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Thursday, March 13, 2008

Stearley Fires Two Town Officials

By Lee Ross
Mountain View Telegraph
    Edgewood's new mayor wasted no time making changes, firing both the town administrator and public works director.
    "I have dismissed both Jeff Condrey and Raymond Dennis, pending the council's concurrence," Edgewood Mayor Robert Stearley said. "My determination is that they were not a good fit for this administration."
    Stearley also pointed out that, when administrations change, reorganization of the staff is common.
    Further, Stearley said, his decision is not a reflection on the two men's performances. When pressed for further details about his decision, Stearley declined to comment.
    In Condrey's absence, Stearley appointed himself acting town administrator, he said.
    Condrey was hired as the town's administrator in 2006, and Dennis was brought on as public works director last month.
    When asked about his priorities as mayor, Stearley said there are many, but specifically mentioned the budget, which is due in June.
    Condrey said he had planned on reviewing the budget at the March 19 council meeting.
    "It's unfortunate that municipal elections are scheduled at the time they are," he said.
    Condrey also said he and Stearley were congenial with each other and thanked those he'd work with as administrator, as well as those he knew through his role. He added that he will likely stay in Edgewood if another job does not take him elsewhere.
    Condrey pointed out that town staff, such as administrators, could play a useful role in bridging administrations and bringing continuity to town projects.
    "For some reason, in New Mexico, it doesn't seem to work that way," he said.
    Stearley said he may end up doing a bit of work on the town budget.
    The mayor also acknowledged that, before the election, he publicly questioned the need for an engineer to fill the role of public works director for a town of Edgewood's size.
    Dennis said there is a role in the town for an engineer.
    "There is a sizable and a growing list of projects and items that someone can take care of," he said.
    As examples of jobs an engineer might do, he mentioned road construction, annexations, subdivisions and the town's sewage plant, which is expected to be operating by the end of the year.
    Dennis added that as public works director he was able to get a few jobs done relatively quickly, such as an easement and a plat needed as part of an effort to get phone service to the town's new Police Department.
    "Just how they will handle it from here on, I have no idea," he said, pointing out that, being retired, he was not adversely affected personally. "I didn't need the job."
    Karen Mahalick, the town's planning and development director, said the change may mean more work for her, however.
    "I'm back to where I was, but I don't have an (outside) engineer under contract," she said.
    Stearley said in his new organizational chart he still has a box— marked vacant— for a public works director.
    "What we'll do in the future, I don't know. This is only my second day on the job," Stearley said in an interview Wednesday.