By Lynn Janes
The town of Bayard held a work session and regular meeting October 10, 2023. Attendance included Mayor Chon Fierro, councilors Eloy Medina, Frances Gonzales, Eloy Gonzales, and Jose Diaz. The work session allows the council time to ask questions about items on the agenda and discuss them. Gabriel Ramos, city clerk, also attended.
The council had questions about the accounts payable and what some of the charges had been for. Ramos explained all of them. The consent agenda had an approval for David Palomarez to attend continuing education conference. Ramos said he needed it to finish the required credits for his water certification. He only had 24 more hours. It will be a weeklong course in Las Cruces and will cost approximately $2,000 that includes the class and cost of the trip.
Ramos and the deputy clerk will attend a training in Santa Fe. He said they would not be staying at the hotel of the event but another one that would be cheaper. The training will be for certification. Marlena Valenzuela, deputy clerk, will finish her certification on this training. Ramos, because of his degree will only have a year to finish his; if he didn't have the degree, it would be much longer.
Police Chief Hector Carrillo had put in for a grant and got it. The grant totals $393,750 and will be allocated out in a three-year period. It must be used for recruitment and can be used for overtime.
Frances Gonzales asked if it could be used for another police officer so they would have seven.
Carrillo said they could but had to remember that the grant would only be for three years.
Frances Gonzales said she didn't think this one would go away.
Carrillo said as soon as all the officers become certified, they would be eligible for more funding. They decided to put the discussion of a seventh officer on the agenda for the special meeting.
Frances Gonzales wanted to know why the city would be doing a proclamation to make the week of October 9-15, 2023, for Freeport McMoRan (FMI).
Fierro said they have helped the community out a lot and we should recognize them for that.
Eloy Gonzales agreed and commented that they always help the city and the mining district.
Ramos read the proclamation and it listed some of the things they had done to help.
Carrillo said they have helped the police department by providing funds.
Diaz said he would be all for it.
Frances Gonzales said, "I was raised in the union and have a whole different take on them." She continued that the $1 million they would be giving them for the wastewater treatment plant is a give-and-take. "We have to give them first choice on that water."
Fierro said 18 years ago they helped rebuild that plant and the water had been going to go to Fort Bayard, but the cost ended up being too high to pipe it there. The water then began to be used on the school properties. Now the schools have turf and no need for water.
"Freeport uses a lot of water and had been using the water until the environment department had a problem with it. This will help the mining district." Fierro continued, "I was a union man, but we need this help, we need the money, and it helps the whole mining district."
Ramos added they have helped with the donation of water rights to Hurley and Santa Clara that will help provide water to the whole district with the water loop system. "Days of ambiguity and upset need to be put behind us and we need to move forward.
Frances Gonzales insisted she would still ask questions.
Ramos said they would be working with FMI to build a museum.
Frances Gonzales said that building belongs to Bayard and the residents, and they should be able to vote if they want that help. "I don't understand the dual museum."
Ramos said that it will be a different building in a different place. Randy Ellison, manager FMI Chino, and Fierro have been working on it and it will be a great project for the area.
Fierro brought up the water rights they have donated to help the mining district water project and how it will help everyone.
The council removed the discussion/approval of Stantec on a project at the request of Ramos. They will have it on the agenda for the special meeting.
Santa Clara has asked for the use of the bleachers again for the upcoming Tamale Festival. They will pick them up and bring them back. The council all wanted to provide that for them.
Priscilla Lucero, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments executive director, had been instrumental in the forming of the Copper Collaborative. This group includes Santa Clara, Bayard and Hurley and started to come together to beautify the mining district. They will be cleaning up trash and looking at what can be done about the dilapidated properties and support each other in the endeavors. FMI will be providing a facilitatory to help in the meetings. Ramos said it has gone very well and they have asked that the mayor and one councilor from each municipality be on the committee.
The council started the meeting and approved the agenda with the removal of the item Ramos requested.
Public input
Mr. Diaz, a resident representing the beautification committee addressed the council. He had come to them on two issues. He wanted to give them an update on the rest of the year's plans and ask a question. He said the committee has been proud of everything they have done, and it had come to their attention that someone said they didn't do enough. "We do all we can for the community. People need to come to the meetings and see what we are doing." The meeting happens the third Wednesday of the month at 5 pm and are held at the community center. Information on what they have planned they post on their Facebook page. He asked the council to help spread the word. They had just had a bingo night that a lot of people had attended. On October 29, 2023, they will be having the annual trunk of treat. They only have eight members and few volunteers. He hoped they would have a lot of people get involved in the copper clean up the mining district would be doing. They had done their best to try and get people involved. He has been working with maintenance to do the Christmas tree decorations. The Thanksgiving plans have not been finalized yet, but he said he would let them know when they knew. He went over some other plans for the rest of the year.
