Cochise County supervisors send recorder applicants notification, set interviews after executive session

The Cochise County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 12 met in a special session to review applicants for the Cochise County Recorder position and, after an executive session, directed staff to notify applicants and publish the names of candidates scheduled for interviews.

The board convened in the Supervisor's Executive Conference Room at 1415 Melody Lane and opened the meeting by noting that the agenda item was to discuss candidates who had submitted letters of interest for the county recorder position and recommendations for interview. The board then moved into an executive session authorized under Arizona law to consider applicants for public office; minutes and discussion in executive session were disclosed as confidential during the meeting.

All three supervisors — Supervisor Crosby (District 1), Supervisor Gomez (District 2) and Supervisor Antonori (District 3) — were present in person. The board announced staff attendees for the executive session, including clerical and county legal and human-resources staff. The board entered executive session at about 10:02 a.m. and returned to open session at about 10:46 a.m.

After the executive session, Supervisor Crosby moved that staff be directed to notify the recorder applicants "as discussed to determine continued interest and publish names of those scheduled for interviews." The motion was seconded and passed on a 3-0 voice vote. The minutes record that "the staff will execute as directed." No additional action or appointments were made at the open meeting.

The board cited state executive-session authority when moving into closed session. The meeting record notes that the public could view the meeting by Microsoft Teams or phone, and that executive-session minutes and discussion would be kept confidential as allowed by statute.

The action advances the county's process for filling the Cochise County Recorder vacancy by confirming which applicants remain interested and by setting a subset of candidates to be publicly listed for interview scheduling. The board did not announce dates for interviews or name which applicants would be scheduled at the time of the vote.

Meeting participants named in the record included supervisory members Crosby, Gomez and Antonori; clerk Lowenheim; County Attorney Correa; human-resources staff Jennifer Graham; and staff members Gilman, Stevens, Casey and Jane Montgomery. The board adjourned after directing staff to proceed with notifications and publication of interview schedules.