
Kuenstler announced Monday during a special County Commission meeting that she will be retiring this summer due to new Public Employee Retirement Association – or PERA – rules.
Kuenstler said if she continued working for a PERA entity, her retirement account would be negatively affected.
Kuenstler’s retirement date will be determined later.
Kuenstler said she was announcing her retirement with a “heavy heart” and that being in Luna County has been a positive experience.
A summer retirement means Kuenstler will be involved in preparing the county’s 2014-2015 fiscal year budget, which takes effect July 1st.
Commission Chairman Jay Spivey said the commissioners will begin a search for Kuenstler’s replacement immediately.
Kuenstler was hired in October of 2011 to replace John Sutherland, Jr., who was fired by the commission in July of that year.
Kuenstler most recently had been director of the Las Cruces-based Administrative Office of the District Attorneys, and worked for the Third Judicial District DA's office before that.
In other business, the commissioners approved renting the county annex off Spruce Street to the New Mexico State Engineer’s Office.
County departments currently housed in the annex reportedly will be relocated to the courthouse or other county-owned buildings.