Herrera named new city manager
Council makes choice in special meeting

By Zsombor Peter
Staff Writer

GALLUP — As the only city manager finalist who showed up for the council's special meeting this morning, CNET co-owner Gerry Herrera's presence proved a reliable omen for what came next.

After a few quick words behind closed the doors, the City Council voted unanimously minus Pat Butler, who was out of town to elect Herrera Gallup's new city manager. Mayor Harry Mendoza said he would start today, at an annual salary of $85,000. Councilman Allen Landavazo made the motion to hire Herrera. John Azua offered a second.

Asked about his preference for Herrera, Mendoza noted "his experience, his education, his ties to the community, his ability to get along with people."

Herrera graduated from Gallup High School and went on to earn an engineering degree, although Mendoza said he did not know in which particular discipline of the field. He's owned a local computer service company CNET with wife Patty Herrera for the past 12 years.

Backroom talk of Herrera's move to City Hall started well before he submitted his application with 11 others. Mendoza voiced his preference for his friend and campaign supporter weeks ago, and even suggested skipping the application process. The city, as it turned out, had to solicit applications because of an employment discrimination lawsuit it settled with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2004. But with Councilors Azua and Bill Nechero openly backing Mendoza's choice before hand, what followed felt more like a formality.

The Herreras were outspoken supporters of Mendoza during March's mayoral race. Patty Herrera paid for radio spots on Mendoza's behalf and even urged the council to scrap a state-mandated runoff when he narrowly failed to secure enough votes for an outright win in the general election.

Mendoza, however, denied that Herrera's nomination was a political favor for his support. The mayor said he had over a hundred "passionate" supporters during the race.

"(The Herreras) weren't the only ones," he said.

Mendoza and Landavazo interviewed Herrera and the two other finalists for the job, Malcolm Curley and Claudia Klesert, Wednesday morning. Butler, who has been on the council long enough to see a number of city managers come and go, said the city usually convenes at least a quorum of the council to conduct interviews for the manager's position.

"I would try to get at least a quorum of the council in on this if not the full council. But I don't think waiting a week will make a difference because the outcome is predetermined," he said during a phone interview just before the council meeting.

"It might not be too ethical," he said, to have only two councilors conduct the interviews, "but it's legal."

When the council elected Eric Honeyfield to the job four years ago, it organized a daylong "assessment center" that vetted five finalists through three or four separate committees, according to former Assistant City Manager Larry Binkley. He said some 15 people, including the full council, were involved in the process.

But Mendoza has few kind words for the last administration, including its decision to hire Honeyfield, who he's blamed for the "wrong direction" Gallup has taken over recent years.

Mendoza said the council explicitly decided to have only two of its members conduct the interviews this time around, although he could not remember where or when.

Honeyfield stepped down June 11 at the request of the mayor, who said he had enough council support to vote him out if he refused. Public Works Director Stan Henderson has been filling in.