Scott Andrews, an assistant city manager of Bakersfield, Calif., was chosen by Doña Ana County commissioners on Tuesday to serve as the next county manager.
During a board meeting on Aug. 13, commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a $220,000 contract to Andrews. For comparison, the city of Las Cruces agreed to pay their current city manager $216,000 after a search earlier this year. Shannon Reynolds was the lone vote against Andrews’ contract but did not note the reason for his opposition in brief comments following the vote.
The terms and conditions of the contract will have to be finalized by a board vote later, but Tuesday’s vote effectively ends the search, which began after the board voted to part ways with County Manager Fernando Macias in February.
“We are thrilled to announce the selection of a candidate who we believe will not only bring dynamic leadership but also an infusion of fresh, innovative ideas to Doña Ana County,” Commission Chair Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez said in a news release.
“Our mission was to find someone who could propel the County's goals forward while ensuring that our residents thrive and continue to enjoy a good quality of life. After a thorough and transparent process, we are excited to share that Scott Andrews, Ed.D. is our choice to lead Doña Ana County into a bright and promising future.”
Even as the board picked another candidate, Commissioner Susana Chaparro used the opportunity to thank interim County Manager Stephen Lopez for his work as the stopgap manager since February.
“Stephen, you’ve been awesome. You have stepped into the role as interim County Manager, and you did it very quickly, and you just saved us,” Chaparro said, a sentiment echoed by others on the board.
Lopez and Andrews were two of four candidates chosen as finalists by the board during a months-long search. The board also interviewed Barbara Bencomo, a long-time city of Las Cruces official, and Mark Tyner, a recently retired county administrator in Calhoun County, Ala.
But it was Andrews who won the day.
At his current job in Bakersfield, Andrews oversees human resources, finance, parks and recreation, information technology services, economic development, community relations and risk management.
According to the county, his prior experience includes another three and a half years as city manager in Covington, Ga., and over two years as assistant city administrator in Smyrna, Ga.
Additional public sector executive experience includes three years as economic development director in Sugar Hill, Ga.
Andrews has a Bachelor of Science in business from the University of South Florida/Univ. of Phoenix, a Master’s in public administration from Strayer University, and a doctorate in education from Argosy University.
During a presentation to the board and the public before his hiring, Andrews said he was excited to help the county implement its strategic plan.
“That’s really exciting to me,” he said. “It's one of the few things you get to do throughout your career that really puts your fingerprints on a community.”
Andrews said plans like this are guiding documents to reference regularly, not to be left on the shelf to collect dust.
“It's our playbook. It's what we use to get us by,” he said.
The commissioners approved the strategic plan in November 2023. It is a guiding document that emphasizes supporting residents' basic needs as a path toward economic and social prosperity.
Andrews also said he’d start his new gig by reviewing the work done so far, and he’d consider shuffling the departments, planning a yearly “State of the County” address, entrenching himself in community organizations and improving the county’s messaging.
“The game plan is in place,” he said.
