By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held its regular meeting August 24, 2023.

Mayor's report

Mayor Richard Bauch said the regional water commission had met that day and they will finish the PER (preliminary engineering report) by December. The plan creates a good strategy for the mining district.

New Business

Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza and Trustees Arnold Lopez, Olga Amador, and Peter Erickson unanimously approved the amendment to the employee contract for Police Chief Leonel Sandoval.

The council approved the amendment to the employee contract for Village Administrator Sheila Hudman.

In the February 2023 council meeting, they had approved the contracts for Sandoval and Hudman. This would not change the contract, just the salaries. The council had approved the salary changes in a past meeting and this reflected the change in their contracts.

The council approved the appointment of Leandra Esparza from deputy clerk to clerk / treasurer with a salary of $19 an hour. Bauch commented that Hudman had been doing that job and hers, and this will be very helpful taking some of the responsibility off her.

The council approved the recommendation to post in house the deputy clerk position. It will be posted for five days before being advertised to everyone.

Resolutions

The council approved resolution 2023-17 adopting the ICIP (infrastructure capital improvement plan). The village does this plan every year. The state requires it, and it will be used for project funding and is a requirement for grants. Hudman said that they have 24 items on the list numbered in the order of importance. Several had been added this year from last year. The regional water project was added. They had also added a mower so they would have two, each one equipped for different jobs. WNM Communication had received a $10 million USDA grant to expand broadband service from Kirkland Road to Bayard. Santa Clara can have it brought into the village for $600,000. The line will run on the north side of the highway and give service to the hospital, armory, and Dollar General Store. Xfinity has a line on the south side of the highway that goes as far as the armory.

The council tabled resolution 202318 adopting section 01-E of the Village of Santa Clara policies and procedures manual titled Procurements, Travel, Accounting. Bauch said he still had work to do on it.

Public comments

Tome Caddel wanted to know when the potholes would be fixed. He had brought it up at the last meeting and it still had not been done and now he had identified more. He added that they have a water leak also. Bauch explained to him they have had a backlog on work due to not being able to get parts. They had divided the village up in sections and have been trying to get it caught up by doing a section a week. Hudman said they have a 28-week backorder on parts but the supplier told her municipalities would have priority.

Caddel wanted to know what they would be doing about the chile roaster that had sold at the auction and had not been picked up. Hudman said they had it as a consignment piece, and if it did not get picked up, Jim Lane, consignee, would be called to come get it. Even though it had been paid for it would revert back to him.

Hiring, raises, terminations, etc.

The village had received three resignations and the mayor had two recommendations for hiring.

The council approve the resignation of Desirae Castanon, clerk for the court, effective August 31, 2023.

The council approved the resignation of Judge Alonso Romo effective August 25, 2023.

The council approved the resignation of Officer Christopher Key, effective September 4, 2023.

The council approved the hiring of Bianca Martinez for court clerk at $15 an hour. The judge had recommended her, and the job will be part time. She will be trained by Castanon.

The council approved the hiring of Steven Edwards for labor maintenance at $15 an hour. It will be a full time position and he must give notice with current employer and will start September 11, 2023.

Next meetings

First regular meeting will be held Thursday September 14, 2023, at 6:00 pm

Second regular meeting will be held Thursday September 28, 2023, at 6:00 pm

Meeting Adjourned