Ron Archuleta has been named acting supervisor for the San Juan National Forest. He is expected to hold the post for about four months as a permanent successor is named.
He begins Monday at the San Juan Public Lands Center.
Archuleta, who has more than 32 years’ experience in the U.S. Forest Service, is currently the deputy forest supervisor for the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest and Pawnee National Grassland northeast of Greeley.
Filling the supervisor position permanently is an extensive government process handled by the regional office in Denver, said Ann Bond, public-affairs specialist for San Juan National Forest.
Chris Stredig, the U.S. Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Region media officer in Denver, said in a phone interview Monday afternoon that filling government positions can be a lengthy multistep process, A supervisor position is likely to take more time compared with a lower-ranking job, he said.
The process begins with an outreach, where candidates may be recruited or asked to apply. This step can last few weeks, he said. A review process follows, and then the open position is posted on usajobs.gov. Applicants are reviewed by a board, usually by their peers, he said.
The hope is to find a diverse pool of applicants who meet the required qualifications, he said. After about two to three solid applicants are selected, the Washington, D.C., office weighs in, Stredig said.
Interim supervisors fill the position for 120 days to allow buffer time during the application process, he said.
vguthrie@durangoherald.com
