Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez will hold the position until voters can weigh in for the 2022 general election.

Vasquez takes the seat after former Supervisor Liz Archuleta, who resigned from her position on the board last week to become the Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She had represented District 2 for 24 years.

A long-time resident of District 2, and graduate of Coconino High School and Northern Arizona University, Vasquez works as the coordinator for the 21st Century Community Learning Center at Killip Elementary School.

One of 12 qualified applicants to seek the position, Vasquez was appointed after a series of interviews conducted by the board on Friday.

During the interviews, supervisors listened as Eric Peterson, the county public affairs director, asked candidates questions ranging from their relationship with District 2 to how they planned to work with other supervisors.

Vasquez said he was looking forward to “working as hard as possible to get up to speed as quickly as possible so that we can get an effective board together.”

“I really appreciate this vote of confidence and I look forward to the task at hand, and I will really put my all in and hopefully do a great job for the community," Vasquez said.

He added in a press release: “These are unprecedented times, but I know that together we can build a better future our community and county."

Chair Matt Ryan said Vasquez might have a steep learning curve as he comes onto the board, but he added that Vasquez will have the support he will need from both the rest of the board and from the county’s staff.

"We know that Supervisor Vasquez will carry on the former Supervisor Liz Archuleta’s legacy. I look forward to working with Supervisor Vasquez as we continue the important work at hand,” said Ryan in a media release. “The Coconino County Board of Supervisors committed to an open and transparent process to fill this vacancy. We were glad to have such a diverse and passionate group of qualified candidates, and it was an extremely difficult decision.”

Supervisor Patrice Horstman said the appointment means that she and Supervisor Judy Begay, both sworn into their first term last month, are no longer the “new kids on the block.”

Horstman also thanked the public for its input, saying the board had received more than 100 comments and messages from members of the public on the topic.