By Lynn Janes
The town of Bayard held a work session April 11, 2023. The work session started with Mayor Chon Fierro calling the meeting to order. Attendance at the meeting included Mayor Pro tem Raul Villanueva, councilors Eloy Medina, and Jose Diaz. Frances Gonzales did not attend.
The work session gives the council an opportunity to ask questions about anything on the agenda.
Representative Luis Terrazas attended to provide the council with an update on the recent legislative session. Fierro told him the wastewater treatment plant had been a priority. Terrazas said he did his best. They had around $100 million in requests and only received $1 million to cover it. Terrazas reminded the board that Bayard is important, but they have many communities and two school districts they must help. "I was able to get you $400,000 for the vacuum truck. When allocating the funding we have been given to work with e look to see if the entities can get that funding from other sources and try to fund the ones that don't have another source. With the wastewater treatment plant, you can get funding from colonias grants."
Terrazas also authorized some funding that had not been used to be transferred to the wastewater project in the amount of $250,000. "I am sorry you are not happy, mayor." Fierro reiterated he had said the wastewater projects had been the most important. Terrazas said that capital outlay can be very difficult, and they try to give funding to projects that can't get it from any other source. Bayard can get colonias funding for the wastewater treatment project. This year colonias has more funding available than ever before.
Diaz said he had gone to the state website and seen the list of funding for requested projects. He asked if all of those received funding. Terrazas said no they had not. He said in the past they had received a budget but now they required a list and then had been given the funding amount available. "I blanket cover my entire district so I can leverage senators' money to make projects happen. I don't like it this way but that is how it happens." Terrazas told them to look at his Facebook page and it lists the 34 projects that had been funded.
Fierro asked him about the rate on doctors and nurses in Grant County. Terrazas said the state has been lacking on doctors and nurses but didn't know what Fierro had asked. What he did know after 35 years in the mortuary business is that he used to deal with a lot of standalone clinics and now they don't have that because they have been replaced by hospitalists. He explained what that meant. Hospitalists work for the hospital or other federally funded entities. This has happened because they can't afford to run on their own. They can't afford the overhead. "Until these issues are addressed it will continue." The state has another problem. "How can you attract people here when our schools are number 50 and public safety is a problem? They don't want to come." Those factors cause a problem. It takes more than sunny days and beautiful landscapes.
Fierro asked about the bill that would have annexed Fort Bayard to Santa Clara. The bill had not passed. Terrazas told the council that the state owned the property and it had to be approved by state and by the Governor and Lieutenant Governor and they didn't sign off on it. The state house had approved it 66 to 1. "We must invest in saving Fort Bayard. It is the only fort in New Mexico with the national landmark designation. It is a shame for it to be in that bad of shape." All the utilities need restoration along with the buildings. If it had been annexed, Santa Clara would have been able to get grants to fix everything. Right now, they must ask permission to do anything to the property. "The state could restore it. Nothing is stopping them." They have zero money in the budget for it now. By fixing up Fort Bayard it would bring more business and tourism to the whole area.
The town of Bayard held a regular town meeting April 11, 2023. The meeting started with Mayor Chon Fierro calling the meeting to order. Attendance at the meeting included Mayor Pro tem Raul Villanueva, councilors Eloy Medina, and Jose Diaz. Frances Gonzales did not attend. The Pledge of Allegiance and salute to New Mexico flag took place.
The council approved the agenda.
Public input
Kristina Ortiz, Rural Partners Network, said she has been visiting with all the city councils to give them an update on what they had done and to continue to help look for funding for the communities. She said they had been able to apply for a water smart grant to replace the chlorination system and she hoped it would be funded. "Currently we are looking for someone to write grants." She wanted to let them know the following week at the Silver City Annex building they would be having a meeting for how to energize rural communities and obtain funding for energy efficient projects. She wanted someone from Bayard to attend to get information and apply for funding.
Consent agenda
The council approved the consent agenda which included several items: including minutes from the March 27, 2023, fire report for March 2023, accounts payable report for April 11, 2023, maintenance report for March 2023, municipal court report for March 2023, and library report for March 2023. The consent agenda also included approval of Robert Terrazas to attend Jake Hands Memorial Workshop, Chief Hector Carrillo to attend New Mexico Association of Chiefs of Police and Law Enforcement Coordinators Symposium.
Department head reports.
Marlene Valenzuela, city clerk, said she had received an email from Congressman Gabe Vasquez concerning the request for $5 million for the wastewater project. She said she didn't know when they would find out about the funding.
Valenzuela said she had talked to their attorney William Perkins to find out if he had looked at the abandoned property ordinance yet. He said he would have it soon along with the MOU (memorandum of understanding) for the Cobre field.
Robert Terrazas, wastewater director, did not have anything to report
Michael Paez, director of public works, said they had started a rehabilitation on well 10. Diaz had a question about the upcoming water project and if they would have any problems and how long it would take. He had referred to the replacement of the million gallon water tank. Paez said he did not foresee any problems and the project would take three months. The have a holding tank for 250,000 gallons so they would not have problems.
Euphemio Gonzales, fire chief, said one of the firemen had passed away and would be buried in Farmington. Diaz asked if they could do anything and told Gonzales to contact them. Gonzales said the roof had been in the process of getting done. Valenzuela said they had it almost finished.
Sonya Dixon, librarian said she didn't have anything to report but had posters for the upcoming event on June 2, 2023, to put up.
