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Canutillo ISD plans leadership transition; Socorro to start free on-demand rides for residents [1]

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Date: 2025-05-23

This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.

CISD Superintendent to Serve Through July, Transition to Advisor Role

Canutillo Independent School District Superintendent Pedro Galaviz, who is retiring in December, will remain in his role through July and then transition to an emeritus status under which he’ll serve as an adviser while the district transitions to a new leader.

Canutillo ISD Superintendent Pedro Galaviz

The Canutillo ISD Board of Trustees on Tuesday unanimously accepted Galaviz’s retirement notice, effective Dec. 31. The board also voted unanimously to authorize legal counsel and board President Armando Rodriguez to finalize the details of Galaviz’s retirement. No timeline was set to finalize those details, which will include any compensation during his adviser role or payouts as he leaves years before his contract ends.

Galaviz is paid $207,000 a year under his contract, which was set to end in June 2029. The contract stipulates that he would be paid six months salary if he resigns with more than a year remaining in his contract.

Trustees will discuss the superintendent search Tuesday, when they may select candidates to interview. The interim superintendent will begin duties Aug. 1.

Starting Aug. 1, Galaviz will “advise, train, and support an interim superintendent” and collaborate with the board through the end of the year, a news release states. From January to June 2026, he’ll remain available to the district as needed to support its leadership team.

Read More Canutillo ISD Superintendent Pedro Galaviz to retire with $100,000 payout; board meeting moved to May 20 Superintendent Pedro Galaviz will retire as Canutillo ISD braces for teacher layoffs, salary cuts and a $2.3 million deficit amid political tensions and stalled state education funding.

The board will hire a search firm to find a permanent replacement for Galaviz, who has served as superintendent for 13 years.

Galaviz in an interview with El Paso Matters last week cited the current political climate as the reason for his departure, saying the board didn’t have expertise in running a multi-million-dollar budget. In a statement Tuesday, he said serving as superintendent has been the honor of his life.

“This community embraced me and my family from the moment we arrived,” he said. “Canutillo has become our home, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to lead and grow alongside our students, educators, and families.”

City of Socorro to Implement On-Call Transportation for Residents

The city of Socorro is looking to implement a free on-call, on-demand transportation system for residents starting July 1, when it will no longer have public bus service through the El Paso Transportation Authority.

Using American Rescue Plan Act funds, the city of Socorro is buying eight electric vehicles for its public fleet, which will allow residents to call and request a ride at no cost to them, city spokesman Victor Reta said. The program is part of the city’s Socorro ¡Avanzando! Plan that assessed transit services and needs in the community – but is not a ride-share program and is not an app, he said.

Reta said the Socorro City Council will meet next week to vote whether to approve the final plan.

“They’re not going to be left without (transportation) service,” Reta said about Socorro residents. He said news conferences and public meetings are planned for the coming weeks to inform the community about the new service.

The Socorro City Council last year voted against joining the El Paso Transportation Authority that provides public transit services to rural areas within El Paso County. Municipalities are required to join the transportation authority to have buses pick up and drop off passengers within their boundaries. The buses will still drive existing routes through Socorro, but will not stop to pick up or drop off passengers.

El Paso County Commissioner Jackie Butler, chair of the authority, on Instagram Wednesday said there was still time for the city of Socorro to reverse the decision “and protect access for residents who rely on these rides for work, school and medical care. Public transportation is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.”

The transportation authority is having a public meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 4, at the Sergio Troncoso Library, 9321 Alameda Ave., to provide information about the bus services that will end in Socorro.

Consultant to Review Animal Services Programs

The city has hired an independent consultant to evaluate El Paso Animal Services operations.

Taz, 3, has spent more than 400 days at El Paso Animal Services. The pup is seen here at the Mission Valley Adoption Center, 9068 Socorro Road, May 5, 2025. (Courtesy El Paso Animal Services)

Shelter Savvy, LLC, an independent consultant based in Auburn, Georgia, will conduct a review of programs and services, identify service gaps, evaluate community impact and provide recommendations where improvements are needed, according to a city news release.

The city is paying the consultant $40,000.

The evaluation will follow National Animal Care and Control Association and Association of Shelter Veterinarians standards and best practices.

“Although El Paso Animal Services has undergone independent reviews in the past, the most recent shelter assessment was completed in 2021,” Terry Kebschull, director of El Paso Animal Services, said in the news release. “The field of animal welfare continues to evolve, and it is essential that our programs, services, and operations keep pace with industry best practices.”

More than 3,400 dogs and cats were in Animal Services care – including in all its shelters and in foster care – at the end of April, according to the latest monthly report. The department reported a live release rate of 84% and a euthanasia rate of nearly 11% in April.

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[1] Url: https://elpasomatters.org/2025/05/23/el-paso-news-canutillo-isd-galaviz-socorro-bus-service-animal-shelter/

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