The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners finalized the details of Scott Andrews' contract in less than an hour during a Monday morning meeting.
Dressed in more casual clothing than their normal business attire, the board’s short meeting began and briefly fell into closed session before a unanimous vote confirmed a $220,000 contract.
After a seven-month search, the county hired Andrews on a 4-1 vote on Aug 13. The search involved a hired firm and several community meetings where county residents could meet and question the finalists. That process also allowed commissioners to observe how the finalists handled the public.
Ultimately, Andrews beat out another municipal executive from the southern U.S. and two qualified local officials. So, what pushed him over the top?
Interviews with four of the five commissioners reflected a shared belief that Andrews is an innovative and capable bureaucrat who can bring new ideas to the county. Specifically, the commissioners expect Andrews to be a boon to the county’s economic development efforts and to create a more robust government.
“He was the individual that stood out to me as being able to help the county realize its economic development possibilities, as well as its bonding capacity for these large capital projects within our county that we're really looking at bettering the lives, health, safety and welfare of our constituents and our residents,” said Commission-Chair Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez.
Andrews will leave Bakersfield, Calif., where he served as an assistant city manager and oversaw human resources, finance, parks and recreation, information technology services, economic development, community relations and risk management.
Before that, Andrews served three and a half years as city manager in Covington, Ga., and over two years as assistant city administrator in Smyrna, Ga.
Schaljo-Hernandez said that Andrews not only touted his experience but translated it for the commissioners, expressing how he could perform similar efforts in Doña Ana County.
“He always tied everything back to our county, and I think that's what I was looking for. I don't want to know your qualifications. You wouldn't be here today if you weren't qualified in the commissioners' minds. Now, you need to bring your skill set forward. And he did that every single time,” Schaljo-Hernandez said.
Despite his qualifications and experiences, Andrews has notably fewer connections to Doña Ana County than at least two of the other candidates.
Stephen Lopez, the interim county manager, and Barbara Bencomo, the city of Las Cruces' chief administrative officer, both highlighted their knowledge of local politics and issues in their pitches for the county post. The previous county manager, Fernando Macias, also boasted deep ties to the local community. The commission moved on from Macias after seven years after Macias and the commission could not agree on a contract.
Each of those three could have leveraged local ties and had historical knowledge that any outsider lacks. That dynamic was on the mind of all the commissioners who spoke with the Bulletin.
“I think it did come into play because of that very reason,” said Commissioner Manuel Sanchez. “You had Stephen Lopez, who was already very familiar with the teams at the county. Barbara Bencomo already knows a lot of local players, all the legislators, the people there in the city of Las Cruces, and so on.”
But for Sanchez and nearly all the other commissioners, it came down to Andrews’ experience and potential and his effort to cover that knowledge gap by reaching out to local leaders.
“I think what really also stood out about Scott and what I heard from people reaching out to me is that he did his homework. He was calling people in the community, trying to understand us better,” Sanchez said.
The local vs. non-local dynamic did lead to one commissioner voting against Andrews.
Shannon Reynolds, who never shies from opposing a proposal he finds problematic, was the lone vote against Andrews. He said his opposition did not reflect concerns over Andrews' resume and potential.
“I think Scott Andrews is a good decision. I don't think it's a bad decision,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds said that he believes turnover at the executive level comes with a loss. Experience, institutional knowledge and productivity are victims of leadership transition, he said.
"If we think about the time to ramp up with one of the other candidates, a local candidate, it might have been shorter than what it might be with Scott Andrews,” Reynolds said. “And for that reason, if I were to say Scott or one of our local candidates, for me, it was kind of a toss-up.”
Reynolds did not divulge who he would have preferred in the role, saying that he did not want to jeopardize the integrity of the process.
But he said that this person’s local knowledge would have given them a head start – or at least shortened the time required for the new manager to begin fulfilling the commissioners’ expectations.
Still, Reynolds never suggested he found Andrews to be a lackluster finalist. Like his commission colleagues, Reynolds said Andrews would be a boon for economic development.
“He has a lot of experience in that area and has been fairly successful at it,” Reynolds said, noting the role Andrews played in wooing the Atlanta Braves to move out of downtown Atlanta starting in 2013 to Smyrna, Ga, where Andrews was an assistant city administrator. “That's an example of his ability to actually get involved in a large project and actually make a difference.”
While Andrews may not have the same local ties as the other finalists, Commissioner Susana Chaparro said Bakersfield and Doña Ana County have a few things in common.
Chaparro said Bakersfield boasts a sizable Hispanic community and also struggles with poverty and lack of housing access – two of the most significant issues noted in the county’s 2024 strategic plan.
Chaparro also said she feels that Andrews brings a creative streak into his work.
“I just thought he was so innovative,” she said.
The Bulletin also reached out to Commissioner Diana Murillo. After arranging a time to speak via phone, Murillo did not respond to calls from the Bulletin.
Andrews’ first day will be Oct. 7.
