Most of us learn it at an early age but some people never learn it: Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
It’s a crucial distinction. Understanding it – and adopting it as a principle of personal and professional decision-making – is crucial to maturing and evolving as a human being.
For a leader, particularly an elected official, it is especially important.
Unfortunately, it’s a distinction that seems to have eluded Española’s 27-year-old Mayor John Ramon Vigil. His philosophy seems to be, “If you can do something, why not go ahead and do it?”
And so, because he could, Mayor Vigil appointed Johnny Martinez as the city’s fire chief, without consulting the city council or involving council members in the vetting process (if there even was a vetting process). Martinez had been serving as interim chief since April.
Our story on the appointment appears in today’s newspaper. It outlines the complaint from City Councilwoman Denise Benavidez that other candidates for the job should have been interviewed by council members. At one time there were at least 15 applicants for the job and Vigil had previously established a five-person transition team for the express purpose of interviewing job candidates for the city.
Candidates for city manager and police chief, in fact, were interviewed before a final decision was made. But not this time, not for fire chief.
This is not the first time Vigil has chosen a city department head without engaging the city council in the process of interviewing candidates. He also appointed Debbie Garcia as city clerk without allowing council members to interview her. He is awaiting final approval from the council on her hiring.
This is a dangerous precedent for Española, a city notorious for behind-the-scenes political shenanigans and patronage. It’s bad for our reputation, which has suffered locally and throughout the state for years as a result of political skullduggery.
Arrogance and poor judgment are not the exclusive province of the young, of course, but Mayor Vigil’s relative youth and inexperience were a concern when he defeated incumbent Javier Sánchez in March. Sánchez was known for being thoughtful and deliberate in his decisions and management style.
Explaining his decision to appoint Martinez, Vigil is quoted as saying, “Ultimately, the council needs to understand that I chose that process (not involving the city council) with some of our positions, but state statute authorizes the mayor to make decisions.”
We get it. He could, so he did. This is where the dichotomy of “can” and “should” cross swords.
Decisions like this add fuel to the fire of critics who say Vigil appears impulsive and non-inclusive in his decision-making. In appointing Martinez, he bypassed Assistant Fire Chief John Wickersham, who was among the few interviewed by the transition team but not the council.
Wickersham believes he was not hired because he supported Sanchez in the mayoral race.
The Rio Grande Sun has for several weeks been criticizing the Rio Arriba County Board of Commissioners for lack of transparency, pointing out that recent meetings and decisions fail the test of open government, of exposing the public’s business to the sunshine of transparent deliberations and decision-making.
Now, the city appears headed in the same direction.
Citizens need to rise up, attend meetings, complain. Española’s reputation needs to be improved and the principles of open government both demanded and defended.
There’s something to be said for handing the reins of power to younger generations as they emerge in positions of influence and leadership. But a leader who abuses power, who does something not because it’s the responsible thing to do but because he can, is a potential menace – at any age.
We’re willing to cut this young mayor some slack because he’s new at the job and inexperienced in the art and business of governing. We can forgive, if not condone, some bad decisions if they are made in good faith. But we cannot forgive arrogance and total disregard for the ramifications of his actions. We cannot forgive an elected official, a man who works for the people of Española, for brushing off a bad decision by saying, in effect, it’s nobody’s business but his because the law allows him to do it. That is unacceptable.
At this point, his decision-making can be the result of many influences. One would be he grew up in a city and system where political favors have been doled out like candy. Two would be that at his young age he does not know better. Inexperience. Three would be he simply disrespects his city council and the taxpayers.
The first two he can grow out of if he wants. The last one is totally unacceptable.
We like youth in leadership. It’s a must today and in the history of the world youth has not been a detriment to leadership.
We can all hope the grows into the job. There is historic precedent although in many cases going as far back as King Tut, where child kings were just that-kings. They were lords over their empires but Mayor of Española is not meant to be a monarchy.
But youth is no barrier to great leadership.
Take for instance King Tut, who is credited with solid sense and described as “The most famous child monarch in the world … the 11th Pharaoh of the 18th Egyptian dynasty was Tutankhamun.” He was one day shy of 10 years old when he became king.
His rule was praised as he actually fixed a government his father had left in shatters, overturning many of his father’s decisions.
There have been other successes.
Take for instance in Uganda.
Rukirabasaija Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, King Oyo, is thereigning Omukama of Tooro, in Uganda.
He was crowned king when he was three years old. The coronation was, if nothing else, regal and also hilarious. The child king played with a toy truck, took off his hat (crown), and walked off the stage before the ceremony ended. At 30 years old today he is credited with the reputation of a respected leader who has been good for his country.
If Vigil’s decisions come from political and governing immaturity let’s hope he is fast learner. We can’t wait until he’s 30.
We can all hope that Vigil quickly grows into the job and accepts his responsibilities as a leader, elected by the people to conduct their business and represent their interests.
And we all can, and should, hope that he quickly learns the difference between can and should. Most of us learn it at an early age but some people never learn it: Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.