By Lynn Janes

The town of Bayard held a special town meeting February 7, 2022. The meeting started with Mayor Chon Fierro calling the meeting to order and leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
Attendance at the meeting included Mayor Chon Fierro, Mayor Pro Tem Raul Villanueva, and councilors, Eloy Medina, Jose Diaz (by phone) and Frances Gonzales. 

The council approved the agenda for the meeting.

They went into closed session pertaining to personnel matters.

They came back from closed session to approve or not the hiring of new police officers that had been recommended by the police chief, Cornel Stemley.

The council approved the hiring of Kyle Baldwin and Zacharia Gallegos. The hiring wage would be set at $16.50 an hour and after 40 days and field training there would be a fifty-cent raise. They would have to pass the one-year introductory time and be certified before they can be put at the standard pay scale. At that point the council will evaluate that amount. The new uncertified hires would also have to sign a three-year contract before attending the academy or Santa Fe for training.

The council approved another hire for police officer. Jaime Serrano is a certified police officer and will be hired at the standard rate of $18.50 an hour.

Meeting adjourned.