The council approved the consent agenda the included the Bayard library report, accounts payable report for October 10, 2023, David Palomarez attendance to continuing education discussed in the work session, and the clerk and deputy clerk attending training in Santa Fe discussed in the work session.
New business
The council approved the appropriation from the department of finance and administration for the grant Carrillo had gotten for $393,750 paid out in a three-year period at different amounts each year.
The council approved the proclamation to declare the week of October 9-15, 2023, as Freeport McMoRan week. Fierro read the proclamation and Ellison and Laura Phelps, Community Development Manager, had attended to receive the proclamation. The proclamation listed some of the things FMI had done both in funds and energy to help the mining district and Bayard. Some of the upcoming projects would be the $1 million for the wastewater treatment plant and $143,000 to renovate the community center.
Phelps thanked them and for the work of the generations before that made it possible. "I came from Arizona but get to have a steady income from what was built before me. I want to help Bayard be as successful as it can be."
Ellison said he had been a general manager for 35 years and never had anything like this. "I am honored and proud of the relationship but feel we are all family in one form or another. I am proud to facilitate what we have done and really appreciate this."
The council approved the proclamation to declare the week of October 16-22, 2023, as Scott Siville week. Saville had not been able to attend but had the previous meeting. The proclamation had been made for his outstanding volunteer service to the animal shelter and to honor and thank him for his time.
The council approved the proclamation to declare the month of October, domestic violence awareness month for El Refugio. Medina read the proclamation and listed all the things El Refugio does for the community. It also gave the current stats on the people the organization has helped.
The council approved the use of the bleachers by Santa Clara for the Tamale Festival.
The council approved the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Copper Collaborative with one change requested by Diaz. Diaz wanted the MOU to list the participation of FMI in the committee.
Ordinances and resolutions
The council approved resolution 17-2023. This allows the participation in the transportation project fund administered by the New Mexico Department of Transportation. This specifically would be for the Alta Vista Street project. The total would be $260,000 and Bayard match cost will be $13,045. An application for a hardship waiver of that cost has been turned in but they have not heard back if it would be accepted.
Action for personnel
The council approved the completion of probation for Robert Ruiz and to change him to full-time status. His supervisor had recommended this action.
Mayor and councilors reports
Medina, Eloy Gonzales, and Diaz did not have a report currently.
Frances Gonzales said the following week they would have the housing authority meeting at 4pm. They meet every third Wednesday of the month.
Ramos said October 28, 2023, would be the Copper Collaborative clean up and the bins have been provided by FMI. Tickets would be given for every bag of trash coming in. The top three at the end of the day would get a $100 prize and then they would take all the tickets from each municipality and do a drawing for $500, and FMI would be providing those prizes. The event goes from 8am to 2pm. They will be encouraging groups to go do homes for the elderly and ADA residents.
October 27, 2023, Cobre High School will have a trunk or treat before their game and asked if the council would participate. Ramos thought it would be good to show them they are part of the community.
Ramos reminded the council he and Valenzuela would be gone to the training in Santa Fe the following week.
The employees at city hall asked Ramos if they would be having the Christmas Parade. Ramos asked the council if they wanted to do that, and they all did. Diaz asked if they would come up with a plan and let them know. They had to get Santa Claus.
Fire Chief Cody Dove said on December 16, 2023, the fire department would have Santa Claus at 6pm, and he would pass out candy to the kids and they should have the parade then.
Ramos told the council the week of Oct. 23rd they would be with the auditors getting the audit started.
Dove asked that they advertise for a secretary for the fire department since he didn't have one anymore, she had resigned. Fierro said they would see what they could do.
Carrillo wanted to let the council know that October would be a busy month for the department. They continue to help with Cobre and their games. The homecoming parade would be coming up, trunk or treat, and they will be helping the beautification committee.
Fierro didn't have a report currently.
They didn't go into closed session although two of them thought they should. Fierro broke the tie and said he needed to find out more on what they wanted to discuss before they had a closed session on it.
Special meeting will take place October 16, 2023
Next regular meeting will take place October 23, 2023
Meeting adjourned.