BernCo commissioners postpone resolution on county manager selection process
BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – Bernalillo County commissioners voted 3 to 2 to defer consideration on a resolution about the county manager selection policy and process. The details of the process are set to be discussed at the next meeting on April 9.
District 2 County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada created and placed the resolution on Tuesday’s agenda that initiates and outlines the process of selecting a new county manager. This comes as County Manager Julie Morgas Baca is set to retire at the end of June after being appointed to the position in 2015.
County Commission Chair and District 1 Commissioner Barbara Baca requested and voted in favor of the deferral at Tuesday’s meeting. “Our point here is that we don’t want to rush this very important decision. I feel that there is a need, for as a group, we need to arrive at a consensus for this important process,” Baca said.
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District 5 Commissioner Eric Olivas also voted in favor of the deferral and agreed with Baca by saying that he felt it was important for all county commissioners to get involved in the resolution creation process. “It’s more important that we get this right than we get this rushed,” he said. Olivas also added that he wants to hear from the community and county staff on what they think of the resolution.
District 3 Commissioner Adriann Barboa also voted for the deferral. Before the vote, she mentioned that the county manager hired an outside individual to gather feedback from county staff in multiple departments. The process is expected to wrap up soon, and the comments gathered through the interviews can be factored into the county manager selection process, Barboa explained.
Quezada and District 4 Commissioner Walt Benson voted against the deferral of the resolution. Benson expressed concern with the deferral given that there are about three months left before Morgas Baca retires. “The urgency is there, so I do support moving forward with this. Fleshing it out as a resolution I think is fair enough, but I do support moving forward with this,” Benson said.
Quezada expressed disappointment with the decision. “Delaying and deferring the selection process for a new county manager is disappointing, undermines transparency, and deprives the community of the opportunity for adequate discussion and consideration of candidates,” Quezada stated in a news release.
The meeting agenda and live stream of the next county commissioners meeting will be available online here.
