Did anyone read the resumés?

BY MARÍA EUGENIA GUERRA

Let me get this straight. Webb County has a deputy director of Human Resources, but it doesn’t have a Human Resources Department. Ta bueno, lo que tú me digas.

What were the Commissioners thinking when they named Paul de la Peña to the $69,000 per year directorship of Management Information Systems?
Though well educated (BA, Major in Political Science / Minor in Music and Sociology; and a Masters in Public Administration in International Political Economics), de la Peña’s background is in teaching, fundraising, politics, church events, singing (tenor), and drama productions.
His resumé, which by oversight I am certain, states he currently works for LareDOS as a “PR/Journalist” who does “field reporting and photography, civic and social events, including articles about the environment, politics, and current events, ad sales and design, and public relations.” He does not. He last worked in our office more than a year ago.
That digression aside, however, there were candidates for MIS director that far outstripped de la Peña’s qualifications. De la Peña’s references to his experience with computers, programming, and networking are marginal in comparison to what other candidates stated about their use and understanding of computers and networks and their experience in those realms.
Good choices might have been applicant H. Rene García, an instructor and an experienced installer and networker; Ignacio Tomás Gutierrez, a much respected computer expert who builds web pages and has hands-on knowledge of networks and hardware: or Eduardo Flores who has 23 years experience with the Webb MIS Department.
I have nothing against Paul de la Peña; but I can’t sit still to watch the appointment of one so inexperienced in the face of several candidates who were very qualified. This begs at least four questions: What were the Commissioners and Judge thinking? Were they thinking? Didn’t they bother to read the resumés for the hiring of a significant position that pays better than chump change? Was this one of those thank you setups with pressure from people who have no business setting the County’s agenda?