“Department of Public Health Concerns”

The following guest column was submitted anonymously, but I thought it was an entertaining (and concerning, if it’s true) read.

I’m not saying that it’s true or not true, but it is at least interesting.

It came with this anonymous email:

Hi Rich,

Please find attached an internal document circulated in the Department of Public Health.

It’s uncertain if it was removed from everyone’s emails because it was reported as spam or because someone attempted to squash it.

I can attest to the items within the document and would be more than happy to go on record as I and others are trying to do with other news sources.

This goes much deeper, and Fire is the main culprit, namely D’Agostino, and Ocaranza is his puppet.

The ‘CARES’ Act and ARPA funds are sources I’ve heard to be misused by Fire. Items I’ve heard purchased by Fire via the CARES Act is gym equipment and a canoe to name a few. One can only imagine what was happening between Gonzalez, D’Agostino, Ocaranza, and Dennis Redd (Assistant Fire Chief).

The Department of Public Health desperately needs a dedicated health director and health authority.

Please let us know if we can assist you in any other way.

Some suggested names are Mario D’Agostino, Hector Ocaranza, Sara Cera, Ruth Castillo, Miguel Torres, Dennis Redd, Gary Cadd.

Thank you for your time.

City leaders and colleagues,

This item is long overdue, and it’s paramount that it be disseminated. It’s critical that the community’s health ceases to suffer and that the injustice the public health workforce is subjected to is discontinued.

The current trajectory of El Paso’s Department of Public Health (DPH) is deeply concerning. The department is currently on a slippery slope, and the sled is being ushered by an administration that removes anyone who attempts to thwart its
ambitions. What should be troubling to city leaders and the community is how the health department has yet to learn lessons after COVID-19 and is still as underprepared as before March 2020, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps most troubling is the construction of an ivory tower led by Mario D’Agostino and the placing of marionettes to continue this construction unquestioningly and reinforce his stranglehold on public health. DPH is in dire straights and being driven to the ground by health administration.

City leaders, your immediate attention and action are time-sensitive and critical to restoring faith in the health department and providing much-needed aid to a battered workforce that has had enough of dealing with incompetent, apathetic, and lackluster health ‘leadership.’

City representatives, you were elected on the premise of doing what is right, righting wrongs and keeping the city workforce and citizens at the center of your mission. Some citizens will scoff at the naiveté of that previous statement, but this is your opportunity to show otherwise. No blame is being placed on you due to your ignorance, as that wasn’t intentional on your behalf; however, now that you are becoming aware of these issues, it’s strongly encouraged that you move swiftly on the following items. As you mentioned, Mayor Leeser, on December 13th, 2022, Dec 13, “People say it’s a tough decision, but it’s really not. It’s a decision that’s made because we want to make sure we’re doing the best thing for our community” and just how much you and your counterparts believe in that statement will be revealed soon.

It’s important to preface that being disgruntled or just going on a tirade is useless; action is needed, which is the point of this item today. City leaders, this document provides you with reasons why the lack of progress within DPH should be concerning to you and how District City Manager Mario D’Agostino, Interim Health Director Hector Ocaranza, Assistant Health Director Sara Cera, and Deputy Director Ruth Castillo are all vying for power to keep this mismanagement, and for lack of better term circus, afloat. Why DPH desperately needs a dedicated health director, how fiscal and personnel abuse is only deteriorating our workforce’s morale, and how drastic oversight by city leaders is needed to provide shielding from a biased internal HR department is to be presented and brought forth and, unfortunately, that’s just scraping the surface.

Concerns
No Dedicated Health Director

How Hector Ocaranza’s absence and apathy towards the department’s needs prevent DPH from advancing must be brought front and center. Sadly, Ocaranza’s absence isn’t because he’s busy with other pressing matters within the department but because he benefits immensely from double dipping. Ocaranza, Do you believe your $160,000
salary is the best use of taxpayer money? Especially when you work less than 10 hours a week while working full-time at your clinic? Even worse, on your only dedicated day to the office, you only come in until 3 PM? Do you not realize how you are impeding progress within the department by commanding others not to do anything until you’re actually present for once and can sign off? Then, by having the audacity to expect everyone to jump when you’re ready to discuss matters that were given to you months ago? Is a dedicated health director attending to matters brought to their attention
months ago?

