24-05-2025
Opponents of City Manager Peter Zanoni want him fired. Here's why, and here's his response.
Some are calling for Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni to be fired and have started a petition.
May 21, a group of about 20 people gathered on the steps of City Hall to air objections to Zanoni's employment. He has held the position of Corpus Christi city manager since 2019.
Among those was City Councilwoman Sylvia Campos, who said his annual performance review is currently underway.
She asserted that he had created a 'toxic environment' at City Hall and also hired what she described as unqualified management in some departments.
'We have to have someone that we can count on, that is going to be looking out for taxpayers and having a positive workplace environment,' Campos said.
A statement emailed by city spokesperson Cassandra Hinojosa described 'transformative progress' during Zanoni's tenure, citing bolstered public safety resources, improved infrastructure and efforts to acquire additional water supply, including through desalination.
'With the support of the Mayor and City Council, alongside an exceptional leadership team and dedicated employees across 29 lines of business, our city has realized substantial improvements benefiting residents, businesses, and industry,' the email states.
Both Campos and former City Council member Jim Klein accused Zanoni of being responsible for information attained by media about an employee-filed grievance related to an incident in which the councilwoman experienced a health-related event.
Zanoni said the accusation that he had disseminated the information was 'completely false.'
However, he added, the grievance report has been released as a public document under open records requests.
Klein criticized what he described as Zanoni's 'bloated salary,' referencing the city manager's raise last year.
Zanoni characterized criticism of his salary as, in part, a reflection of 'a huge misperception … that I set my own salary.'
The City Council sets Zanoni's salary and, last year, voted 5-4 to increase it by 10% — based on performance and merit, council members said — bringing it to about $409,000.
Klein and Campos were among those on the dissenting vote.
Klein also questioned the use of certificates of obligation for projects.
'Our budget is growing by leaps and bounds — and we are doing good work, he's done some good things here — but he's also dramatically increased the number of certificates of obligation that the city is using,' Klein said. 'The COs are debt the city's incurring, but the distinction here is that the COs don't come before voters.'
Utility ratepayers are required to pay back the debt accumulated, Klein said.
While city staff may recommend issuing certificates of obligation, they are ultimately approved by the City Council.
'We have issued COs in a conservative way as we have the right to do so by state and federal law,' Zanoni said. 'COs have been used to fill gaps in some of our bond program budgets.'
Klein contended that Zanoni has continued 'reckless pursuit of desalination, without looking at the long-term environmental consequences.'
The city's email sent in response to the news conference added that 'a small group of people continues to try and undermine this progress, including attempts to disrupt the region's water security.'
'Their arguments are built around inaccurate information and a disregard for constructive conversation,' the email states.
More: The Corpus Christi City Council considered new drought rules. Here's how members voted.
More: Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni is 2021 Caller-Times Newsmaker of the Year
More: The City Council awarded the city manager a raise. Here's why.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Some want Corpus Christi city manager fired. Here's why.
