Hurley approves business license for Bear Mountain Automotive

By Lynn Janes

The town of Hurley had a regular meeting September 9, 2025. Mayor Ed Stevens, Mayor Pro Tem Reynaldo Maynes, and Councilors Robert Candelaria, Pete Ordonez and Aron Phillips attended.

The council approved the consent agenda that included minutes and department head reports.

George Esqueda, Stantec senior project manager, attended to provide a project update to the council and a packet containing all the information. Stantec currently has a masters service agreement (MSA) with the town of Hurley. The original agreement had been executed September 6, 2023, and has been extended each year and now until September 6, 2026. He had a list of task orders. Stevens asked him to quickly read through the task orders before he provided a more extensive explanation of each.

Task Order 1. GO Building improvements for the town hall and police office. Some decisions had to be made to move forward. Most of it has to do with how to make changes for the police department to have their space work efficiently for them.

Task Order 2. Quality of life park improvements for the Big Muddy. The funds of $278,000 expire June 30, 2026. Currently they have been testing the soil to make sure plants will thrive on the property. This funding will be for design only.

Task Order 3. Anza Street and Third Street design has been finished.

Task Order 4. Lift station has been finished and is running.

Task Order 5. Department of Transportation chip seal project on Carrasco Street and First Street.

Task Oreder 6. American Legion planning only. The schematic had been submitted and had been for planning purposes only.

Task Order 7. Well five improvements had been tested and closed out.

Task Order 8. GO Building lead and asbestos abatement project has not been done yet. Requests for proposals (RFP) had been done but they had not received any responses in time, so it will be sent out again.

Task Order 9. Water transmission line, 12 inches under highway 180

Task Order 10. They didn't have enough funding to finish Anza Street and E Street project.

Task Order 11. Lightning protection for wells eleven and seven closed out.

Esqueda continued and went through each task order with a full explanation, update of the timeline of the project and expiration of funding use.

Richard Maynes and Raymond De la Vega had come to speak to the council on some projects they would be presenting to the council that had to do with water and the regional water project. The projects will be for well number five and slag testing and hoped to have those proposals at the next meeting.

De la Vega said that with the regional water project they have been focusing on the two wells Freeport McMoRan (FMI) had donated the water rights and easements for Hurley and Santa Clara. They have been working with John Shoemaker, and he indicated an existing slag well in the area and could help quickly ascertain an understanding of the aquifer and water quality in the area. The next step will depend on that test. Shoemaker has a wealth of experience of the water in the area. The Apache Tejo well would be closed, and it has been a high yielding water well.

Stevens interjected that FMI had provided the town of Hurley with 200 acre feet of water rights. The town of Hurley will have its own well field and it will be in its name.

Richard Maynes explained more about the regional water project and funding sources. The project will provide back up for the town.

Ledy Vankavage, senior legislative attorney, for Best Friends attended to provide a presentation to the council on the animal ordinance Archi Padilla had proposed in a work session September 2, 2025. Vankavage has been with Best Friends for sixteen years and before that the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) for nine years. She had also started a humane society in the '80s.

Vankavage had a PowerPoint presentation for the council. She told them they could save tax dollars by changing the ordinance. New Mexico kills more dogs and cats per capita than any other state including Texas and California. "New Mexico has a problem with the number of animals that are coming into the shelters compared to your population."

Dogs coming into the shelters have been surrendered by their families, but cats come in most of the time because they have too many. She had met with the police chief and animal control officer. She spoke to the wonderful group of volunteers the town of Hurley has and the recent $35,000 grant for spay and neutering they will receive. The grant had gone to New Mexico BARC (border animal rescue coalition) because of the enterprising volunteers. Bernalillo County and Otero County had not received a grant.

Bringing animals into the shelter can be very expensive whereas if sterilization can take place and they can be united with their owners it becomes much cheaper. "That is why a lot of animal services now are animal care and control."

Vankavage went on to explain the difference between public nuisances and private nuisances. She then went over the benefits of the proposal Padilla had made to the council and the cost savings.

Dolores Charon, El Refugio, had come to ask for the participation of the town for Domestic Awareness month in October. They call the event "Paint the town purple" and put up flags and ribbons. Stevens said they had done it last year and would do that again. She invited them to all come for the proclamation October 1, 2025, at the Women's Club 9:00 am. She wanted the police department to attend, and they would be providing purple ribbon magnets for their police vehicles. The town will also do a proclamation.

Cody Conyers, Bear Mountain Automotive, had come to speak on his business license application. They provide mobile service for maintenance in Grant County and are certified technicians. In the past they have done work for the Santa Clara Police Department, Grant County and Corre Cominos. Conyers said they wanted to open a small maintenance shop in Hurley on Santa Rita Avenue. "We don't want to open a junk yard." He had provided a business plan to the council. All fluids would be disposed of properly and legally.

Doug Miranda, code enforcement / animal control officer, had taken photos of the property he wanted to use. The property had three large bays and has an area in the back for storage. The fluids would be stored in a waste tank until pick up. Southwest Concrete would be using the oil for road construction. Humphreys Enterprises would pump and dispose of the other fluids.

Stevens asked if he would have a lineup of cars and if he would be willing to put up a fence. Conyers said he would put up a fence. The council knew the location he had identified and approved the license.