You have ridden the COVID-19 train long enough, Ocaranza. Ocaranza, your saving grace is that stakeholders still have an ill-informed perception of your handling of COVID-19. It’s time the public realizes that the Department of Public Health did not learn from the pandemic and is still severely underprepared. Ocaranza, before you try to use the excuse that that’s the purpose of the new infrastructure grant, why do you continue to attempt to use funds for other matters, namely more clinical staff? Ocaranza, if communicable disease surveillance is a critical matter to you, why is our epidemiology department down to a minuscule amount of epidemiologists who are flooded with manual entry for cases day in and day out and have no time to carry out tasks they were hired for? Why would you allow your inattentiveness and dismissiveness towards a seasoned professional such as lead epidemiologist Loretta Hernandez to worsen over time? City leaders, the health department is drastically and disgracefully ill prepared for another disastrous event similar to COVID-19, or even just a simple outbreak of any sort, primarily because of the lack of Ocaranza’s leadership, direction, and guidance.

This is not a personal vendetta, Ocaranza; this is just what’s best for the department, and it’s kindly asked that you hand in your resignation letter, step down, and allow for an impartial search for a dedicated health director. It is not a search to be led by you, D’Agostino, Sara, or Ruth. Most importantly, city leaders need to oversee this process to ensure the best decision for the department is made. It’s paramount this decision not be made by an individual (D’Agostino) just looking to replace you with another yes-man.

Other professionals outside the health department and not even within the healthcare field know who you are and what you all are about Ocaranza, which is not good news. Continuing to have your name, image, and antediluvian mindset connected to the Department of Public Health in any way, shape, or form is very concerning and needs to be brought to the attention of city leaders.

Your absence and poor leadership prevent DPH from prioritizing critical items, such as moving forward with the community needs implementation plan. Your absence and poor leadership provide no guidance to the department and only continue the endless cycle of the department not making progress, all the while you continue collecting a check and sucking at the government teat. Your absence and poor leadership are only leading to exceptional leaders leaving the department in droves and sucking away life from the existing DPH workforce. It’s time that the workforce discontinues being subjected to your antediluvian machismo mindset that attempts to intimidate opposition and critical thinking. Once more, Ocaranza, it’s time you begin thinking about how your resignation and DPH attaining a dedicated and knowledgeable health director will benefit future generations. You’ve done enough damage.

Incompetent Leadership

Most recently, Sara Cera (ex-HIV program manager) and Ruth Castillo (ex-Emergency Preparedness program manager) were handed the positions of Assistant Health Director and Deputy Director, respectively, and questionably.

Ms. Ruth Castillo, you know about the complaints issued to HR about you; you’re well aware of and enjoy your tyrannical-like behavior. Threatening to write up employees because of a family emergency that prevents them from attending your overly booked and poorly managed public events? A real pressing item within DPH is ensuring that we add ‘obedient’ into our employee handbook, right Ruth? Ruth, how do you explain your high turnover rate within the emergency preparedness program before being handed your new position? Why was Gary Cadd pushed out once our previous financial lead began questioning how and why he was being paid a certain way? Why do you operate so covertly, Ruth? It’s understandable to be fearful of others learning just how much you aren’t doing, but what other underhanded activities are you involved in? Ms. Castillo, with all due respect, you won’t win a noble prize by stepping on others. Do you think stepping on others, not holding yourself accountable, and organizing yourself, like a chicken without its cranium, is productive? Ruth, you’re simply on a power trip; it’s about time you be brought down from the ivory tower, re-enter the real world, and take your rose-colored glasses off to not only see the apocalyptic-like mess your unethical behavior has engendered but also how you have changed as an individual over time. Do you like what you see looking back at you? All that is wanted is the best for you, Ruth.

