City of Mission tapped to name TIRZ interim director
The Mission Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Board of Directors voted Monday to authorize negotiations under which the city will name an interim executive director for the position. 
That agreement cannot exceed 90 days or $6,000 a month for services provided.
Last week the board moved toward hiring recently retired City Manager Randy Perez for that position, which he’d held while city manager.
Two days later, a city councilman expressed concern over financial transparency issues during Perez’s time as the city manager, after which he renounced his candidacy.
Perez would have made no more than $4,000 a month leading the TIRZ on a temporary basis.
Albert Chapa, Jr., the board’s vice chairman, said Monday that his board didn’t share the concerns that led to Perez pulling out of consideration.
“The confidence was there,” he said. “But again, it was for a short term period. Randy had the experience.”
The TIRZ board vote in favor of Perez was not, however, unanimous.
Efrain Reyna, Jr., voted against negotiating a contract with him. Reyna has so far refrained from commenting on why he voted that way.
Despite Perez’s name being off the table Chapa says he doesn’t foresee any disruptions.
“We’ve got a great team here on the board and we all know what role we play and we understand the project’s that’s going on,” he said. “We don’t anticipate any interruptions.”
So who’s going to run the TIRZ for the next three months?
Mike Perez, Randy Perez’s replacement as city manager, said Monday Teclo Garcia’s a likely option.
Garcia is the current Chief Executive Officer of the Mission Economic Development Corporation, a position he’s held since 2022.
Having the corporation’s executive lead the TIRZ wouldn’t be new for Mission.
Garcia’s predecessor, Daniel Silva, held both roles before his departure.
Though Garcia’s a city employee, Mike Perez said there’s a few boxes to check before he could officially be assigned to the TIRZ.
“We gotta get the agreement before the mayor and city council, and then I gotta go visit with the [MEDC] board,” Mike Perez said. “Because Teclo’s assigned to them, so I gotta get the board OK that he can that work until the [TIRZ] board figures out what they’re gonna do long term.”
Mike Perez also said Monday he was not completely aware of what all services the TIRZ board’s action entailed, details he said he’ll get ironed out before the city takes action.
“The devil’s always in the details,” he said.
