By Lynn Janes

The town of Bayard held a regular meeting February 25, 2026. Attendance included Mayor John L. Ojinaga, Mayor Pro Tem Eloy Gonzales, and Councilors Eloy Medina,  Gilbert Ortiz and Charles Gray. Martha Salas, city clerk, also attended.

The council approved the agenda.

Public input none currently.

The council approved the consent agenda that included minutes from January 21, 2026, accounts payable and department head reports. It also included the head librarian to attend a youth service workshop in Las Cruces. Gonzales had some questions about the PNM bills and Salas explained each department had their own meter. The other question he had concerned a new vendor Sanco and Salas said that had been from the old Buttermilk gas station. It had new ownership.

New business

The council approved the bid award to Romo Construction for the repair of the wall at the library. They had received three bids, and it had been the most detailed. The bid cost had been in the middle between the other two and locally owned and operated. One of the bids came from Las Cruces. Romo had been more knowledgeable and explained a lot of the problem whereas the others did not. Salas didn't have a timeline but now that the council had chosen him, she would start the process and let them know. She also pointed out that the three bids had been close and only differed $1,400 to $1,500. Although he had not been the lowest bidder, they could choose him because they had justification that could be documented by herself, librarian and public works director. Ortiz said Romo did excellent work. Salas asked Yvonne Gonzales, city attorney if she agreed with what she had said and she did. The council had concerns about having to pay him up front and Salas said he would be paid when service had been rendered.

The representative for Frontier Food Hub had not been able to attend so the council made a motion to postpone the presentation for the community garden.

The council had an estimate on 911 equipment for the fire department. The chief and assistant chief had not been able to attend. Salas conveyed the information they had provided to her. Fire protection funds would be used to purchase the equipment. It will be $13,000 making it over the $10,000 requirement by the council to be presented information. It would be allowed in the budget for them. The council approved the estimate on the equipment.

Ordinances and resolutions

The council approved resolution 3-2026 supporting an application to the New Mexico Finance Authority under the colonias infrastructure fund to design various streets. George Esqueda, senior project manager for Stantec, had come to explain the project. This will survey and design the streets named, and he went over the street names and the part they would be addressing. The colonias program can only be applied for by communities within 150 miles of the boarder of Mexico. Esqueda said it had been his understanding that they had $92 million available. This part of the project for the design would be $900,000.

They had two routes they could pursue on the matching funds. They could pay 10 percent upfront and 10 percent at the end or 20 percent after the project had been completed. Esqueda continued to explain the process of the application and they would know by May 14, 2026, and the funds would not be available until October. He added that at the time they have the design ready several funding opportunities would be available. He said the state wants to see shovel ready projects.

Stantec will be looking at designing approximately 8,100 feet and estimated the construction cost would be around $8 million. The design would include road resurfacing, replacement of bad sections, curb/gutter and ADA improvements. Sidewalks would also be included. Medina asked how they had made the decisions on the streets that would be addressed and Esqueda went over everything they had looked at but added they had more streets that would need to be done next. The construction funding opportunities would have better financial choices some as little as 5 percent match and maybe 100 percent funded.

Esqueda addressed the other needs in the community, such as pressure reducing valves, water meters and the New Mexico Unit Fund can be used for that. It came from the Arizona Water Settlements Act, and they have a little bit over $100 million available, and it will be a 100 percent grant.

The council talked about some of the streets they have the most complaints about and talked about what had been done.

The council discussed the intention to adopt an ordinance amending "emergency abatement." Yvone Gonzales said this had come about because they had needed immediate action in altering a property. Currently the ordinance would not allow for this. She explained that this allows for the city to go in and alter a property in an emergency situation. What would constitute an emergency situation would be imminent danger or hazard that will affect public safety, health or welfare. It could be all three. It will allow the city to skip over some of the due process requirements in an emergency. Currently the ordinance requires when you have a situation that has been reported a lot of due process must be followed. With this change, if an emergency has been identified, the city may act immediately. She explained the whole process in detail with the old ordinance and what it would mean with the new ordinance.

Yvonne Gonzales reiterated this did not affect a regular abatement and only an emergency abatement which would be a property that could cause imminent danger, hazard to public health, safety and welfare. She went over the process of an emergency abatement. The actions could be boarding up windows or putting up a fence around the perimeter without notice to the owner because of an emergency.

The mayor makes the decision if a structure needs emergency abatement after recommendations from the fire department and police department and then notifies the building inspector and asks for a report after their inspection. At that time the mayor can authorize the measures necessary to abate the nuisance. Like many municipalities ,the owners live in other states and can't be notified easily. Although the treasurer's office has contact information it may not be the owner, This will be an intent to adopt the new ordinance and will be published so the public can review before the next council meeting. Gray and Carrillo had questions. The council discussed some things pertaining to this ordinance. Yvonne Gonzales addressed each issue and question they put forward. Medina felt they would have a transparency issue with the new ordinance. Yvonne Gonzales said this would be in very limited situations; it had to be an emergency.