Ms. Sara Cera, the scant amount of conviction you have is revolting. Like Ms. Castillo, you go where the wind blows, hold yourself to no standard, and gladly throw anyone under the bus when something doesn’t go to plan; excellent leadership style. You play nice and do what you’re told to continue collecting your check. That’s fine, but don’t do that in a position with such a wide-ranging impact. Please don’t do that in a position where you’re accountable for 200+ employees and directly impact the lives of these individuals because they are people, Ms. Cera. Ms. Cera, you do great at monitoring the
halls and ensuring people are in their seats, but do you think that makes people respect you more? Don’t you think learning what motivates people and what’s important to them makes others want to work with you? Again, these are people, Ms. Cera. Questioning where somebody is or asking them to justify why they exist within the department is not what great leaders do, Sara. Sadly, El Paso has an assistant health director who is more concerned with what everyone is wearing than the work done within DPH.

Having an absent and double-dipping interim health director causes DPH not to know where it is headed and instead have mindless leadership at the helm, namely Ms. Sara Cera and Ms. Ruth Castillo.

Questionable Use of Funds & Amoral Fiscal Department

Once more, how have two senior financial leads been pushed out, and their complaints about health administration’s behavior and ethics, especially regarding Ocaranza, are nowhere to be seen? Where precisely within the dystopian chain does the truth get squashed if it hasn’t been already by Jesus Ruiz in HR?

And like clockwork, what does health administration do once the opposition is ousted? Even before our previous financial lead was out the door, they already had his position posted and the successor selected, Juan Saenz. Is it just a coincidence that Juan will also now begin overseeing DPH’s newest money pot, a whopping $10 million?

Yes, city leaders, the same grant Ocaranza presented to you at this city council meeting on March 28th.

The presentation begins at 6:39:00.

How is it that a position is suddenly capable of being posted so soon? Is it a coincidence that you now want to rule who’s hired Ocaranza? Being discrete about your abuse of power would be appreciated, but your arrogant and blatant mismanagement only provides further truth to the previous statement: you’ve done enough damage.

Ocaranza, how have you handled Medicaid waiver funds? They’re not just a honeypot to be abused, and now, sadly, your financial mismanagement has only shortened this program’s existence as well. The $75,000 Orwellian-like cameras recently installed in offices, and without any conversation with staff, came from Medicaid waiver funds, did they not? Ocaranza, just because Medicaid waiver funds share characteristics with general funds doesn’t give you the green light to abuse them and use them as you please.

Ocaranza, it’s comical that you presented the department’s new CDC grant to modernize our city concerning public health. It is humorous because everyone knows that Sara, D’Agostino, Ruth, and yourself are all salivating at the mouth at the upfront lump sum and ‘maximum flexibility’ you mentioned. Sadly, as you have demonstrated time after time, you will use this as oxygen to continue fueling your circus rather than accomplish something with these funds. Do you believe this flexibility means you can spend money mindlessly and become infuriated when told otherwise? Ocaranza, your resignation is kindly requested; you’ve done enough damage.

Biased Human Resources Department

Jesus Ruiz, your actions only suggest that you’re already in the administration’s pocket and will do what it takes to cover anything up; that seems to be the central theme across the city, does it not? Human Resources’ purpose extends beyond serving leadership’s interests and silencing opposition. Unfortunately, instances where HR fails to address valid complaints, such as those against individuals like Ruth Castillo and Hector Orcaranza, can indeed tarnish its reputation and contribute to a hostile workplace environment. HR’s true role lies in fostering a positive organizational culture and ensuring employee fairness. This involves a commitment to transparency and accountability by addressing concerns, promoting inclusivity, and upholding The City of El Paso’s organizational values, mission, and success.

Ironically, complaints about HR, namely Jesus Ruiz, need to be reviewed and validated by impartial parties.

Combative PIO Office

Laura Cruz-Acosta, with all due respect, you’re not that delusional that you honestly believe that berating others and shunning them is the key to conflict resolution, are you? Do you know that your continuous display of professional and emotional immaturity accentuates your need to overcompensate and how much of a professional you’re not? Once more, with all due respect, just because you spent four years learning literary devices and refined your skill of utilizing circumlocution to tie a bow on excrement doesn’t give you the right to degrade others. You want progress in the city? Let’s be adults and relax. We all need a reality check occasionally. All that is wanted is the best for you, Laura, but please refrain from degrading our department and staff; all that is wanted is to work together.

