Torrance County commissioners hold closed session on county manager position; report no action taken

Torrance County Board of Commissioners Chairman Ryan Schwebach called the Sept. 5, 2024, special meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. and moved the board into a closed executive session to discuss filling the county manager position.

"Calls the September 5, 2024, Special Commission Meeting to order at 9:05 AM," Chairman Ryan Schwebach said at the start of the meeting. Schwebach then made a motion to enter executive session, which Vice Chair Kevin McCall seconded. A roll call vote recorded Commissioners Schwebach, McCall and Samuel Schropp as voting in favor; the commission carried the motion and began its closed session at 9:06 a.m.

The executive session was held pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 10-15-1(H)(2), the statute cited in the meeting materials for limited personnel discussions. The transcript and clerk's minutes show the topic under discussion was the process for filling the county manager position; details of the closed session discussion were not disclosed in open session.

The board returned to open session at 1:20 p.m. and, according to Chairman Schwebach, "Back in session at 1:20 pm Chairman Schwebach stated that there was no action taken." That statement indicates the commission made no formal appointment, vote or directive that became part of the public record during the meeting.

The board announced its next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 11, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting video is available on the Torrance County website. The commission did not provide additional public details about the county manager hiring timeline or next steps at the Sept. 5 meeting.