April 15, 2015 VOLU M E 5 0 | I S S UE 1 5 | 7 5 ¢
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Search continues for new town manager Professional recruiter to select candidates for consideration By Jennifer Cunningham
Contributing writer
The Monument Board of Trustees voted Monday, April 6, not to hire the sole remaining candidate from an initial search to fill the town manager position. This position is now held by the Town Treasurer Pam Smith. “I have been the town manager since January of 2013. At that time Monica Harder was named the town treasurer. Monica quit without notice at the end of August 2014 and at that time, I took over both positions. I am currently the town manager and Interim town treasurer, until the town manager position is filled, then I will resume full duties of the town treasurer. The town has never been without a manager,” Smith said. In January of this year, a selection committee was formed consisting of Smith, the town clerk, previous mayor Travis Easton, the current mayor, Rafael Dominguez, and one additional trustee to find a replacement. More than 60 candidates were whittled down to a pool of three. One candidate declined further consideration based on non-reimbursement of travel expenses. After a “meet and greet” for the finalists on March 14, another candidate withdrew his name from consideration leaving the single candidate, Tara Marshall, of Trinidad. In a 5 to
Pam Smith (right), acting as both Town Treasurer and Town Manager, reviews a list of professional recruiting companies the town will solicit for proposals. Town Attorney, Gary Shupp (left), provided significant guidance during the special meeting held Wednesday night. Photo by Jennifer Cunningham 2 vote, Marshall was not selected for the position. Trustees Tooley and Kaiser voted in favor of Marshall. The process will start over, this time with the use of a professional recruiter. In a special session called for Wednesday night, April 8, five trustees established a timeline to hire a recruiter and make a final candidate selection. A list of 22 recruiting companies will be given until April 20 to submit proposals. The board has imposed a May 4
deadline for awarding a contract. The date established to have a new town manger selected is June 30. The cost for this proposal will be paid from a professional services line item in the town budget. The anticipated cost will range from $10,000 to $20,000. This cost does not include the resources invested in the initial search done in-house. At the start of the April 8 special meeting, a motion was made by Trustee
Bornstein to have Smith made solely town treasurer, leaving the town manager position vacant until the new hire arrives. Four trustees voted in favor of the motion, with Dominguez opposing. According to Town Attorney Gary Shupp, the motion could not be addressed based on ordinances governing special meetings. Instead, the motion will be added to the agenda for the April 20 board of trustees meeting.
Former office manager hired as public information officer Woman has been employed by the district since 2003 POSTAL ADDRESS
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P LE A S E R ECYC L E T H I S C O PY
By Danny Summers
dsummers@coloradocommunitymedia.com Lewis-Palmer School District 38 didn’t have to look far to find its new public information officer. Julie Stephen, who was appointed to the position on an interim bases in February, was officially hired last month. She replaces Robin Adair, who resigned to take a job with the El Paso County Office of Emergency Management. “We’re still in a transition period,” Stephen said. “Things will settle down this summer.” Stephen has been employed by the district since 2003. She worked at Lewis-Palmer High School in several capacities until moving over to the district’s administrative building — known more as “Big Red” — in 2012. While at Lewis-Palmer High School, Stephen was a copy clerk, assistant to the assistant principals and part-time health clerk before serving the majority of her time there as the principal’s secretary and office manager. Stephen has worked as an administrative specialist the last three years under the direction of Sheila Beving (the director of curriculum) and Lori Benton (the director of assessment). “Julie has a passion for learning and loves our district,” Benton said. “She will be a great addition to or communication staff. “She lives in the community. She’s involved in the community, and she understands what it takes to be successful.” Stephen interviewed for the PIO position in mid-March. She was hired for the position by district superintendent Karen Brofft and assistant superintendent Cheryl Wangeman. Stephen has a 30-year-old son, James, who graduated from Lewis-Palmer in 2003 and now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. She earned her degree in communications from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 2013. “I took the scenic route to getting my degree,” Stephen said with the smile. Stephen will handle the PIO job and her administrative assistant position under Beving
Julie Stephen has been hired as the new District 38 public information officer. She has been employed by the district since 2003. Photo by Danny Summers and Benton until her replacement is hired. “We’re all trying to do what has to be done during this time of transition,” Stephen said. Stephen is not being thrown to the wolves during this time of transition. She is receiving consulting from Academy District 20 PIO Nanette Anderson — who helped write the job description — as well as support from Adair. “Robin and Nanette have been great with brainstorming and support,” Stephen said. Stephen is also part of the district’s crisis management team that is overseen by Erik Wall, the facility manager at Palmer Ridge High
School. The program is under the umbrella of Wangeman. “My role in that is communicating out appropriately, but it’s a team effort, and the district’s strategic plan informs us all as to how that is done,” Stephen said. Stephen is an accomplished photographer, displaying some her work in her office among other places. “I am having a lot of fun on Instagram and other sites,” Stephen said. “If I see something cool and pretty, I like to shoot it. “It’s an avenue I am constantly exploring.”