Friday With The City: City Manager's Update

The Brownsville Chamber of Commerce and the City of Brownsville welcomes you to join us for the City Manager's Update. As the City Manager, Mr. Noel Bernal reports to the Mayor and City Commission and provides leadership and management to over 1,400 employees and a $153 million operating budget.

On December 3, 2018, Mr. Bernal begun his service as City Manager after a unanimous vote by Brownsville Commissioners was made on October 2018. Mr. Bernal has served communities in South, Central, and North Texas throughout his professional career in public service beginning with small cities and progressing into leadership roles within high-growth markets in Austin-Round Rock and Dallas-Ft. Worth. His prior experience includes serving as City Administrator of La Villa and Falfurrias, Assistant City Manager in Taylor, and Deputy City Manager in Coppell.

Nearing completion of his first year in service as City Manager, Mr. Noel Bernal will discuss the following: 

Culture

• Implementing an Organizational Culture using the Total Alignment framework with an emphasis on leadership development and high performance results;
• Implemented new organizational structure to accomplish strategic objectives and operational efficiencies including new Communications & Marketing, Internal Services, Enterprise Applications, and Multi-Modal Transportation departments;
• Hired new Executive Team members for Communications & Marketing, Internal Services, Public Works & Engineering, and Planning and Redevelopment Services;
• Utilized professional facilitation for City Commission Strategic Visioning Process for development of 5-year Strategic Plan;
• Established bi-annual book studies – Managing Transitions (12/18), The Advantage (05/19), and No Limits (10/19).
• CMO completed Change Management Certifications

• Implemented fiscal land use analysis to establish baseline for growth and development objectives;
• Developed Facilities Improvement Plan of $13 million for comprehensive reinvestment throughout city facilities;
• Implemented innovative Fleet Management Model with hybrid Lease/Purchase methodology;
• Providing management oversight for Unified Development Code and Building Code rewrite;
• Researching Wellness Program options for cost-containment of self-funded medical plan in partnership with UT-School of Public Health, Texas Municipal League, and SA Benefits;

• Retooled long-term financial planning for Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) including a debt restructure creating capacity of $30 million, established pay-go funding for capital outlay;
• Developing 5-Year operating budget forecasting for proactive management of property tax cap impact;
• Implemented $1 million OPEB trust for proactive management of retiree medical benefits;
• Provided management oversight for collective bargaining agreement with Brownsville Police Officer’s Association (BPOA) utilizing interest-based bargaining approach to facilitate health plan transition/reduction;

• GPZ Master Plan
• P3 Strategies for Retail Development Digital
• Inclusion and Broadband Development
• Economic Development Strategy in conjunction with BCIC & GBIC.