Bexar County commissioners voted 3-2 on Tuesday to approve a selection committee for the next county manager. The committee includes all five commissioners, County Manager David Smith and the county judge-elect. Smith and the judge-elect will not vote. Smith announced in September that he will retire at the end of 2026.
Democratic commissioners Rebeca Clay-Flores and Justin Rodriguez voted with County Judge Peter Sakai, a Democrat, to approve the committee. Democratic Commissioner Tommy Calvert and Republican Commissioner Grant Moody opposed it. Moody said commissioners should "not rush the process" and give "more deference" to the next county judge. He proposed naming Thomas Guevara, Smith's deputy, as interim manager. Calvert said he worried the job listing was posted too quickly.
Sakai told the San Antonio Express-News the selection will happen "whenever the majority of the court votes in favor," even if that is after a new judge takes office in January. The job listing went live Oct. 16 and requires a master's degree or doctorate in a related field and at least 10 years of administrative experience. Sakai said the county had received 15 applications as of Tuesday.