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Frisco hires town manager

New Frisco manager hired

FRISCO – Frisco has a new town manager.

Alan Briley, village manager of Ruidoso, N.M, confirmed Thursday he has accepted the Frisco position and will start work sometime in late August or early September.

Briley has almost 10 years’ experience in town management and 18 years in municipal government.



He was among five finalists who visited the town June 14 to meet with citizens and be interviewed by town officials.

“Of all the candidates we considered, Alan seemed to fit our community the best,” said Frisco Councilmember Bernie Zurbriggen. “He’s coming from another resort community, so I think he’s been through a lot of things we’re facing. We decided he was the best candidate.



“He’s a really nice fellow and an open sort of personality; he likes to get out and be a part of the community. We think he’ll work extremely well for us.”

“I think he and his wife will make a great team for the town of Frisco,” said Mayor Bob Moscatelli. Briley is “a neat person, and so is his wife. Very personable. I look forward personally to working with him, and I think that sentiment is true of all seven members of the town council and the staff.”

Briley, reached at his Ruidoso home Thursday, seems to think Frisco will be a good fit for him, as well.

“My wife and I were very impressed with the town,” he said. “It’s just the kind of town we want to be at. We like the mountains. We have a ski area and everything here, too. We like the winter and are looking forward to snow. And we like the water – you have rivers and lakes. The rivers here are just creeks by Colorado standards.

“We’re really looking forward to coming.”

According to the Ruidoso (N.M.) News, Briley submitted his resignation Monday; it is effective Aug. 9.

Although Briley said he has not yet firmed up a start date with Frisco town officials, “I know they need the appointment by Aug. 11, and we’ll have a contract signed by that time,” he said. “I’ll start on the third of September or the 26th of August depending on how well we get everything moved and arranged.”

Briley and his wife, Jean, plan to sell their home in Ruidoso. For the time being, they will stay in a “transitional condo” for Frisco employees. Jean Briley, a registered social worker and case manager, resigned from her position as head of Lincoln County (N.M.) Hospice about three months ago.

Briley, a civil engineer by trade, has worked in municipal government in several small New Mexico towns, including Roswell, Tucumcari and Las Cruces. Ten years ago, when he was looking to move into management, he was hired on as deputy manager in Ruidoso. When his boss left a little more than four years ago, Briley was hired to take his place.

But in March, when new Ruidoso Mayor Leon Eggleston was seated, Briley’s position seemed somewhat less secure.

“The police chief was fired by the mayor, and it was very uneasy,” Briley said. “I applied (for the Frisco position) when I saw the announcement in April, just before my contract was to be approved by the council, and I wasn’t sure of my future, if it would be approved.”

According to the Ruidoso News, Briley was awarded a new contract – and a raise – but over the objection of Ruidoso Mayor Eggleston.

Eggleston, however, spoke positively about Briley when contacted by the Ruidoso News earlier this week.

“I told him I wish him well,” the mayor was quoted as saying. “I will miss Alan. I think he’s done well, but he thought it was time to move on. He’s very fortunate; he told me he only sent out one resume right after the election and it just worked out.”

Briley said he was notified about three weeks ago that Frisco officials wished to hire him. He and town officials have been “working out details” since then, he said. Moscatelli said Briley signed a letter of intent Thursday.

As town manager of Ruidoso. Briley makes $72,000 a year. Zurbriggen said Briley will make “a little over $90,000” here. Moscatelli concurred.

In Ruidoso, Briley provided oversight and direction to 185 employees with a total city budget of $29 million.

Frisco and Ruidoso have much in common, Briley said.

Ruidoso has 7,600 full-time residents and , “just like Frisco, 60 percent are second homeowners,” Briley said. “We get 15,000 visitors on weekends, and 30,000 to 40,000 people on holidays.”

In addition, Briley has worked to redo Ruidoso’s main street with sidewalks, lighting and pedestrian improvements. Frisco has worked hard over the past 10 years to spruce up its Main Street as well.

When he began working in Ruidoso, Briley said, town employees’ wages were 20 percent to 30 percent below the state average for those positions. “We’ve enacted city employee benefits and pay plans, and I was able to convince the council to get people’s pay up to where they’re supposed to be. I’m pretty proud of that.”

Briley accepts the position vacated by Clay Brown, who resigned in February. Brown, who served as Frisco town manager for seven years, left to accept a job with the State of Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs.


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