Ojinaga brought up a situation in which the owner does not have utilities and has been starting fires in the house to keep warm that will probably eventually lead to a house fire. Yvonne Gonzales said in that case it would be a regular abatement. Medina referred to an ordinance about not having any utilities and living in a residence that he thought they had passed several years back. Carrillo wanted legal counsel involved in the process for an emergency abatement. Carrillo brought up a current problem with a resident that has a property next to them that they feel could catch fire any time because of a squatter starting fires.

The residents can call and ask for a copy of the ordinance to review and provide their input. The council acknowledged the ordinance did need changes. Medina requested a work session and Gray said they needed time to review the ordinance. At this time, they have just been talking in circles. Yvonne Gonzales asked to take the original one and strengthen the abatement procedures. The council will be postponing this until the next meeting.

The council did not go into closed session.

Action items for personnel

The council approved the introductory period completion for a wastewater employee.

The council approved the resignation from a police officer.

The council approved the resignation of the municipal judge.

The council approved the appointment of Jose Diaz as municipal judge.

Department head reports

Salas had attended a Think Trees conference that had to do with the project being done to plant trees around town. The project had paid for her and Sheila Hudman, Santa Clara village administrator, to attend. It had taught them how to maintain the trees and she suggested that someone from maintenance attend the training also. She had also attended the legislative session along with the mayor, council and deputy clerk. They had attended numerous meetings, one being the department of finance. They advocated to obtain more money for the regional water project and local projects. Salas had renewed her procurement officer position by passing a test.

Salas had said they had been working on the fixing of the address system in Bayard but postponed it because she had been told they could not do it on an election year (local). She later found out it would be federal election year so they will not start on it again until the end of the year. This will provide time to set up public information meetings to explain the process and the reasons it must be done. It allows for more time to inform the residents and people from the state will come and present.

She had received a call from Cobre concerning the golf course. She had not spoken to them, but the deputy clerk had. She didn't know exactly what they wanted to do, but they do want to sell it or give it up. When she knows more it will be on the agenda. She wanted them to be aware of the situation because a lot of people had been talking about it. The council discussed the different options and if maintenance could care for it.

Salas said they would be close to purchasing the property across from the Food Basket in the next week. The owner lives in California. The property by the railroad they don't know if they will be able to purchase.

Sam Arellano, public works director, went over what they had been doing. Along with normal work they had completed several projects. They had received the water heater for the animal shelter and installed it and still needed some tweaks but had been working. He had met with Stantec for the new chlorination building. The new HVAC system had been installed at the community center and everyone had noticed. He listed several other projects and when they would be done.

The cross training with the wastewater plant had been working out well. Arellano addressed the question about the maintenance of the golf course, and he said they would be willing to take on the challenge but will have to be trained.

Arellano will be meeting with the Department of Transportation to show the maintenance department how to fix the potholes. He wants a permanent fix and not a temporary.

Renee Provincio, librarian, said she had good news about some upgrades to the library. The front sign had been replaced with the new logo, address and website. Some patrons had complained they didn't know if the library had been open, so they now have a LED open sign now. The survey had 60 responses on a strategic planning. She had posted flyers around town, Grant County Beat, Silver City Daily Press, Facebook and other platforms to get the information out. She felt they had received some helpful feedback. The survey had also provided a great new volunteer with 23 years of public library experience.

Provencio continued with a list of all the programs they have been and will be offering.

Beautification committee will have Jose Diaz as returning chair, and vice chair will be Mark Diaz.

Carrillo started with their stats for the police department. The department had received in the month of January 270 calls for service and 10 of those the sherifs department had answered. They had participated in the Stand for the Silent. The Silver City police department had brought the presentation to the area, and it addressed bullying. "It was pretty touching." Cobre High School students and Snell Middle School students had also attended. Carrillo thought it had a big impact on the students.

Most of the training for the officers happens in March, April and May so they will be attending those and some of it will be advanced training and recertifications.

For career day the officers will be presenting to the high school and middle school on overdosing. The code enforcement officer speaks very highly of New Mexico BARC (Borderland Animal Rescue Coalition).

Salas added that they had been working with the contractor doing the master plan for the acreage Bayard had purchased recently. They put together a survey for the community to have their input and the public meeting would be on March 17, 2026

Mayor and council reports

Eloy Gonzales asked if they had heard anything from the legislature on funding requests. Salas said they would not know until March 11, 2026. He then asked about Blakes Lota Burger and heard they might have a buyer. Salas said she had been in touch with the corporate office, and they thought the Bayard Fired Department had shut them down. It had not been Bayard but the State. She had forwarded them the letter twice. She went over some of the reasons cited for shutting them down. Salas said the corporation had wanted $40,000 from the city and then they wanted $65,000. The last question Eloy Gonzales had concerned the person that had showed interest in putting in a recreation center and Salas said he had never called back again. That person had wanted to do a gym to lift weights for the kids.

Medina told Arellano he appreciated all he has done.

Gray told Arellano it would be great if they could take over the golf course but not to feel compelled to do so.

Ojinaga said the city has been looking great and he had not had any complaints

Next regular meeting will be held March 18, 2026.

Meeting adjourned.