The city of Española has narrowed its city-attorney search to six finalists.
A selection committee comprised of Mayor Joseph Maestas, Acting City Manager Veronica Albin and Human Resources Director Jeanie Brito interviewed the finalists Jan. 22 and 28. The six interviewees were:
• assistant Santa Fe city attorney Anne Lovely • former Taos town and county attorney Dennis Manzanares
• former chief deputy district attorney AJ Salazar
• former Clovis assistant district attorney Val Ann Van Buren
• former state Appeals Court judge Ira Robinson
• private attorney and former Democratic congressional candidate Rudy Martin
Robinson retired from the Appeals Court in September 2008 under an agreement with the state Judicial Standards Commission, which was investigating him at the time. Martin is an Española-based private attorney and the only applicant with a publicly available disciplinary record.
Martin had unintentionally mishandled client funds and failed to keep proper financial records, court documents state. His law license was suspended in 1999 and reinstated in 2004.
Brito said she selected the finalists based on their experience with employment law, particularly in the areas of collective bargaining with unions and personnel issues.
“I’m looking at it as this is what we need,” Brito said.
Because the city attorney is an appointed position, Maestas makes the ultimate decision on whom to nominate. His nominee must then be approved by the City Council.