Assistant City Manager/Chief Administrative Officer (ACM/CAO) David Dollahon takes over as Interim City Manager/Chief Executive Officer Monday, Aug. 29. City Council named Dollahon to the position as a special meeting on Aug. 22. Dollahon will initially serve as Interim City Manager for three months, or until City Council hires a permanent City Manager. Dollahon succeeds Daniel Avila who was Interim City Manager since the end of May.
A 26-year veteran of Las Cruces municipal service, Dollahon will oversee the day-to-day management of City government, which includes a $374.5 million annual budget, and 1,366 full-time employees.
Dollahon is a trained urban planner and member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). He began his career with the City of Las Cruces (City) in 1990 as an intern in what was then called the Planning Department and later the Community Development Department. Most recently, Dollahon was director of the Community & Cultural Services Department before becoming ACM/CAO.
His areas of focus within his professional career were in current planning (zoning & signs), advanced or long-range planning, and federal housing programs.
As ACM/CAO, Dollahon was responsible for providing effective and responsive internal services to the organization through oversight of the Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology departments, as well as the Internal Audit and Public Information Office sections.
Other positions Dollahon held include Planning Technician, Assistant Planner, Zoning Administrator, Senior Planner, Neighborhood Services Administrator, and Chief Planning Administrator.
Dollahon graduated from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Science in City & Regional Planning. While an Oklahoman by birth, he considers himself a New Mexican. He grew up in Lovington, NM from the age of three until he started at NMSU. He lives with his partner of 19 years, Christian Dollahon, and a menagerie of animals in the North Valley.
Taking over for Dollahon as ACM/CAO on an interim basis will be City Auditor Audrey Evins, who oversees the Office of Internal Audit, and Risk Management.