Breaking News! City of Eagle Pass Sued for Wrongful Termination by Former City Finance Director
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2025
Former City of Eagle Pass, Texas Finance Director Jesus R. Rodriguez filed on February 20, 2025 a wrongful termination of employment lawsuit against the City of Eagle Pass arising from his sudden and unexpected termination by Interim City Manager Ivan Morua on February 21, 2024 in the 365th Judicial District Court, Maverick County, Texas, alleging that Interim City Manager Ivan Morua informed Rodriguez that “he had been directed by the City Council to terminate his employment and that he would not be given the opportunity to resign in lieu of termination.”
Rodriguez alleges that “a significant problem caused by Interim City Manager Ivan Morua was to deprive Rodriguez of his property right to continued employment, damage to his reputation, and denial of his right to due process of law as guaranteed to him by the First, Seventh, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution as well as to the rights guaranteed to him by Texas Constitution Bill of Rights Article 1 Section 9, et seq.”
Rodriguez additionally alleges that “the City of Eagle Pass, Texas, through its Interim City Manager Ivan Morua and other officials, tainted and damaged Plaintiff Rodriguez’s reputation without providing him an opportunity to clear his name.”
The lawsuit alleges that Rodriguez “has a protected liberty interest in his own good name and professional reputation. The City of Eagle Pass made false allegations of misconduct against him, entitling Mr. Rodriguez, at a minimum, to a prompt name-clearing hearing. He requested an opportunity to rebut these false charges and clear his name before, during, and after his termination, but the City of Eagle Pass does not provide name clearing hearings.”
The petition further alleges that the “City of Eagle Pass, with actual malice, published a false statement of fact referring to Plaintiff, which injured Plaintiff’s reputation, impeached Plaintiff’s honesty, damaged Plaintiff’s business reputation, and falsely imputed a crime against Plaitnff. As a result, Plaintiff suffered damages for which he now seeks relief.”
The lawsuit highlights that the power of termination of a City Department Head or employee, unless expressly provided for in the City Charter authorizing the City Council, vests in the City Manager—not the City Council. Former Interim City Manager Ivan Morua, according to the petition, terminated Rodriguez’s employment at “the direction by the City Council” on Morua’s last day as Interim City Manager before newly hired City Manager Homero Balderas took office the following day. Rodriguez’s petition notes that Interim City Manager Ivan Morua informed Rodriguez that “he would not be given the opportunity to resign in lieu of termination.”
The lawsuit alleges that Rodriguez “suffered harm and damage to his good name and professional reputation due to the actions of the City of Eagle Pass, causing him to sustain the following compensatory, non-compensatory, and punitive damages as a direct result of Defendant’s actions and omissions: a) all reasonable and necessary attorney’s fees incurred by or on behalf of Plaintiff; b) all reasonable and necessary costs incurred in pursuit of this suit; c) emotional pain; d) front pay in an amount the Court seems equitable to make Plaintiff whole; g) inconvenience; h) interest; i) mental anguish in the past; j) mental anguish in the future; k) loss of earnings in the past; l) loss of earning capacity which will, in all probability, be incurred in the future; m) loss of benefits; n) Humiliation; o) loss of credit; p) loss of time; q) physical discomfort; r) pain and suffering in the past; and s) injury to reputation.”
Rodriguez seeks legal relief from the City of Eagle Pass as a result of its actions and omissions through its City Council, Managers, and others, including, but not limited to, “1) that he be rehired; 2) be reinstated to the position and pay grade that he would have held but for the Defendant’s unlawful actions of the City of Eagle Pass; and 3) be reinstated all benefits to which Rodriguez was entitled before unlawful actions and reimburse him for the value of benefits lost.”
Rodriguez seeks monetary relief over $200,000 but not more than $1,000,000 plus reasonable attorneys fees, expenses, court costs between $30,000 to $100,000.
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council is expected to deny all of the allegations and claims for relief sought in Rodriguez’s lawsuit in its Original Answer when filed.
The wrongful termination lawsuit by Rodriguez has caused the City of Eagle Pass City Council to post a supplemental agenda for its City Council Meeting scheduled on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss in executive session the lawsuit and take possible action in open session.
Rodriguez was employed by the City of Eagle Pass in the Finance Department from October 1, 2010 to February 21, 2024 in various positions, but served as the City’s Finance Director from 2017 until allegedly wrongfully terminated on February 21, 2024.
The City of Eagle Pass City Council at the time of Rodriguez’s alleged wrongful termination was composed of Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr., Mayor Pro-Tem William B. Davis, and City Councilmembers Monica J. Cruz, Mario E. Garcia, and Elias Diaz.
Defendants generally file an original answer denying all the allegations and claims for relief and possibly other defenses against the lawsuit.
The City of Eagle Pass is in the midst of a contested City Council Election on May 3, 2025 with the Mayor’s position and two City Council Places on the ballot.
