BOISE, Idaho — The City of Nampa on Tuesday announced it has hired a "lifetime Nampa native" to run the former Hispanic Cultural Center building at 315 Stampede Drive.
Jose DeLeon has been hired as the facilities manager for the building and will be responsible for managing and overseeing operations, contracts, events, scheduling and coordination, the city said. His first day on the job will be on Feb. 5.
"I am a native Nampan, born into a farmworker and agricultural background with roots in the community," DeLeon said. "I believe my professional career path has prepared me for this position and I look forward to serving the Hispanic/Latino community to the best of my abilities."
The city said DeLeon has 16 years in public service, formally worked for the Idaho Department of Labor, and spent two years at the Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
A spokesperson for the city said the job opening was listed in December 2023, and DeLeon was chosen out of the applicants.
"[DeLeon] is already a well-known and respected member of the Hispanic community and will be a tremendous asset to the facility and its future in this role. There is a lot of work to be done," Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling said.
As KTVB previously reported, in July 2023, the City of Nampa took possession of the building when it issued a complaint in December 2022 outlining the city's concerns about the condition of the building.
The city said it received complaints from leadership that the building was not being used much, and the current management allowed the building to "fall in disrepair" and "failed to deliver the services to the Hispanic community."
Former president Humberto Fuentes also said the allegations are not true and that anywhere from 100-150 people use the building every month.
A judge turned the building over to the city in May after the complaint was filed. The nonprofit had 42 days to respond, but Fuentes said their lawyers made a mistake and never did.
While it seemed sudden to Fuentes, Kling said they did not make the decision lightly. The city has leased the building to the nonprofit for $1 every year since 2002.
Kling said no matter what happens, the city will keep the building within the Latino and Hispanic community.
Fuentes said they still plan on fighting this in court, accusing the city of abusing its power.
For the current state of the Hispanic Cultural Center, the city said, "it is our hope that with Jose's leadership and guidance from the soon-to-be-formed Nampa Community & Cultural Advisory Group, the former Hispanic Cultural Center will once again be a thriving and resourceful location for the entire community."
The city is anticipating announcing members of its Nampa Community & Cultural Advisory board sometime in February.
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