CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Friday night the city announced the passing of Public Works Director Richard Martinez.
Martinez had been a part of municipal operations since January of last year. During his tenure with the city, Martinez managed to gain many accomplishments.
This included a program to rehabilitate city streets, develop a street sweeping program and consolidate storm water functions.
Mayor Paulette Guajardo credits Martinez with being an impactful leader in the coastal community.
“Richard was a transformational leader in moving forward progress for our streets department and our city owes him a sincere debt of gratitude,” Guajardo said.
Martinez was also viewed as a lovable friend and colleague by his peers. Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni saw Martinez as more than just a department head.
“We looked at Richard not as a department head but as a lovable friend. He was someone everyone wanted to engage with,” Zanoni said.
Funeral services for Martinez are currently pending.