A candidate was not selected to fill the vacant seat on the Navajo County Board of Supervisors, but a process to interview the 19 qualified candidates was approved and interviews will be held on Oct. 14, with a possible selection made on that day. The vacancy was created by the resignation of Sylvia Allen, who represented District III, to run for the Arizona Senate.
Approximately eight of the candidates were present at the special board meeting held on Sept. 30. Supervisor David Tenney noted that a total of 20 applications were submitted, but one was not a registered Republican as required.
Supervisor David Tenney noted that he was asked by Chairman Jesse Thompson to create a process for filling the vacancy.
Candidates meeting the requirements include Amber Hill, Bill Elkins, Charalie Ann Perkins, Dale Call, David Smith, Hunter Lewis, Itasca C. Small, Jason E. Whiting, Joel N. Lawson Jr., Jon Saline, Kerry Ballard, LaRee Price, Paul Hatch, Robert M. Baum, Ronald Smith, Sheila L. Russell, Thomas Poscharsky, Vincent R. Farr and Wade Carlisle.
“We have a number of well-qualified candidates,” Tenney said.
He proposed that the candidates submit answers to a series of essay questions for board members to review, and that the top five candidates be asked back for interviews. The board unanimously approved the suggested process, which Tenney noted was approved by the county attorney’s office.
Candidates will have until Oct. 3 to submit their answers to questions regarding leadership and budgeting experience, public land management, creating partnerships and the role of county government. Supervisors will individually review the answers and then submit their top five candidate choices to the clerk of the board by Oct. 9. Finance Director James Menlove will then calculate the results to determine the top five candidates receiving the most interest from board members. Those five candidates will be asked to complete interviews.
Following the regular board meeting on Oct. 14, the board will interview the top five candidates. Once interviews are completed, the board may either select a candidate to fill the vacant position, or “determine the appropriate course of action.”
Thompson noted that he believes the selection process has been made as fair as possible.
“We are trying to be as fair as we can,” he said. “We want you (the candidate) to know you are being considered as highly as anyone.”
Tenney thanked the applicants for their interest.
“It’s exciting to me to have so many people interested in serving,” he said. “We have a good pool of candidates. Thank you for your willingness to serve.”
