Cloudcroft Reader:
Is the council open to a question from the press?
Mayor, can we ask a question?
Mayor King:
Sure.
Cloudcroft Reader:
Setting aside the money for a minute,
A question we hear from the community often is about the staff turnover and about
the hiring process.
What can you tell us about the interview process with these candidates?
Did any of you actually meet or interview these candidates?
Did any of you actually meet or interview these candidates and who recommended them?
Trustee Maynard:
I did not.
Trustee Foster:
I did not.
Cloudcroft Reader:
You did not?
One of the candidates said you did.
So that candidate is mistaken.
Trustee Foster:
I set up an interview panel that was comprised of Mr. Mondragon, who is an ex-chief of police. Mr. Darren Hooker, Counselor Darren Hooker from Ruidoso, who is also an ex-chief of police. Robin Cook from the high school or the elementary school, who is not with the school anymore.
And then Officer Mitchell from the Otero County Sheriff's Office set in on those
Cloudcroft Reader:
So as I understand it, that group interviewed both the current chief and one of these candidates.
They unanimously suggested the police chief be hired.
But you did not go back to that group and ask them about their opinion on the other
candidate for this position.
Is that accurate?
Trustee Foster:
They gave a recommendation in their letters to the mayor of each of the candidates.
Cloudcroft Reader:
For this position.
Trustee Foster:
Yes.
Cloudcroft Reader:
Okay, and you can give us a letter showing us that.
Have you shared it with the other trustees?
Trustee Foster:
It was sent to the… it was in the interview process,
so everything that was done in that room has to stay in that room.
Cloudcroft Reader:
Okay,
I just spoke to one of these candidates a minute ago outside,
and he was quite open about it.
I think you all are aware that he was terminated from his position earlier this year.
And are you concerned about that?
I mean, you're talking about background check.
Is that the kind of thing a background check looks at?
Why were you terminated?
Why does that not factor into us hiring you here?
So the question I think the community wants to know is, how have you vetted these people?
Who actually has talked to them?
And is there any concern?
Mayor King:
She just said she gave you four names of the people that were in the interview with.
Cloudcroft Reader:
so I have other people that were in that group that said they gave no opinion about
this candidate for the deputy position.
Cloudcroft Reader:
So somebody is misunderstanding that.
Trustee Foster:
Right,
Cloudcroft Reader:
but they were never asked about, is he fit for that position?
And that when they interviewed him,
it might have been for the disclosure about his termination of the other job.
I'm just wondering how thoroughly you actually vet these people.
Did you share it with the other trustees?
Trustee Foster
Yes, and I also shared it with the interview panel.
I also put out my feelers, which I will not tell you who it was.
I had numerous people check on his background and check officers that he worked for.
He was on a panel for less than a year.
And in my opinion, I won't give my opinion.
I checked all over the state of New Mexico with different officers that worked with
him, worked under him, and everybody gave a glowing review.
Cloudcroft Reader:
Didn't the police chief officer association vote no confidence in him?
Trustee Foster (turning to Mayor King):
Didn’t he ask for just one question?
Cloudcroft Reader:
I mean, look, it's going to come out.
We're going to talk about this.
So why don't we just talk about it now?
Mayor King:
Okay.
Cloudcroft Reader:
Didn't he get a vote of no confidence by the Police Chief Officer association?
And you overlooked that?
That didn't matter to you?
Trustee Foster:
I’m not answering any more questions.
Cloudcroft Reader:
I'm just curious.
So this is what we're just curious about.
What is the process in which you've vetted (candidates).
I'm just curious about, we just let one officer go.
Now you've got some other officers you're bringing in that you haven't even met.
Trustee Foster:
And is there a motion on the table to approve them as of right now?
Trustee Maynard:
There was a motion to not approve at this price.
Trustee Foster:
Well, honestly, at this time, I'm not comfortable making a decision.
based on the salary, just because I would like to have the whole number.
I would like to know how the whole number with salary benefits,
what we project, what our schedule is going to look like,
what the chief is going to put together for a schedule,
and how many hours we foresee them working every pay period so that I can see the
whole economic breakdown of it in regarding our budget.
Trustee Maynard:
Do you want to amend my motion, or do you want my motion?
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