By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held a regular meeting February 27, 2025. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza, trustees, Peter Erickson, Olga Amador and Ralph Trujillo attended.

Mayors report

Lopez said he had been working with the maintenance department and helping them out. They have been tied up trying to connect a water line hooked up to a trailer.

He and Sheila Hudman, village administrator, had attended the Grant County Water Commission meeting. It had gone well, and they talked a little bit more about the well Freeport McMoRan had donated to the village. Stantec hit snags here and there but has been able to move forward. The thing that had stood out to Lopez had been Stantec wanting the increased involvement of the water operators. The commission had also formed a new committee to take care of administrative needs.

Indira Aguirre, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, has been helping with Hanover and she will be on that committee. She has been doing a lot of work with them and the village to help the project.

Recently Lopez and Hudman had a meeting with the board of the Hanover water association at the armory. Hudman said they had met to see how the board and residents felt about the merger with Santa Clara. Along with the board and residents attending they unanimously approved moving forward with the merger. The council will be voting later in the meeting on the merger. Hanover had already approved the same resolutions the council would have before them.

Lopez commented the residents and board all seemed to be happy about the merger. They need the help and feel comfortable with the village.

The village police department had found some abandoned camps on the south end of the village. Lopez and Fire Chief Larry Montoya had gone out and they had left a campfire burning. The police had been looking for some people back there. The village has contacted the owner of the property. The two brothers came in and Lopez and Montoya showed them what had been going on. They will be allowing the village to go on to the property and Yvone Gonzales, village attorney, has written up a contract for that purpose. Lopez asked everyone to have good situational awareness and "if you see something say something." It had been an eye opener for Lopez and the landowners.

Lopez asked if anyone had heard when the new restaurant would open. Hudman and Montoya had not heard anything except they knew all she had to do had been to pass the health inspection and she could open.

Badger Western will be starting work on well #4. Lopez commented they have had to work well #3 harder and have had to obtain water from Arenas Valley. Hudman said they had secured the funding for the renovation.

Lopez asked about music in the park and when it would start. He had received a number of questions on when it would be starting. They talked about June or July.

Lopez provide an update on the Bradley Hotel and said as soon as the weather  improved, they would be doing the stucco.

Public comments

Montoya wanted to let the public know about burn permits for yards. Permits will be required because of the dry weather. They will be $10 and will have to fill out an application. The residents must have a water source nearby and not leave it unattended. This will help the community stay safe. The fire department had responded to a fire on Racetrack Road, and it had spread quickly. He will be working with the police department and code enforcement. Lopez asked about red flag days. They will post those days. Gonzales said the fee had actually been $25 but Montoya felt that would be too high and they can use extraordinary circumstances to reduce it to $10.

Montoya said he had been working with someone to trap feral cats. They have been having issues with people releasing the cats. He will be working with the attorney and police to see what he can do to stop that. He commented about what the mayor had said about see something say something. The village has a large feral cat problem.

Lopez said he thought people had just been trying to do the right thing and not understanding. They spoke to the more that people feed them the more the population grows. If people feed the cats, then they must be their cats and they need to be registered.

New business

The council approved the application by Angela Marie Young to move a 27 x 64 foot Solitaire double wide mobile home to 907 James Street. Rosemary Arciero, code enforcement, said she had met all the requirements.

The council approved the application by Rudy and Maria Rivera to move a 16 x 80 foot 2010 Karsten single wide mobile home to 16 Seven Sons Road. Arciero said the mobile home although used appears to be in good condition and provided photos to the council.

The council approved of a merger with Hanover water association. Hudman said the merger would be done through the state engineers. Everything would now fall under Santa Clara and the two systems would merge together. Lopez said he thought it would be a good thing.

Resolutions

The council approved resolution 2025-05 that adopts the process of merging the Hanover water association with the village of Santa Clara. They also approved resolution 2025-06 that approves the plan of the merger. Hudman said  the funds Hanover would be saving  could be used to hire an extra maintenance person for Santa Clara to cover the added work. She added that for the administrative side it would be just like adding 85 new customers and would not be much of a burden. Lopez and Hudman commented on how much help Aguirre had been to help put this merger together.

The council approved resolution 2025-07 for the submission of an application for financial assistance with NMFA (New Mexico Finance Authority). Hudman said the fire brush truck had outlived its use. The truck had been fine, but the pump could not be repaired. Montoya said it had been in the shop, and they can't find the parts anymore to fix the pump. The brush truck is a 2004. Hudman said the loan will be for $269,305 and will be paid out of the fire fund. It will be the same process as the police vehicles had been. The fire marshal had already approved the purchase. Currently the fire fund does not have any other debt.

Montoya said the truck itself remains in good condition and hoped to find another use for it.

Hiring raises and terminations

Lopez recommended a $1 raise for Montoya. He has been covering two jobs. "He has been a big and vital part." He has not asked for the raise but sometimes he has been up at three or four in the morning, sometime up at two in the morning doing medical calls. "He has shown good leadership." He has been working with New Mexico Bark to help in the process of finding homes for dogs or other shelters for them. Lopez continued to give Montoya praises on how well he does both jobs as fire chief and animal control officer. The council approved the raise.

Lopez had done a ride along with Officer Albert Dominguez. "It was an eye opener of what they go through. I just want to see how I can help." He told Arciero he knew she had to deal with some things that can be hard, and he said he appreciated what she does. He went on to thank every employee.

First regular meeting to be held Thursday March 13, 2025, at 6:00 pm
Second regular meeting to be held Thursday March 27, 2025, at 6:00 pm

Meeting Adjourned