By Brian Wright | Casa Grande Dispatch
Pinal County supervisors used a somewhat convoluted process to decide whom to offer the job as county manager at their Wednesday meeting.
In the end, Stuart Ed, currently the general services director for the city of El Paso, Texas, was chosen from a field of four finalists to replace Fritz Behring. In an executive session, supervisors narrowed the list of four to two finalists — Ed and Greg Stanley, Pinal County’s interim county manager. Supervisors first said they would enter into contract negotiations with both men.
But, after brief deliberation by the board, the supervisors made a unanimous vote to offer the job to Ed (pronounced eed) even though he wasn’t the first choice of every supervisor.
Board Vice Chairman Anthony Smith of Maricopa initially moved to enter into contract negotiations with Ed. Smith, Chairman Steve Miller of Casa Grande and Pete Rios of Dudleyville voted yes; Todd House of Apache Junction and Cheryl Chase of San Tan Valley voted no.
Chase said she voted no because she felt Stanley was the best person for the job.
The finalists who were eliminated Wednesday were Dena Diorio, assistant county manager in Mecklenburg County, N.C., and Sandi Wilson, deputy county manager in Maricopa County.
“We had four excellent candidates,” Chase said. “This is a very, very tough moment, but I totally support Greg.”