Old business
Selina Crespin had come to the council before concerning abandoned industrial properties. The council wanted to give her an update. Valenzuela had spoken earlier about contact with Perkins. Fierro said they had been able to find the owners and passed the information on to the police chief and code enforcement officer. Crispin wanted to know if they had been cited. Fierro said he would check with the chief when he returned to town. The Chief joined the meeting by phone. He said he had passed it to the code enforcement officer and didn't know what had been done but as soon as he got back to town, he would check into it. A resident asked what the process had been. Fierro and Valenzuela explained the process.
James Ervin had come to the council before with questions about the existence of a zoning commission. Valenzuela said they had put out a request for letters of interest to be on the board. Louis Frank Gomez, code enforcement officer, is the current zoning officer. Ervin asked if they had put an ad in the paper asking for interest. Valenzuela said she had not but would do that. Ervin wanted to know if the council will be committed and when will they have it put together. Valenzuela said as soon as they have people willing to serve. At one time it had been an active committee and when the main person had no longer been on the council it dissolved. Ervin said, "This is important, and we need to do something." He commented "It seems trivial but it is complex." He asked if code enforcement had been trained to help people. Referring to being able to advise on permits and such. "If we don't have this then it shows we don't care. If we want this town to shine, we need this. Otherwise, it will be the same thing repeatedly, random abandoned properties." The city will have people building on to places without permits. Conversation went on between Ervin and Crespin. Diaz said it takes a community to get involved and it can be tough to find people, but they would be working on it.
New business
The update on the legislative session from Representative Luis Terrazas had been given during the work session.
Doug Newman wanted to put a sign for the Gem and Mineral Show coming up in the "Welcome Bayard" lot coming into town. Fierro said they could not because they needed the department of transportation approval and in the past, they have said no. Diaz ask if it could be put somewhere else. They had all suggested the Tepe Construction lot where all the political signs have been put up in the past.
Brenda Rosales had asked to be on the agenda concerning an arroyo on Mayo Street. She did not attend so they postponed the discussion.
Valenzuela wanted to change the hours of City Hall. Currently they have a one hour lunch and close at 5 pm. They wanted to take a thirty minute lunch and close a 4:30 pm. Diaz said he didn't see an issue, but it would be important to post it all over and give a month warning. The council approved closing the lobby at 4:15 and leaving at 4:30 after a month of advertising it.
The council approved the appointment of Leslie Crumbley to the Bayard public library. Diaz had asked if they had to be a resident and Dixon said at least two had to be and they already have two residents.
Action for personnel
The council approved to move Chief Carrillo from probationary status to regular full-time status.
The council approved to move Captain Anthony Macias from probationary status to regular full-time status.
The council approved to move Lieutenant Manuel Galaz from probationary status to regular full-time status.
Chief Carrillo had still been on the meeting by phone and had some comments. He wanted the council to know their department had been the most improved in years. The officers had taken pay cuts to come here in part due to a promise they would receive a pay raise after the probationary period. "These officers have provided awesome service to the community." Carrillo went on to say they have become the competitive department locally. He remined the mayor he had said they would get a pay increase after the probationary period. Fierro said it had not been put on the agenda, but they could discuss it later when he returned. Carrillo wanted to know why it had not been on the agenda. Diaz said it needed to be discussed during executive session. Valenzuela reminded the council they could not discuss pay in closed session and they needed to look at the budget first. Carrillo said he knew both officers were present, and he wanted them to know he had their back. Diaz apologized for it having been overlooked. A resident said if they had been promised it needed to be honored. Medina assured them that the council would all support the increase.
The council went into closed session to discuss personnel matters for the maintenance department. William Welcome would like to transfer from maintenance to parks and recreation.
Open session
The council approved the transfer of William Welcome from the maintenance department to parks and recreation with the stipulation of the rate of pay being the same as had been advertised. If he does not want that they will continue to look for other candidates.
Mayor and councilors reports.
Villanueva none currently.
Medina none currently.
Diaz wanted to thank everyone on the beautification committee for the recent Bingo night. It had gone really well. They hoped to be able to have music in the park with some of the funds. He thanked parks and recreation for all they did to set up and Valenzuela for volunteering in the kitchen.
Fierro thanked all the supervisors for all the good work. He said they had been doing work at the entrance of the wastewater plant and would be getting a pump for the "grits."
Diaz said he looked at the list of the projects funded that Terrazas had talked about and some other funding. He had questions and some Ortiz answered since she had been the clerk before and had attended the meeting.
In 2019 the city had been approved for $530,000 for the wastewater project and it would have had to have been used by 2023 so Terrazas had reauthorized it. He also reauthorized funding for parks and recreation for $117,000. They have a balance of $500,000 from covid funding that will be part of the funding for the new water tank.
Fierro said he had something else to make them aware of. It had to do with the potholes and Southwest Concrete. Southwest Concrete had been given the bid a long time ago and have said they would come do the job but have not. Fierro said he had called every week and talked to several supervisors and been promised they would be here many times or had been told the truck broke down. Many of the calls have never been returned. Fierro said he has kept a record of all the attempts at contact. He called today and asked them to come to the meeting and explain why they had not done the job and when they would. He suggested contacting the higher bid and seeing if they could come down on price. Ortiz interjected that they would have to break the contract with Southwest Concrete and pay for the little bit they had done. At that point they would have to rebid the project. Ortiz commented that it had been a continual problem with them. They decided to have a look at the contract and go forward from there.
Next meeting should be held April 24, 2023. Several of the council members, Valenzuela, and Fierro would not be there to attend so the meeting was canceled. If for some reason something came up a special meeting would be held.
The next regular meeting will take place May 8, 2023
Meeting adjourned.