Soraya running behind Laura and playing the victim doesn’t do anybody good. It shows what everyone knows: you can’t hold your own and throw around titles when questioned. It’s despicable and shameful. Let’s be adults and begin holding ourselves accountable; only then will progress be made and objectives start being completed.

Abysmal Morale

City leaders are encouraged to question why DPH suffers from such a high turnover rate. Why is it that DPH is one of the few lucky departments now requiring exit interviews, even when the transfer is internal?

What is rotting within the department and causing professionals to leave in droves? The aforementioned individuals are culpable for DPH’s transformation into a soul-crushing working environment.

City leaders are encouraged to validate this document by requesting health
administration provide employee engagement survey results that are to come soon.

Poor Supervision Under D’Agostino

Sadly, DPH isn’t the only ivory tower under construction by D’Agostino. It’s strongly suggested that the pieces being placed by D’Agostino under fire be critiqued and questioned. The placing of high-ranking positions and the questionably fast-rising
brother-in-law of Killings, Daniel Roy, must be questioned. Is the city so down in the gutters that such nepotism is the new norm?

Unfortunately, an individual that remains under the radar is Miguel Torres in Fire. Miguel Torres, do you think you can continue jumping from department to department, making a mess, and not having to answer for anything? DPH is grateful that it’s not subjected to your tyranny anymore. You’re just a professional scheduler and provide no value to any department you’re in, but instead continue to suck from the government teat. You work hard to construct emails that no one reads, and you know that which is why you throw your title around. Your development and best interest are in many hearts. Your next dumpster fire spectacle is indeed sought after.

What’s most disheartening, D’Agostino, is that instead of realizing there’s an issue, you’re just going to cut strings from Ocaranza, Sara, and Ruth, deny any involvement, and go on the prowl to identify new marionettes to continue your shenanigans; and which is why city leaders need to begin moving speedily in identifying a new health director, drastically limiting your involvement in selecting a new health director, and starting to question what you’re working on and motives behind your actions.

Next Steps

You know what you’re doing, Ocaranza; if city leaders don’t learn what to question you on, how can they see anything wrong? Again, your saving grace is your lackluster role during the pandemic.

It’s understandable, city leaders, that you may feel this is too much to chew off. But don’t be discouraged; it’s strongly suggested that you begin holding Ocaranza, Sara Cera, Ruth Castillo, and Mario D’Agostino more accountable by incessantly asking pointed and laser-precise questions. Starting with demanding that Ocaranza and D’Agostino explain why and how the city has yet to find a capable health director and demanding updates from Ocaranza and health leadership on previously mentioned points, such as the implementation plan and efforts towards chronic conditions and mental health. Such efforts will put you front and center of Ocaranza’s squirming and beating around the bush, something you’re already familiar with from January 31st, 2023.

The community health needs presentation begins at 5:06:45

The community health needs presentation ends at 5:31:25

Representative Hernandez begins speaking at 5:31:30. Representative Hernandez, you have great ideas and questions. Ask what progress has been made on any implementation plan or public relations campaign from these findings.

Representative Annello begins speaking at 5:38:15. At 5:39:40, Representative Annello asks you, Ocaranza, a pointed question about rolling out the implementation plan from these findings, and unfortunately, after Brian Ackerman is unable to save you anymore, what’s to follow is what cannot be accepted by city leaders anymore: You proceed to blow hot air for two minutes straight, avoiding the question and only highlighting how much you do not know. Of course, followed by providing no specific timeline, so you’re incapable of being held accountable and/or asked for any follow-up. Again, Ocaranza, your resignation is kindly requested; you’ve done enough damage.

At 5:42:42, that’s a great question, Representative Annello. Whatever did come about ARPA funds? One can only imagine the abuse and mismanagement of such a honeypot and, sadly, how that allowed not only DPH but also Fire and individuals like Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Redd to take advantage of it. It’s almost certain DPH and Fire got a bunch of new toys but failed to utilize the funds for their intended use.

And the city thinks it’s ready for a $50 million workforce grant?

