La Joya alternate municipal judge resigns

La Joya’s city council accepted the resignation of alternate municipal judge Reynaldo “Rey” Cedillo Wednesday about a month after La Joya ISD approved an amendment to a policy that bars some district employees from holding public office.

 

That policy, originally enacted last year, originally only applied to elected public officials.

 

Last month’s amendment made it apply to both elected and appointed public officials employed by the school district who supervise or evaluate other employees or who are responsible for the administration of public funds.

 

Cedillo is La Joya ISD’s director of operations and campus maintenance.

 

“I want to thank Mr. Cedillo — I know he’s not present — but for his service to our community, to our city. For being a judge,” Mayor Isidro Casanova said at Wednesday’s meeting. “I know that he had to make that decision, he was kinda sorta given an ultimatum. So we understand that, so we wish him the best.”

 

Cedillo largely declined to comment Monday on the ultimatum that led to his resignation, describing his decision to quit as a “judge’s matter” and saying he “had to make a choice.”

 

 

“You read between the lines, sir,” he said when asked about La Joya ISD’s policy amendment.

 

Cedillo recommended the Progress Times get a copy of his resignation letter from the city of La Joya, which had not released the letter by press time, and demanded he not be quoted in this publication.

 

“On the record, it’s none of your business why I got out,” he said.

 

Council voted to name Anthony Uresti as Cedillo’s replacement.

 

Uresti has served as a municipal judge in Sullivan City since last summer.

 

According to the city of La Joya’s website, Lee Roy Alaniz is the municipal court’s presiding judge.

 

Cedillo served as an alternate alongside Alex Cantu and Linda Sarabia.