Española Fire Department Assistant Chief John Wickersham is back on duty after being placed on administrative leave on May 14.
He announced his return in a social media post on May 30. He wrote that he received an official written reprimand and that he will not file a grievance to challenge the City of Española’s decision.
Wickersham did not respond to a message seeking comment about his return to work.
“With the fiscal year ending and so much important work ahead, I believe this is the best move for the City and the fire department,” he wrote in his social media post.
Mayor John Ramon Vigil placed Wickersham on administrative leave after the public release of a February memo from the Española Police Department. The memo, written by Sgt. Adrian Martinez, outlines a series of events that happened after the arrest of former city finance director April Moya’s nephew.
According to the memo, Wickersham contacted arresting Officer Andrew O’Hara to inform him that the man he arrested is related to Moya. The memo also states that Wickersham told O’Hara that then-city manager, and current special projects coordinator, Eric Lujan questioned whether the arrest occurred within city limits.
Public left waiting
The community had a strong reaction to the city’s decision to place Wickersham on leave.
During the May 27 city council meeting, the council moved public comment from its usual spot near the top of the agenda. It eventually occurred about fours hours later, after the council conducted independent performance evaluations for four appointed officials in consecutive closed executive sessions.
The council took longest with Lujan’s evaluation. It voted to accept his settlement agreement, allowing him to voluntarily resign his position as city manager, take on the newly created role of special projects coordinator and continue to receive the same salary.
Several people waited hours to speak directly to council about Wickersham.
Jacob Torres, a local scientist and horticulturalist, said he had never been so shaken than he was that night, watching what occurred at the meeting because the government was not prioritizing and listening to its constituents and employees.
Employees do so much for the city and put their lives at risk, and as leaders, it was their job to take care of them, Torres said.
“Before you put somebody on administrative leave like John (Wickersham) there should be adequate notice to give him an opportunity to stand up for himself before you put him on administrative leave, before we put his name out as somebody who isn’t doing well,” Torres said.
Richard Martinez spoke in support of the city’s decision to place Wickersham on leave. He is the father of Police Department Sgt. Cody Martinez.
“Doing the right thing is probably the hardest thing you’ll ever do,” Richard Martinez said to the council. “You had every right to do what you do with John. Why? To protect him and to protect yourself.”
When someone breaks the law, there should be no calls, intimidation tactics or influence tactics used to try and change a situation, he said.