Job description for deputy city manager approved
Jan. 27—In an unusual move, the Santa Fe City Council approved a job description for the vacant deputy city manager position Wednesday, clearing the path to hire a second in command for the city manager's office.
The council voted 7-2 to approve the job description, which newly appointed City Manager John Blair said is being crafted to focus on internal city functions and management from within the city manager's office. District 3 Councilors Chris Rivera and Lee Garcia voted against the description.
The council usually doesn't vote to approve job descriptions, but according to the ordinance governing the city manager position, Blair has 60 days to present a deputy city manager job description to the council for approval.
"The goal of hiring a city manager is about expanding the capacity of City Hall to do the work of running the city," Blair said. "The proactive work of adopting new policy to improve the city we live in."
A salary has not been budgeted, city Finance Director Mary McCoy said.
The council late last year revived conversation about funding a chief of staff position, which was intended as administrative support for the city manager. Those discussions shifted to filling the deputy city manager position, per the city charter.
Blair, who was appointed Jan. 12, told the council Wednesday he envisioned the position focusing on internal functions including human resources, finance and the city budget.
"There are a number of really big projects with a number of department directors who are working their tails off to do it," he said. "They are at capacity as well. It is really about having someone who can be the gas in the car and make these things go."
Blair said he doesn't have any candidate in mind, and the job will be posted the same as any other at-will job.
While the evening's discussion was supposed to center around approving the job description, much of the discussion turned toward whether the city needed the position.
Councilor Chris Rivera questioned whether Blair, with just two weeks in office, had been on the job long enough to determine the need for a deputy.
"I think you want us and the public to determine that in two weeks you are overworked; is that correct?" he asked.
Blair replied that he "loved" the job and believed he was being mischaracterized.
"Its not just two weeks; I have been thinking about this position since before I was hired," he said. "The previous city manager found some value in it, there have been some consensus that there is value for this position."
Blair said he surveyed the nine largest cities in New Mexico as well as Los Alamos County and found all but the city of Hobbs have at least one deputy city manager.
Councilors Renee Villarreal and Michael Garcia both urged the city to review the governmental structures of the municipalities used as a comparison.
"I think we need to have a healthier internal ecosystem, and we are not there yet," she said. "I am hoping that with a deputy, that is where we are leading."
Blair challenged any suggestion the city was administratively top-heavy.
"In my short two weeks, I would stress to you how false that is," Blair said. "The sheer volume of things that are on my plate every day is extensive, exhaustive and not sustainable for one person to do."
Brian Snyder, who Webber inherited as his first city manager, had a deputy city manager before exiting the position.
The position was vacant under former City Manager Jarel LaPan Hill, who did almost hire someone for the job.
The city position, however, was one of many frozen due to the coronavirus pandemic.
LaPan Hill last week said she "100 percent" supported the need for additional help in the city manager's office.
Councilor Carol Romero-Wirth said she considered the position a step toward professionalizing and modernizing Santa Fe government.
"We have got to get rid of this outdated thinking and we have to make the case to help people understand why these middle-management positions are really important to move the city forward," she said.
