Española City Councilor Phillip Chacon publicly lobbied for two positions after he was elected to the Council March 4 — the mayor pro tem position and a spot on the city’s Public Safety Committee. By the end of his first meeting as a Councilor March 20, Chacon received neither appointment.
While many city officials worried about Chacon’s temper going into the Council’s organizational meeting, those expecting fireworks were left disappointed as Chacon stayed quiet for most of the meeting.
He was especially quiet during the Council’s vote for mayor pro tem.
Before the meeting, Chacon sent an email to the Council and city staff laying out his argument for the mayor pro tem position, despite serving on the city’s governing body for two weeks at that point. Chacon wrote he was aware of his inexperience and notoriety, but was reading “none stop” about city procedure and was starting efforts to make amends.
“I am hopeful that this whole public blemish and my breach in constitutional rights will play no role in your appointments,” he wrote. “Just for the record I have apologized to the chief. For the record I have some top ranking attorney’s seeking me out but at this point my intent is not to sue for money.”
The Council made their vote count, but did not stand with Chacon as they unanimously voted Pedro Valdez into the mayor pro tem position.
The debate over the Council’s second-in-command began with a speech from former mayor pro tem Dennis Salazar.
In a surprise move, Salazar instead nominated Valdez for the position.
As Lucero’s top ally on the Council, Valdez was previously nominated for the mayor pro tem position by Lucero, before the Council turned to Salazar in 2012.
Multiple city officials cited his status as a retiree as being an attractive reason to vote Valdez in as mayor pro tem.
“Pedro’s retired, so he has all sorts of time on his hands,” Lucero said.
City manager search underway
While Lucero’s appointments of the city’s exempt employees didn’t bring any surprises — interim city manager Joe Duran, City Attorneys Frank Coppler and A.J. Salazar, Public Safety Director Eric Garcia and City Clerk Tessa Jo Mascareñas were all overwhelmingly reconfirmed — it did bring news for the city manager position.
Lucero said a new city manager position is being advertised — a position that hasn’t been filled full-time since former city manager James Luján was fired in 2012.
Councilor Peggy Martinez said she was concerned over the length of time it would take to hire a new city manager and asked Lucero for a timeline.
“My concern we ratify this appointment and poor Joe (Duran) stays here for two more years,” Martinez said.
Another point of contention during the meeting was the appointment of Garcia, who was a part of the complaints Chacon filed against the Española Police Department.
Any conflict was avoided when Chacon said he would abstain from voting. After Lucero said Garcia was confirmed with a 7-0 vote with one abstention, Det. Solomon Romero led the audience in a round of applause.
Committee
appointments
Chacon also struck out in his attempt to sit on the Public Safety Committee.
The Council unanimously approved a Public Safety Committee comprised of Chairman Cory Lewis, along with Dennis Salazar, Martinez and Radosevich filling out the rest of the committee.
Chacon asked Lucero if he could join the committee after his claims with the police department were resolved.
Lucero said the most participation Chacon could have is as a member of the audience.
The committee members that were appointed set their meetings for 6 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month.
Lucero also appointed the members of the city’s three other committees:
• Chacon received an appointment to the Public Works Committee.
He will be joined by holdovers Hernandez and Valdez, who will also serve as the committee chairman, and newcomer Ortiz.
Meetings will be at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month.
• The councilors that comprise the Public Works Committee were also appointed to the Finance Committee, this time with Hernandez acting as chairman. Meetings will be the third Thursday of the month.
• Rounding out the committee appointments was the Community Services Committee. Chaired by Radosevich, Martinez, Lewis and Valdez will also serve on the committee.
They scheduled their meetings for the third Thursday of every month.
• The schedule for Council meetings stayed the same — 6 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Mascareñas said notice of the meetings would be posted five days before each meeting at the Española Senior Center, the Richard Lucero Center, the U.S. Post Office on Fairview Lane and Center Market.
Board appointments
The Planning and Zoning Commission remained the same with one key difference. Lucero said former commissioner Julie Atencio declined her renomination after she retired from the workforce and wanted to take a break from the Commission.
Nominated in her place was Los Alamos Commerce and Business Advisor Audrey Garduño, who joins Chairwoman Anissa Martinez, Vice Chair Erle Wright and Commissioners Dick Beaudoin, Clyde Vigil, Amrit Khalsa and John Ricci on the Commission.
After Chacon asked if he could attend Commission meetings, Lucero advised against it, saying even if he were to sit quietly, he risked engaging in ex-parte communication. Chacon attended the Feb. 13 Commission meeting when he was still a candidate for his District 2 Council seat.
Also dealing with a slight change in membership was the Library Board. Due to the death of former governor and Board member David Cargo, Northern New Mexico College Professor David Lindblom was nominated to join the Board. Chairman Daniel Roybal and Board members Olivama Martinez, Elizabeth Romero, Maria Elena Salazar, Beaulah Sandoval and John Ramon Vigil.
Multiple councilors were also appointed by Lucero to various boards and organizations.
• Dennis Salazar was reappointed to the North Central Regional Transit District Board of Directors, where he currently serves as interim treasurer. Hernandez replaced Peggy Martinez as Salazar’s alternate designee.
• Valdez was also reappointed to the North Central Solid Waste Authority Board of Directors. Duran remained Valdez’s alternate.
• Per tradition, the police chief and city manager were assigned to the E-911 Board and Duran and Garcia were duly appointed.
• Lucero appointed herself to Boards of the New Mexico Implementation Team and the Regional Coalition of Los Alamos National Laboratory Communities. For her alternates, Lucero appointed Salazar and Radosevich, respectively.
• Lucero moved the Lodger’s Tax Board appointments to the next Council meeting. The Board is currently comprised of Marlo Martinez, JoAnn Casados and Pete Valdez.