Lovington commission approves advertising for assistant city manager position after edits to posting

The Lovington City Commission voted to authorize staff to advertise an assistant city manager position, approving Resolution 2026-073 after discussion about the job description, benefits language and where to post the vacancy.

Commissioners spent the bulk of the special session reviewing a draft job announcement and the accompanying job description. Staff confirmed the city maintains an active 401a retirement plan and advised commissioners to avoid specifying a plan type that could be inaccurate in the posted announcement. Commissioners agreed to reference the city’s employment requirements in the application rather than listing every routine condition (for example, valid driver’s license, background check and drug test), which the city will address through its handbook and application materials.

On qualifications, commissioners debated whether to require three or five years of relevant experience. To avoid excluding candidates from smaller jurisdictions or those with broader duties, the commission agreed that the posting would state a range of "3 to 5 years" of experience. Salary guidance discussed during the meeting centered on regional comparators; commissioners settled on a starting figure of about $75,000 “plus depending on experience,” with staff noting the initial applicant response will determine whether the range needs adjustment.

The commission also discussed whether the posting should mention access to a city vehicle as a recruitment perk. Members emphasized any vehicle would need to be appropriate for fieldwork (for example, water-department access) and suggested that staff could initially assign an existing fleet vehicle if needed; no change to the announcement text was required before advertising.

Staff agreed to place the position announcement in the Lovington Leader and the Hobbs paper and to post the opening online (including Indeed). Commissioners noted the initial advertisement window would be short (about 9–11 days), and staff said the posting could be refiled or amended if sufficient qualified applicants were not received.

A motion to approve advertising the assistant city manager position as Resolution 2026-073 was made and seconded. Recorded votes in favor included Commissioner Rodriguez, Commissioner Perry, Commissioner Roman and Mayor Rogers; the motion passed and staff were authorized to publish the announcement. Earlier in the meeting the commission also adopted minutes from its June 8, 2026 meeting.

With no further business, the commission adjourned.