Austin Energy’s Garza likely to take Pedernales Co-op job

One of three internal candidates for the post of Austin City Manager, Juan Garza of Austin Energy, will likely take the reins of the Pedernales Electric Co-Op  instead.

 

Garza, who has been Austin Energy’s General Manager since 2002, told In Fact Daily this morning that he would interview with the PEC board this afternoon. “I’m very optimistic and I am so delighted,” about the new challenge, he said.

 

Garza, 63, said the PEC contacted him “a couple of weeks ago—they’ve actually been doing their homework for some time—and I had a good talk with them. “

 

Garza said working for the co-op would not require him and his family to leave Austin. “That’s the beauty of it . . . I could commute from Austin to Johnson City…its exactly 40 miles from my driveway,” he said.

 

Garza said he had been contacting Council members this morning to let them know about the possibility that he would not be in the running for city manager after all. They are scheduled to meet at 1pm to see resumes from candidates outside the city. That meeting will be in executive session with the search firm that has been screening candidates for the post.

 

If Garza takes the PEC job, Assistant City Managers Laura Huffman and Rudy Garza will be the only internal candidates.