By Lorie Hildebrand
The Bayard City Council met on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019. The work session at 1:30 consisted of a review of the upcoming agenda for the regular meeting starting at 2 p.m. Clerk/Treasurer Kristina Ortiz updated the Council on the DOT Funds recently released throughout the State. Bayard did not receive funds this year for the projects submitted. “Our projects came out on the list just below the number of projects that were funded.”
She reported PNM is scheduled to inspect well sites #3 and #12 for electrical services.
At the 2 p.m. regular council meeting, Bayard Police Chief Lee Alirez presented his staff to the Council Members. Police Officer Cody Dove was promoted to Sergeant and was pinned by his mother. Police Officer Brandi Pyron was promoted to Corporal and was pinned by her mother in a ceremony presided by Judge Jose Sandoval. The Judge also swore in Pyron, Dove, Officer Brandon Reese and Chief Alirez. Their families had been invited to the ceremony and there was a good turn-out from the public.
Chief Alirez also introduced to the audience Animal Control Officer Armando Jimenez, Judy Diaz, and two Cobre High School student interns who are exploring the Police Department as a career choice. The Chief listed the accomplishments the department has seen since he started in April of 2019. Bayard now has a 24-hour police department, community policing and more recruitment and retention. He feels the department has gone from reactive to proactive. In the future he would like to see a webpage set up, spruce up the Police Department offices, and possibly create positions for a detective, a K-9 unit, and school resource officer.
In other business, the Council approved the attendance to the U.S. Census Training Workshop on October 8, 2019 in Albuquerque for Kristina and Tanya Ortiz. The Council also approved attendance to Clerks Certification Institute in Albuquerque Oct. 14-18 for Marlena Valenzuela. The Council adopted resolution 25-2019 JPA Southwest Solid Waste Authority to amend and approve the JPA with them so they can purchase a new scraper. Each municipality must approve the amendment.
During the Mayor's and Councilors' reports, Councilor Eloy Medina again mentioned the possibility of Bayard moving towards a paid Fire and EMS service. Fire Chief Euphemio Gonzalez stated: “Having a paid department wouldn’t be a good idea. You’re going to tear down the Fire Department. I talked to our guys. None of them are for it and they will quit. You are putting us down. We’ve been protecting the city for 30 some years, since I’ve been here.” Medina said that “right now, all we want is to look at the opportunity to see costs and what it would take to do this.” Medina mentioned that recruitment is down and volunteers on board now could get better training and better physical fitness standards as well as younger recruits to meet the demands of the firefighting business.
The Bayard Beautification Committee updated the Council on their upcoming activities. Bingo will take place next Tuesday night 6-8 p.m. Oct. 1, and a Trunk or Treat in conjunction with the Girl Scouts. Hoping to do 10 Thanksgiving Baskets this year and decorate for Christmas.
Next meeting October 15 2019 2 p.m.