Bernalillo County commissioners will be deciding later this month on a contract to formalize Cindy Chavez as the next county manager.
If commissioners approve the contract at their meeting next week, Chavez will take the reins on Nov. 13. The board voted in June to offer the position to Chavez, currently a member of the Santa Clara County (California) Board of Supervisors.
In a press release Tuesday, the county announced that it had successfully negotiated a contract with Chavez to bring to the commission. Shirley Ragin, deputy county manager for finance, has been interim county manager since Julie Morgas Baca retired at the end of June.
Chavez, born in Alamogordo, has family members who live in the East Mountains. She was selected after a national search and a forum at which three finalists presented their outlooks to commissioners and the community.
County spokesperson Tia Bland did not discuss terms of the proposed contract, including items such as the length of the pact or Chavez’s potential salary. She said the proposed agreement will be published with the final meeting agenda, which is expected to be posted Friday.
How we got here
The completed contract negotiations signal an end to the sometimes-contentious process that started in April with Morgas Baca announcing her retirement. That process included a quarrel over how the commission assembled a search committee.
The New Mexico Department of Justice later found that the commission violated the state’s open-meetings law by discussing possible search committee members through phone and email communications outside of scheduled meetings and without notifying the public.
Commissioners rectified the violation by ratifying the previous actions at an acrimonious special meeting, at which Vice Chair Eric Olivas accused Commissioners Steven Michael Quezada and Walt Benson of not taking the search seriously and Benson in turn saying he and Quezada were insulted for questioning the legality of the board’s actions.
About the new manager
Chavez served two terms on the San Jose City Council and was a candidate in the 2022 San Jose mayoral election. She also chairs the board of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from San José State University and began her public service career as a policy analyst in Santa Clara County.
Chavez has served on the board of the San Jose Redevelopment Agency and was the executive director of Working Partnerships USA and the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council.
During the finalist forum, she said the supervisor district she represents also has significant ethnic and economic diversity.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
WHEN: 5 p.m. Aug. 27
WHERE: Ken Sanchez Commission Chambers in BernalilloCounty@Alvarado Square, 415 Silver Ave SW
VIRTUAL: GOV-TV, on the county’s website or on Bernalillo County’s YouTube channel
“I am humbled and excited to have the opportunity to serve the Bernalillo County community,” Chavez said in Tuesday’s news release. “Joining a team of dedicated and talented staff under the energetic and thoughtful leadership of the county commissioners is an honor.”
Before the vote to select Chavez, Commission Chair Barbara Baca touted her understanding of New Mexico and her leadership skills. In the release, Baca again expressed enthusiasm about Chavez directing the county’s roughly 2,800 employees.
“Her extensive experience in public administration and proven leadership abilities make her an ideal fit to guide our county into the future,” Baca said. “Cindy has hands-on experience addressing important issues such as transportation, housing, and public health in the diverse city of San Jose. This expertise will serve Bernalillo County well as we work to tackle those same issues to enhance the quality of life for our community.”