"The sooner I got the appointments done, the sooner I could go to work," Soto said. "I wanted to get the transition over with. Until then, you're just kind of in the air."

Describing his approach to city government, Soto said he wants to work more closely with City Council than did his predecessor, former Mayor Eloise Smith.

"I plan on utilizing my council members by letting them help me with the goings-on in the city," said Soto, a truck owner and operator. "Before, it was just the mayor by herself. One person can't do it. I look at it as we're all a team. We need to work together. That's a big change, completely different from what it was."

Among other planned changes, Soto said he intends to reconsider the city's contract with Harris County for animal control services. The county has handled South Houston's animal control since August, at the city's request.

But Soto said there have been complaints that it takes too long for county workers to respond to reports of stray animals.

Prior to the county assuming responsibility for animal control in South Houston, the city's humane department had generated various complaints during the previous year, including alleged animal cruelty at the former city shelter, which is now closed. But when the change went into effect, Smith, the former mayor, did not cite the department's troubled history as a reason for the switch.

In addition to Soto and Kelly, South Houston's new council members are Irene Tamayo, Position 1; Roberto Garcia, Position 4; and Amy Burnett, Position 5. The Position 3 councilman is Albert Hernandez, whose term expires next year.

While Soto said he intends to institute a new management style, he nonetheless said he wanted to thank the previous administration for their years of service.


Former council lauded


Smith, as well as former Councilmen Jim Sybert, David L. Green and Ruben DeLeon, have been active in South Houston public service since the 1970s, Soto said.

"Their efforts shouldn't go unnoticed and unmentioned," he said.

Among other appointments was that of Charles Adams as municipal judge. Previously a South Houston police officer for six years, Adams is now an attorney and has an office in Pasadena. He replaced former Municipal Court Judge Edward Sillas.

Named last week as associate municipal judge was Mark Castillo, who replaced Jose Cantu.

The council approved Soto's appointment of the Gregg & Gregg law firm of League City -Dick Gregg Jr. and his sons, Dick Gregg III and Christopher Gregg - as city attorney, replacing Thomas Lay.

Yolanda Coroy was appointed city prosecutor, in place of Eddie Calderon.

Former City Engineer Barry Knoll was replaced by the firm Patrick and Associates Inc.

Maria Dolores Vega was named city secretary, replacing Sylvia Ibarra.

Also confirmed by the council were three positions elected by the volunteer fire department - Fire Chief Jesse Garcia, who replaced Roy Medina; Fire Marshal Daryl Burgess, replacing Vincent Di Valentone; and Assistant Fire Marshal Jose Garza, replacing Tommy Savell.



  



SOUTH HOUSTON APPOINTMENTS



South Houston City Council last week approved these appointments:



. Charles Adams, municipal court judge

. Daryl Burgess, fire marshal

. Mark Castillo, associate municipal judge

. Yolanda Coroy, city prosecutor

. Jesse Garcia, fire chief

. Jose Garza, assistant fire marshal

. Gregg & Gregg law firm, city attorney

. Patrick and Associates Inc., city engineer

. Maria Dolores Vega, city secretary