Kevin Vigil, police chief, had a purchase order for the council to consider. It would be for Advanced Communication and Electronics Inc. Several years ago, the town purchased three MacBook laptops for the preparation of the new computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system that they currently use. Through time they had lost all but one charger. The quote presented would be for five laptops and they would be similar to Panasonic Toughbook and would include an extended warranty for five years. It will also include vehicle docking stations for the specific laptop. With the docking station it will allow for the computer to charge while in the vehicles. He continued to list the other improvements and advantages that included hot spots for internet access. The quote also includes three office desk docking stations. Some of the current ones, because of staffing changes, shave caused the applications not to be accessible, and passwords had not been stored properly.

Vigil went on to explain the advantages of the new system and the total cost being $39,110.25 that would come from the law enforcement protection program fund.

Stevens commented that would be a lot for five computers and charging docks. Vigil continued with the advantages of the system. Reports could be done in the field, and they would not have to come back to the office. Currently they have to return to the office. Vigil said, "It takes away from the time spent being visible on the street for the officers. This has become an industry standard for everything to be electronic."

Candelaria had some questions about the hot spots he had requested and if he had looked at some others. Candelaria will look into some other services. He didn't have the information in hand but would look into it later. He also inquired if they had looked into factory resets with the current computers. Vigil would work with dispatch on additional information Candelaria requested. The council tabled the request until further information had been received.

The city of Alamogordo had donated a 2015 Ford Explorer. Prior to the donation Vigil had been approached by Miranda on the current vehicle being used and safety when it comes to loading animals into the vehicle and said an SUV would be more suitable and safer. Vigil went into more reasons the SUV would work better for Miranda. The purchase order Vigil had brought to the council would be to purchase equipment needed for animal control to put in the donated SUV. He explained how this system would work. The cost will be $10,879.59 and will come out of the law enforcement funds.

Stevens wanted to know what was wrong with the truck that Miranda uses. Vigil said it had to do with the height as explained earlier. Stevens said, "Basically we are spending $10,000 on a 10-year old vehicle we know nothing about." Vigil said yes. Stevens asked if he had the maintenance records and he said no. Stevens also questioned if the law enforcement funds could be used for an animal control vehicle. Vigil will make sure. The council tabled the purchase order until further information was available.

The council approved the attendance of a Hurley officer to a first line supervisor course in Santa Fe. The course would not cost the town. Stevens said this course has been intended for individuals starting to build their careers. Not many officers want to stay a patrol officer. Advancement would be a big deal. Vigil said sending him to this class would not have the intention to promote but so he can understand and start seeing the insight to being a supervisor. Vigil pointed out that at this point officers in Hurley work on their own, so they double as their own supervisor. Vigil continued with his reasoning for the course and how he would not always be available. The course will be offered by the academy so the town would not be charged but only responsible for wages, food, gas and lodging. The council discussed the legitimacy of the course for the officer for a while.

The council approved the attendance of Vigil to a class on the interaction with persons with mental illness. It would be an instructors course in Albuquerque. Vigil said the role of law enforcement officers has evolved significantly in recent years requiring a more nuanced understanding of the communities they serve. Vigil said, "Traveling around the communities of Grant County you see individuals you know have some kind of mental illness. Doesn't matter if they are born that way, drug0induced, or trauma -induced, something happened." The instructors course, masters level, will be designed for him to give information to instruct other officers. The better the training the better officers can interact with these individuals. The course also will meet the annual requirements from the Department of Public Safety. By sending him to this course he can instruct other officers in the department so they will not have to travel every year for this requirement.

Vigil went into further explanations of how important this training would be. It teaches them how to interact with these people in a peaceful manner and communicate with them better. The course will cost the department $900 and will come out of the law enforcement funds.

The council approved the intention do adopt ordinance 19-D providing for the payment of compensation to the mayor and council members. When they looked at what others in Santa Clara and Bayard made in compensation Hurley had been a lot lower. Currently Hurley provides a $155 a month compensation to the mayor and $125 a month compensation to the council members. They have proposed $225 to the mayor and $175 to the council members. This will only be effective for the new term for a new officeholder and would not take effect until January 2026. The council discussed if people that didn't show up to meeting would still be paid and an attorney's advice will be sought on the issue.

The council approved the completion of the probationary period for Sonia Ray, police clerk. Vigil recommended the completion of the probationary period and presented an evaluation, and he felt she had demonstrated extraordinary capabilities. The judge had also spoken to  her work ethics.

The council approved the completion of the probationary period for the Dezinae Salas, deputy clerk. Darlene McBride recommended the completion of the probationary period. She had stepped into the role and been a real support system to McBride and has taken over all tasks presented to her.

Mayor and council reports

Reynoldo Maynes didn't have anything to report but did want to thank FMI for their continued support. "They really are a great asset to our community and really help us out."

Ordonez did not have anything to report currently.

Phillips did not have anything to report except the construction around his house had been going well, but he still had concerns about the levels of the ground and possible problems with water drainage.

Candelaria did not have anything to report currently.

Stevens spoke to the installation of some speed bumps but said it would be brought before the council when he had more information.

The next regular meeting will be October 14, 2025, at 5:00 pm.

Meeting adjourned.