By Lynn Janes

The town of Bayard held a regular meeting March 11, 2024. Attendance included Mayor John L. Ojinaga, Mayor Pro Tem Eloy Medina, councilors, Frances Gonzales, Eloy Gonzales, and Gilbert Ortiz. Gabriel Ramos, city clerk, also attended.

Public input

Ralf Jimenez, with Copper Little League, addressed the council and apologized for the mix up. He had not realized he had been expected to attend the last council meeting. He thanked them for their continued support. This year they have been selected to host all-stars games and an umpire training. The umpire training will bring approximately 30 people from all over the southwest part of the state. The little league will open on March 23, 2024. He formally asked the council for the use of the field lights. They will only need them until 9:00-9:30pm. He said they will also be using the Fort Bayard field for practice. Jimenez thanked Michael Paez, maintenance director, for getting the fields ready to use.

Ojinaga asked him if they have been able to use the field at Santa Clara for practice. Jimenez said he had asked but they never got the field ready to use. Ramos asked him to contact them again because of a new mayor.

Hector Carrillo, Bayard city police, wanted to update the council on a current situation. "I am sure you are aware of the information coming out concerning a council member." Frances Gonzales had been charged with making a false report and later it changed to resisting, evading, and obstructing an officer. Michael Renteria, district attorney, dismissed the charges. Frances Gonzales and her attorney filed a notice of intent to sue the Bayard police department. A risk assessment has been done and the city has been cleared of any wrongdoing. "We followed policies and procedures." The New Mexico Self Insurance Fund will cover and back up Bayard police department. Medina asked that the email Carrillo had received with this information be sent to them.

The City of Bayard made a declaration for the week of March 11, 2024, Nicholas "Niko" Trujillo week. Ojinaga presented and read the proclamation. Trujillo had worked hard and has been one of only eight in the history of New Mexico to win state championship in wrestling five times. He won in 2020, 2021,2022, 2023 and 2024. In the past year he has had 35 wins and 1 loss, in his career he has had 143 wins and 18 losses.

The council approved the consent agenda. It included the grant writers report, library report, training for officers, minutes from February 26, 2024, meeting, and travel for Frances Gonzales to attend Latino Leaders Network. The council questioned the travel for Frances Gonzales. She said it had taken a long time to be invited. This organization could help with finding funding sources for Bayard. Ramos said she had requested airfare, lodging and a rental car. They already had airfare tickets available since purchasing several previously for a discount.

Old business

The council voted to table the discussion on the community center rates until they had further information. Before voting to table the discussion, they discussed the information that Ramos had supplied to them. He had combined all the contracts into one for residents and one for nonresidents. Ojinaga said he had brought it up because of the upcoming upgrades that would be made to the facility and thought maybe they should raise the rent. They considered applying late fees to contracts not paid in the time allotted. They currently only have two contracts, Zumba, and AA. The issue will be on the next agenda. Medina said, "The community center means something, and it is for the residents." Ojinaga said they should not have to wait to get paid. Medina suggested getting the rates used in other facilities in the area.

The council tabled the discussion on the use of comp time for the employees. Ramos had provided a list of all the departments and the comp time they had. Ojinaga had brought this up because he felt if someone left, the city could not afford to pay out that time. Ramos pointed out they could have chosen to take overtime that gives them time-and-a-half pay. The discussion went back and forth on which employees could have comp time. Medina said they needed accountability. They discussed the automatic four hours added each month for the department heads to attend the council meetings. Ojinaga said, "I am for this, and I am not fighting but I need to know why someone has gotten comp time." Ramos said in the past some of the employees had donated comp time to employees that had been in need because of sickness or to be with family member that had been sick.

Ojinaga just wanted to be notified when someone would be getting comp time and why. Frances Gonzales went over the background of the comp time for the city. Medina said he wanted policies for the next meeting that pertained to the comp time.

The council approved the appointment of Eloy Gonzales to the beautification committee.

The council approved the appointment of Gilbert Ortiz to the little league board. Medina already sits on the board.