Despite substantial past and current federal funding, the El Paso Health Department remains stagnant, failing to fulfill its essential functions and leaving the community vulnerable.

Ocaranza, not only were you unable to present on the community health assessment, which you know nothing about to this day, but you also failed to answer Representative Annello’s question, and that was intentional because you don’t know what you’re presenting or any work surrounding this area, simply because of your absence and inattentiveness towards the department, its work, and the workforce doing the work you attempt to write off as yours and Sara’s and work that Ruth Castillo wakes up every morning trying to steal as her own.

City representatives should consider your previous presentation, Ocaranza, deceitful and insulting.

City representatives, it may be fruitful for you to ask Ocaranza why and how the city’s only health equity program has been gutted and is now expected to end by the end of this year, especially when the program’s projected time to end was two years from now. So much for health accessibility, right?

City representatives ask Ocaranza about the work being done by our health navigators and educators and his role in making it his mission to shut down their work.

Everyone is encouraged to read the following article: Still No Health Director?

“While we have had several interviews for the position, we have not found a candidate to lead our Public Health Department.” Can it not be agreed upon that the”‘we have not found” should be changed to “we don’t want to find?” There’s a reason you continue looking like you want to fill the already empty health director shoes, D’Agostino. You face no opposition in Ocaranza, and you prefer it that way. Ocaranza will give you no pushback on anything, which is what you like in your subordinates; look at who you’ve placed below you.

City leaders, find the critical foundations of a capable health department here: Foundations of Public Health

City representatives it’s strongly encouraged to ask Ocaranza why and how he expects epidemiology to continue operating in its current capacity, particularly after our ex-lead continuously asked him for assistance and brought epidemiology’s deficiencies to his attention. Then again, isn’t that attentiveness expected from an absent health director who clearly doesn’t prioritize DPH and still benefits from double dipping?

City representatives, it may be helpful to ask Ocaranza what improvements in communicable disease reporting have been made since COVID-19; the short answer is none.

It’s strongly encouraged that you, city leaders, are discontinued to be mistaken as fools, and your lack of awareness surrounding what the health department should be doing needs to stop being taken advantage of by health administration and D’Agostino.

The importance of public health cannot be overstated. It encompasses safeguarding the well-being of communities, managing crises, and ensuring the safety of vital resources like water, air, and food. Despite the established frameworks like the 10 Essential Functions of Public Health Services, the effectiveness of local health departments, like El Paso’s, can be hindered by leadership shortcomings. Ocaranza’s tenure exemplifies that inadequate leadership can lead to chaos and stagnation.

City representatives ask health administration to review their recent exit interviews and see if what is said in them aligns with this document. Ask health administration to review the results of the coming employee satisfaction survey to see if what is shown aligns with what is stated in this document.

Interim City Manager Cary Westin

Regarding your recent decision not to serve as the active city manager, how much of your decision was influenced by learning how deep gray areas run? Did learning how tall Tommy Gonzalez’s ivory tower and the city’s long treacherous vines dissuade you from stepping in? This is not an affront but an acknowledgment, and thank you for not wanting to be complicit in what is.

The City of El Paso is aiming for a $50 million workforce development grant. Who will overlook this $50 million grant? Is the city ready to handle such a grant when its departments conduct themselves as they do? Are the funds just to be used again to lessen the load on business magnates and continue business welfare? Or are the funds to continue funding inflated paychecks across the city and throwing scraps at citizens? Namely, call centers and up-scale service-based jobs.

It makes one think: If this egregious lack of oversight occurs under D’Agostino and Ocaranza, where else is it happening within the district city manager level and throughout the city? Where are the city’s other Saras, Ocaranzas, Ruths, and
D’Agostinos? This isn’t painting with a broad brush; this is just simply not being naive.

