You are here: News Sun News Frank Chiapetti Jr. named Gallup's new City Manager
Friday, 30 August 2024 00:00 By Molly Ann Howell Managing Editor
Gallup has gone without a permanent city manager for over a year since Maryann Ustick retired from the position in June 2023. After months of reviewing candidate applications and debating who would be the best fit for the city, the city council named Frank Chiapetti Jr. the new city manager during their Aug. 27 regular meeting.
STARTING WITH SCHOOLS Chiapetti is a third-generation resident of Gallup. He's spent most of his professional life in education, starting out as a special education teacher at Stagecoach Elementary in 1992. He moved on to become the Special Education Coordinator in 1999, and then continued moving up the ladder at Gallup-McKinley County Schools.
He became the principal at what was then known as Gallup Junior High in 2005. The school was later renamed in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Hiroshi Miyamura. Chiapetti remained the principal at the school for six more years before he decided to take on a new challenge: GMCS Superintendent.
The New Mexico Public Education Department only allows a superintendent to have the maximum of a three-year contract with a school district before it comes up for a review. At first, the GMCS school board only gave Chiapetti a one-year contract in 2013. After that first year the board extended his contract another three years.
But in 2017, when his contract was up once again, the board decided not to continue with Chiapetti.
"It wasn't my choice. The board wanted somebody different [and] it was the end of my contract. There were several board members who voted against me becoming superintendent before that, so on a vote of 3-2 I became superintendent, and they were against me from day one," Chiapetti said.
Current GMCS board members Priscilla Benally and Kevin Mitchell were both on the school board in 2017. The Sun reached out to them for comment on Chiapetti's employment with GMCS, but neither of them responded to multiple phone calls.
Rep. Patty Lundstrom, D-Gallup, worked closely with Chiapetti during his time as GMCS superintendent. As a legislator, Lundstrom has to work closely with local school districts to determine what sort of state funding they need.
She praised Chiapetti highly for his work as GMCS's superintendent.
"I can't imagine that being an easy job for anyone," she said. "You're dealing with many, many children, you're dealing with an elected board, you're dealing with very highly regulated programming."
FIT TO MANAGE Lundstrom argued that Chiapetti's experience as a superintendent prepared him for the role of city manager.
"I can't imagine that being an easy job for anyone," she said. "You're dealing with many, many children, you're dealing with an elected board, you're dealing with very highly regulated programming.
Chiapetti said that as superintendent, he tried to focus on what was best for the district.
"I'm going to do what's best for the organization, not for one individual," he said. "I guess [the school board] didn't see eye to eye with me on that.
Chiapetti said he's going to be taking that mindset into his new job as well.
"I'm very excited to be able to come in and look at some positive changes," he said. "I'm going to be looking at accountability. I think that is something people are really looking for is accountability of each department and making sure they're working together for the better of Gallup rather than being siloed."
In the past couple weeks, Chiapetti has had some opportunities to learn about the community's issues. He attended the Aug. 19 town hall meeting that the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce held to discuss the problems with fiber optics in the community. He also attended the Aug. 22 Hozho Academy town hall that broached the subject of public safety.
FOR THE COMMUNITY He said he's going to continue to listen as he steps into the new role.
"My top priority is listening to the community," he said. "Of course we can't make everybody happy, because one person wants A and the other person wants B, but my goal is doing what's most important for the bulk of the people of Gallup."
As a person filling another public office position in the community, McKinley County Commissioner Robert Baca, Dist. 3, said he expects Chiapetti to handle the responsibilities of the city manager role well.
"He's going to have to take control of every department, the councilors, he's pretty much going to have to take control of the entire city," Baca said.
Baca and Chiapetti have known each other for almost 20 years. Chiapetti served as Miyamura High School's principal when Baca's children were in school.
The commissioner had some final advice for his friend.
"Be firm, be fair, and just keep everyone apprised as to what's going on," Baca said.
Chiapetti's first day as City Manager will be Sept. 3. He attended his final school board meeting in his current role as Principal/Superintendent for Ch'ooshgai Community School in Tohatchi on Aug. 26.
Interim City Manager J.M. DeYoung will revert to his role as Assistant City Manager once Chiapetti takes over.
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