LAS CRUCES — The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to terminate the employment contract of County Manager Scott Andrews, effective immediately.
County officials said Andrews was terminated “without cause” and will receive six months of salary under the terms of his employment contract and a signed separation agreement. The county did not announce a specific reason for the decision or name an interim replacement.
A termination “without cause” does not mean the commission formally found that Andrews committed misconduct or violated his contract. Rather, it means the board used a provision in his individual employment agreement allowing it to end the relationship without making or proving a specific allegation. The severance payment is part of that agreement.
Andrews was a contract employee appointed directly by the commission, rather than a regular county employee covered by the county’s personnel system. He was appointed Aug. 13, 2024, after a national selection process and began work as county manager on Oct. 7, 2024. His initial contract carried an annual salary of $220,000, along with additional benefits and terms.
Before joining Doña Ana County, Andrews brought more than 21 years of public-sector administrative experience. He had served as assistant city manager in Bakersfield, California, city manager in Covington, Georgia, and in leadership positions with the cities of Smyrna, Georgia, and Temple Terrace, Florida. His background included economic development, community relations and municipal modernization.
His tenure in Doña Ana County unfolded during a period of public attention and criticism involving county operations. A state special audit released in May identified systemic concerns involving governance, internal controls, operational effectiveness and accountability. The audit reviewed county operations over a period that began before Andrews took office.
Andrews and other county leadership also faced criticism over the handling of Project Jupiter agreements, including questions about transparency and the use of nondisclosure agreements during negotiations. In May, commissioners publicly expressed frustration after county staff withdrew a proposed emergency health-care contract for the Doña Ana County Detention Center without a finalized replacement proposal.
The county did not cite the audit, Project Jupiter, detention-center contracting or any other matter as the reason for Tuesday’s termination. No allegations were included in the county’s announcement.
The Board of Commissioners said it will begin determining its next steps for county leadership and will provide additional information as it becomes available.
by: John Krehbiel – Bravo Mic Communications News, LLC – John@bravomic.com
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