On Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) named a sole finalist for the county manager position — Loginos Gonzalez Jr., from Colorado Springs.
The board had two agenda items relating to the county manager position on its Oct. 7 agenda.
The first was for an executive session for personnel matters “in order to discuss the two finalists for the County Manager position.”
Following that was a new business item for the selection of a new county manager, with the agenda explaining, “This agenda item is for the Board to have discussions regarding the two finalists for the County Manager position, to possibly select one of the two finalists for the County Manager position, and to select one Commissioner to be the lead negotiator to negotiate the employment agreement with the selected individual.”
Prior to entering into executive session, Commissioner Warren Brown explained that the meeting’s agenda stated the county had named two finalists for the position, but clarified that “we have not formally named any finalists.”
Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(3.5) states in part, “The state or local public body shall name one or more candidates as finalists for the position of chief executive officer. The state or local public body shall make public the finalist or finalists under consideration for the position of chief executive officer no later than fourteen days prior to appointing or employing a finalist to fill the position. No offer of appointment or employment shall be made prior to this public notice.”
Brown motioned for the BoCC to enter an executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel matters and potential selection of finalists, which was unanimously approved by the BoCC.
All members of the BoCC, Interim County Manager Mike Torres and County Attorney Cathleen Giovannini entered into the executive session that lasted for approximately 10 minutes before the regular meeting was reconvened.
Commissioner Veronica Medina then opened the floor for a motion, with Commissioner John Ranson motioning for Gonzalez Jr. to be named as the sole finalist and for Brown to serve as the employment contract negotiator, “and that no offer shall be made prior to the 14-day” statutory requirement.
Ranson’s motion was unanimously approved.
According to Gonzalez’s resume, he is a retired Air Force lieutenant general and served as a county commissioner for El Paso County from January 2017 to January 2025.
Gonzalez has a Bachelor of Science in political science from the United States Air Force Academy and master’s in science education from Florida International University. He also has a doctor of education degree from American International Theism University, according to his resume.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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