As highlighted in the well-known parable “The Emperor has No Clothes,” pointing out the evident truth is difficult, especially when many fear the repercussions. This is the reason the El Paso community has a fatalistic mindset when it comes to city
government; instead of putting brains together and solving community issues, individuals are more concerned with who’s going to get credit for what, step on each other to vie for more power, and continue collecting questionably-sized paychecks at the expense of the taxpayer. What integrity is there in attaining success at the cost of hurting others? To balance out the naïveté of the previous statement, yes, that is life, but let that success be attained meritocratically and not through nepotism or the perverting of titles. Unfortunately, those in power fell to the temptation of becoming a sycophant
and yes-men, sadly at the taxpayer’s expense, and what dignity is left if you’ve become what you were once fighting?

Individuals making $200k+ and 100k+ have the audacity to remain tone-deaf and so far removed from reality that they forget the average El Pasoan makes under 50k and is barely scraping by. It’s important to put things into context. While these wealthy sycophants continue their substance-less discussions, El Pasoans continue to struggle to make ends meet and ensure they have enough money for gas and groceries to live. Where and how are citizens and the city workforce advocated for? Unfortunately, as average citizens are more preoccupied with figuring out how to stretch their paychecks, their inability to focus on city management is despicably taken advantage of.

Col. Westin, your attention to this matter is critical to DPH not continuing down its treacherous path, and your response will indeed be watched by the city.

Closing Remarks

The purpose of this document is to break down any facades, inspire others to stand up for what is right, speak out against wrongdoing and unethical behavior, no matter the cost, and begin breaking cycles that plague this city. Juan Saenz, you’re on everyone’s radar, and it’s strongly encouraged that any circumvention be called out and reported. Juan, being a yes-man doesn’t make others respect you.

Jesus Ruiz, given your history background, you know that history is bound to repeat itself; do you think you’re doing any good by abetting wrongdoing by squashing genuine concerns surrounding health administration?

If all these items are from disgruntlement, why doesn’t DPH share exit interviews with city leaders? Or have they been burned, buried, and shattered into a million pieces before seeing daylight?

When did the mission stop being about the community and instead turn into becoming a sycophant that awaits their turn?

The floor is open for refuting central points. Unfortunately, health ’leadership’ cannot provide counterarguments or refutations and instead resorts to weightless tactics such as responding to tone or ad hominem attacks. It’s time Hector Ocaranza’s resignation is kindly requested so that the community and DPH stop suffering under his lack of leadership.

As mentioned at the beginning of this document, DPH is in dire straights, and health ‘leadership’ continues to nosedive the burning plane; any monetary surplus isn’t going to correct the plane’s path but instead delay the inevitable. An actual and dedicated health director alongside a supportive administration and being critical of D’Agostino’s stranglehold on public health is the only way to safely abandon our current plane and begin constructing a more robust plane for the future.

Power is in numbers, and health leadership must begin being questioned and held accountable. Not righting a wrong only allows cycles to continue and heinous acts to be continuously carried out. It’s encouraged to peacefully and respectfully circumvent administration to reach city leaders if concerns are disregarded. It’s encouraged to begin productively clamoring for a dedicated health director, not just a health director to be vetted and placed by Sara, Ocaranza, Ruth, and D’Agostino. Another yes-man isn’t needed. How is it logical for Ocaranza to even be in the interview for choosing his replacement? We need a dedicated and competent health director who can lead us out of this dark hole mindlessly dug by D’Agostino, Ocaranza, Sara Cera, Ruth Castillo, and Miguel Torres. Productive clamoring and questioning whether DPH’s Assistant Health Director, Sara Cera, is competent enough to lead us and not just go where the wind blows must commence. Lastly, it’s encouraged that Ms. Ruth Castillo be shown for who she is by anybody who’s ever been impacted by her conniving nature. Sadly, one would think HR could be relied upon, but Jesus Ruiz cannot be trusted.

For all El Paso mayoral candidates, Hector Ocaranza is an issue, and it is mission critical that he be brought forth to justify his pay increase and extension contract. It is time for Ocaranza and D’Agostino to be brought forth and to answer why a dedicated health director hasn’t been found. It’s time for Ocaranza to provide concrete evidence of what substantial items HE has accomplished since COVID-19, not accomplishments done by others and which he attempts to write off as his own; what original thoughts is he capable of having? Additionally, it’s highly suggested that D’Agostino be brought forth and have his supervisory capabilities questioned.