BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

The agenda for Tuesday evening’s Los Alamos County Council meeting includes an agenda item that states, “Approval of County Manager’s Recommendation to remove Brian Brogan as the Community Services Department Director, and to terminate his employment with Los Alamos County”.

Agenda back-up information indicates that the “Los Alamos County Charter gives the authority to the County Manager to appoint suspend or remove a department head but only with the formal approval of Council.

The Los Alamos Reporter learned earlier this week that Brogan had been placed on administrative leave pending the Council decision. An agenda item for the Council’s closed session prior to the regular Council meeting states “Discussion of Limited Personnel Matters – Community Services Director”.

Brogan came to work as for the County in January 2017, taking charge of the library system, parks and recreation, open space and cultural services. There were some indications that he was at odds with County personnel including former golf course manager Sam Logan who filed a suit against the County in October 2018 alleging a violation of the New Mexico Whistleblower Act. The suit alleged that “theft, abuse of position and power were totally disregarded by Los Alamos County regarding”  Brogan. A pre-trial conference is scheduled in that case in First Judicial District Court in June 2020.

At the Parks and Recreation Board meeting Oct. 10, chair Stephanie Nakhleh made public her dissatisfaction with the communication between the board and County staff.  At the outset of the meeting, Nakhleh said she wanted to note that the published agenda differed somewhat from the agenda she put forward. She noted that communications were “kind of broken down with staff”.

She indicated the agendas had not been what she requested for a couple of months.

“I’m tired of the unpleasant surprises when I open up the agenda,” Nakhleh said at the meeting.