Bernalillo County commissioners are pressing the issue of how much authority they have over staff hiring for elected officials. They’ll be discussing the issue again Tuesday, in a second closed session before their regular meeting.
After a closed meeting Thursday, the board authorized County Attorney Ken Martinez to proceed with certain steps toward resolving the issue. The motion authorizing the actions did not specify what those steps will be. The agenda from the first meeting stated commissioners would discuss “restrictions on employment and appointment after leaving office.”
Commission Chair Barbara Baca asked for the first special meeting after newly elected treasurer Tim Eichenberg hired former county clerk Linda Stover as his deputy.
Stover was sworn in Jan. 1, the day after her term as clerk ended.
Commissioners in December voted to keep in place a one-year “cooling-off period” in the county’s code of conduct for former elected officials before they can accept employment or consulting work with the county.
Eichenberg hired Stover anyway, arguing state law permits him to choose his deputy regardless of any restriction from commissioners.
Baca and Vice Chair Eric Olivas disputed that assertion and said the special meeting would help clarify the issue.
Olivas told CityDesk ABQ Thursday’s meeting consisted of a lot of thoughtful discussion of options available to commissioners. He declined to go further, as the caucus covered pending litigation and personnel issues.
He said major decisions on a strategy will likely be made in Tuesday’s closed meeting.
“We have to discuss the best course of action for the Board of Commissioners,” he said. “But also for our taxpayers and our public trust.”