GRANTS, N.M. — The July 3 “Coffee with the Managers” meeting featured a lengthy and at times feisty conversation about fireworks, public safety, and the cost of doing business as local government.
With Cibola County Manager Kate Fletcher absent, City of Grants Manager Andrew Valencia and Village of Milan Manager Candi Williams carried the discussion alongside several community members who brought their concerns directly to the table.
'We’re Doing Everything We Can'
With the Fourth of July the day after this meeting, fireworks safety dominated the early portion of the meeting. Fire and law enforcement officials described the annual struggle to enforce firework rules under state law that limits what local jurisdictions can prohibit.
“We go through this every year,” Village of Milan Fire Chief Daniel Urioste said. “People ask why we don’t just fine [ordinance violators]— but unless an officer physically sees someone light it and it’s an illegal firework, there’s almost nothing we can do.”
Multiple officials emphasized that local agencies cannot stop the sale of fireworks—only their use during restricted times. Even then, enforcement is tricky, especially with limited staff and widespread use across neighborhoods. Some years are better than others, they said, depending on drought severity and public cooperation.
Cibola County passed a “fireworks use restriction”, and the village’s pre-established rules allow it to automatically go along with the most severe drought/fire restrictions in the region, which made the use of fireworks illegal everywhere in Cibola except the City of Grants, who did not pass a fireworks-use restriction.
Fire Marshal Dustin Middleton explained that Cibola County has implemented burn bans in unincorporated areas, largely for educational purposes and to prevent fires in heavily forested zones near federal lands.
“Our campaign this year is, ‘Don’t let your fun turn into flames,’” Middleton said. “We’re focusing on public relations and encouraging responsible behavior.”
The biggest night of concern remained July 4. “We’re out in full force,” City Manager Andrew Valencia said.
Officials said most residents are responsible, with buckets of water and hoses nearby. But as always, some push the limits. “It’s not the firework—it’s the person lighting it,” Urioste added. “And if they’re not going to follow the rules, all we can do is try to educate them.”
Cibola County saw no major fire incidents during the Fourth of July weekend.
Milan’s American Ninja Playground
Village of Milan Manager Candi Williams shared an exciting update: the installation of the first American Ninja Warriorstyle playground in New Mexico.
Located at the soccer complex near Milan Elementary, off Route 66 and Pinon Drive, the new play structure includes challenging obstacle course elements and age-appropriate areas for toddlers and young children.
The project was funded entirely through a state grant, costing approximately $350,000. “Not one cent came from local taxpayer dollars,” Williams said. “This improves quality of life, and our grant writer did a phenomenal job.”
Grants Manager Valencia emphasized that this park project did not cost the taxpayers of Milan a single penny. Hard work from the Village of Milan, the manager, the clerk, and staff, and the entire village team allowed this recreational success in the village to be without cost.
Milan Pool Still Delayed
Williams also addressed the much-anticipated Milan swimming pool renovation.
Originally planned as a modest remodel, the project became much more complex when engineers discovered deeper infrastructure issues requiring compliance with modern fire, water, and ADA codes.
“We were supposed to start demolition in June, but permitting is holding us up,” Williams explained. “There’s water, gas, electricity—it all has to be capped and safe before anything can begin. Once demo starts, the rest should move faster.”
She said a full replacement facility would cost $32 million—far beyond the Village’s reach. Williams said that even if the City of Grants, Cibola County, and the Village of Milan funded the effort jointly, the cost is “just out of reach for all of us, even if we all banded together.”
Golf Course Grass and Water Realities
The condition of the Coyote Del Malpais Golf Course was also raised. This issue has long been a thorn in the side of the City of Grants.
Residents voiced concern over dead grass and algae-filled water ponds. City Manager Valencia explained that the city uses treated wastewater— not domestic water—for irrigation, but problems with algae and aging aerators have reduced water quality.
“We can’t use domestic water for golf—it’s just not sustainable,” Valencia said. “We’re working on pump and sprinkler upgrades, and we just renovated the front nine bathrooms for the first time since 1994. But it's a massive property, and we only have a dozen staff working it.”
He added that weed control and turf improvements are long-term priorities but must be balanced with critical needs like police vehicles and fire services.
Despite concerns from local residents, Cibola County Commissioner Ralph Lucero told community members that the Coyote Del Malpais is still “one of the nicest golf courses in the state,” and he iterated that every golf course in New Mexico is struggling with water.
Dispatch and Communication Concerns
Frustrations over local dispatch operations and public communication also resurfaced.
Residents expressed confusion over non-emergency numbers and said dispatchers can come across as rude or unclear on the radio.
Officials acknowledged that all calls are now recorded digitally and that headset malfunctions or low batteries sometimes cause communication issues. “We’re working on it,” Fire Marshal Middleton said. “Turnover is high, burnout is real, but we're improving.”
Transparency in Local Government
Another area of community concern was around transparency.
Former Village of Milan Trustee Ellen Baca, known for being an outspoken defender of Milan residents, called on the Village of Milan’s administration and the administration of Cibola County to video stream their government meetings like the City of Grants does.
Baca expressed that the government agencies have the ability livestream their meetings, and called for the two that do not (Village of Milan and Cibola County) to do so.
Williams explained that while the Village of Milan no longer livestreams meetings due to low viewership, communication with the public remains a top priority.
City Charter Still Under Review
Toward the end of the meeting, questions resurfaced about the City of Grants Charter and whether amendments made over the years were properly approved by voters.
Following nearly a decade of noncompliance, the City of Grants— prompted by Councilor Beverly Michael— launched an effort in 2023 to rewrite and correct the city charter. A residentled charter committee was formed through an application and council approval process.
That committee completed its work—but the draft was lost in a computer crash, which claims to have completed its work. The final draft of the charter was lost when the computer it was housed on crashed.
Valencia confirmed that a cleanup process is underway with city attorneys and the New Mexico Municipal League. “The old files were lost in a crash,” he confirmed. “We’ve reconstructed them and are working to bring everything into compliance.”
A Reminder of Partnership
The meeting ended on a positive note with renewed calls for cooperation.
Valencia told residents at the meeting, “We go to the legislature together now. We know what each other is asking for. That’s how we’re going to get things done.”
Williams echoed the sentiment. “This community is stronger when we work together. And I think we’re doing a lot better at that.”
The next Coffee with the Managers meeting is scheduled for the first Thursday of August at 9 a.m. at the Coyote Del Malpais Golf Course Clubhouse in Grants.