OXNARD : San Antonio Decides Not to Hire Mora

David Mora, Oxnard’s ousted city manager, was one of three finalists to be San Antonio’s next city manager but lost the job to the city’s assistant city manager.

Mora, who was asked by the City Council to leave his post in Oxnard effective July 1, was interviewed Saturday in San Antonio, where he beat out more than 55 candidates to become one of seven finalists for the managerial post in the city of about 900,000.

Assistant City Manager Alexander Briseno got the job, said San Antonio Councilman Walter Martinez. Briseno was selected partly because of his experience around San Antonio City Hall, Martinez said.

Martinez said he was impressed with Mora and ranked him second among the seven finalists. He said the entire council ranked Mora among the top three.

Mora, who submitted his resignation in December, was blamed by the council majority for a series of budget problems. He disclosed last fall that revenue estimates for the 1988-89 fiscal year were about $2 million too high and that the city had spent $850,000 over its budget.

San Antonio’s current city manager has a base salary of $106,000. Mora now earns $95,700.

Martinez said the San Antonio City Council asked Mora general questions about his managerial philosophy but did not ask him to explain why he was ousted from Oxnard.

“It really didn’t arise as an issue,” Martinez said.

Mora said will continue his search for a new post but has “nothing lined up right now.”

Mora said he is busy helping the city plan next year’s budget, review the General Plan, recruit a new city manager and participate in a full-scale management audit.

“I have plenty to keep me busy,” he said.