Public raises conflict‑of‑interest concerns about Lucero review; Supervisor Hall rejects recusal

During the public comment period, a Zoom participant alleged that County Administrative Officer Deborah Lucero’s scheduled performance review may have been influenced by negative remarks made during Supervisor Mimi Hall’s campaign and urged the board to exclude Hall from closed‑session discussions about Lucero’s employment.

The caller asked the board to ensure that any performance evaluations are based on objective criteria rather than political or personal bias and requested that Hall be excluded from closed sessions because of an alleged conflict of interest. The caller also emphasized Lucero’s role in achieving a balanced budget and urged fair recognition of that work.

Supervisor Mimi Hall, speaking from the dais, responded directly to the caller’s assertions. Hall said she stands for fairness and equity, that she would not recuse herself from matters unless legally required, and that she supports impartial evaluation processes. Hall described using a 360‑degree evaluation when she previously served as a department head and said she is open to impartial review mechanisms.

County staff and board members acknowledged the need for transparent processes on personnel matters and reiterated legal constraints about what the board can discuss in open session. No formal direction or action on the review process was taken at the meeting; closed‑session items on personnel were noted on the agenda and later reported as having no reportable action.