Palmview city manager resigns

The Palmview City Council voted Tuesday to accept the resignation of Michael Leo and approved a resolution honoring him for his time leading the city.

 

Leo has been Palmview’s city manager since 2018.

 

In tears Tuesday, Leo said that serving as Palmview’s city manager had been special for him.

 

 

“I was blessed to be able to do what I do in the city that I live in. And that’s very unique. I’m not gonna find that anywhere else,” he said.

 

Leo, whose mother died in February, said he was resigning to take a little time off and consider other career options.

 

“When you have life changing events it just forces you to reevaluate everything. So I’ll see what that next chapter brings in my life,” he said.

 

According to Mayor Ricardo Villarreal, under a transition and release agreement approved by council Leo will continue serving as city manager through the end of May.

 

Villarreal says Leo had 20 months left on his contract and that council agreed to pay him eight month’s salary in severance.

 

Council intends to start a city manager search in two weeks, Villarreal said.

 

Leo, Villarreal said, agreed to help the city as needed as it transitions to a new city manager.

 

During Tuesday’s meeting Villarreal said he’s known Leo since the latter was a kid.

 

“Even then, as now, he’s got a heart of gold,” he said. “He means well, always has meant well. I remember when I became mayor Michael became city manager…Mike got after it, he learned the position. Picked up quickly, on the run.”

 

Palmview has changed a lot since then, Villarreal said. 

 

 

It went from sitting on shaky financial foundations to solid ones. It opened its first library and its first trash service. It grew significantly.

 

Villarreal said Leo was instrumental in turning dreams for the city’s future into reality. 

 

“The people that were here in the city before, they had good plans, they always did, they always have,” he said. “But here these last eight years we’ve really laid down a foundation, a framework and a groundwork, that’s gonna promote this city and move this city and allow this city to grow in a better light and a better essence than it has before.”

 

Leo said channeling and encouraging that growth was a team effort on behalf of the city’s employees.

 

“I’m proud of the accomplishments that we have been able to do,” he said. “And again, I can’t say enough about this team, the ones that aren’t here anymore and the ones that are here.”