The council approved the hiring of two co-op students until work force solutions funding comes in or until the end of the school year for $15.75 an hour. Carrillo said they had two applicants, but the funding had been frozen. However he still would like to move forward with the program until May 2024 at the end of the school year. Frances Gonzales felt it would be a good idea and added Kristina Ortiz, past city clerk, had started as a co-op student. Carrillo still had grant money that would cover the costs. Ramos had a call earlier that day from workforce solutions and they apologized and said they would be able to access the funding soon.

They discussed the use of the funds from the police department and what they had received and would receive in the following year. Carrillo said they had used it to pay salaries so the salaries that the city had budgeted for police has been accruing. Medina had concern that they would not have enough in the budget to pay the police down the line in two years when they didn't have the grant. Medina and Carrillo disagreed about the budget. Medina said, "I want the budget to be fiscally sound. I am all for hiring the kids but want to be fiscally sound." Medina added they had to be hired as contract employees. Ramos told the council as soon as the state funds come, they will switch them.

The council approved moving forward on adding two more people to the planning and zoning committee. Frances Gonzales abstained due to being a liaison for the planning and zoning committee. They will start the process of doing an ordinance required.

The council approved ordinance 1-2021, cannabis regulation. Frances Gonzales abstained. It amended the current one by adding the 300 feet, building-to-building from any school building or daycare facility of any cannabis business. Frances Gonzales told Ramos she had specifically asked that it be put in the newspaper. Ramos said he did everything required by law. Medina wanted to make sure the law was compliant. Ramos said the municipal league approved the ordinance. Frances Gonzales said she supported the ordinance, but it had not been put in the paper.

Action for personnel

The council approved the two promotions and two hires. Promotion of Manuel Galaz to captain at $30.45 an hour. Promotion of Trevor Jenson to lieutenant at $29.40 an hour. Hiring Gary Arrellano, wastewater operator/labor at $15.75 an hour. Hiring Viviana Terrazas for accounts payable clerk at $15.00 hour.

The council went into closed session to discuss the hiring for the clerk/treasurer position.

The council came back into open session and said only the clerk/treasure position had been discussed.

The council approved the hiring of Martha Salas as the new clerk/treasurer at $40.86 an hour with a salary of $85,000 a year. This will include an 8 percent raise after the probationary period.

Mayor, council, and department reports.

Carrillo said they have continued to patrol the schools. He invited everyone to come to the March 23, 2024, opening of Copper Little League. He would be introducing McGruff, the crime dog. Freeport McMoRan would be assisting the department with some needs. The new trucks had not come yet due to still needing some outfitting done. In April, Dona Ana County would be receiving a whole new fleet of vehicles and will be donating 2 or 3 of their used vehicles to the Bayard police department. A resident in attendance said he appreciated and thanked the police department for their presence.

Paez said they have almost finished the highway 356 projects. The engineers from Stantec have started working on some other projects.

Ramos said the funds for AmeriCorps have been approved for the summer and Freeport McMoRan will be paying for the overseeing of those projects AmeriCorps will be doing. He had just received notification they had received $959,000 for the wastewater treatment plant. He had attended a presentation by Frank Ogas at the American Legion Hall about a program that utilizes card machines to charge a small fraction to go towards municipalities to help athletic programs. It has been successful in California.

Eloy Gonzales said they had a Bingo the night before and although they had fewer people it had been successful. Eighty-five people had attended, and they made a profit of $891. The beatification committee has a budget of $2,600 now. On April 7, 2024, they will have another bingo at the community center from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. The committee has discussed getting recognition vests for events and possibly another bingo board. He thanked everyone for their support but added they needed more volunteers for the committee.

Frances Gonzales let everyone know about the upcoming Housing Authority meeting. Planning and zoning had some items that they needed approval from the council but had not received the necessary paperwork for the variances for this meeting. She suggested a special meeting to address the approvals.

Gilbert Ortiz said he had attended the Copper Little League meeting and said they have been happy with the council. The board showed him everything that needed to be done. One of the main things had been the fire panel and it needs to be updated. "It is too late this year but next year we need to address this."

Ojinaga said he met with the people doing the promotion for the bike race. He asked that Bayard be recognized in their publications. He didn't want any money but every year maintenance and the office personnel block roads so the race can pass through. They said they would be happy to do that. He added that the lights on highway 180 had been fixed. He thanked Ramos for his help in having that done.

The next regular meeting will be held March 25, 2024

Meeting adjourned.